Decorative zinc and copper elements are often the detail that sets a well-finished building apart from a merely functional one. We are talking about chimneys, skylights, parapets, lanterns, domes, mouldings and cornices: pieces with a clear technical purpose (protecting vulnerable joints, channelling water, ventilating roofs) that also define the architectural character of the whole. At ZincArt we fabricate each of these elements in our own workshop, in rolled zinc or copper, ready to integrate into new or refurbished roofs and facades.
Chimney caps
The chimney is one of the most exposed points on any roof: extreme thermal swings, direct rain, constant wind and direct contact with combustion gases. A properly sized zinc or copper cap shields the flue outlet from the weather and gives the chimney a clean, durable finish.
We make caps in several formats - square, rectangular, conical or with a drip edge - matched to the original chimney design. The set includes the apron flashings between the base of the cap and the roof covering, made with standing-seam or tin-lead soldering depending on the detail. This area is responsible for a significant share of the infiltrations on older roofs.
Skylights and roof windows
Zinc and copper skylights bring natural light into attics, covered patios and service spaces without compromising the roof's watertightness. We make frames and metal trims for flat, pyramidal and truncated-pyramid skylights, with a structural frame and a drip edge that pushes water away from the glass.
For roof windows and dormers we build the perimeter flashings, lower aprons and side coping that connect the frame to the surrounding cladding. They can be made in natural zinc, pre-weathered zinc or copper, ensuring visual continuity with the rest of the roof. In refurbishment work we replicate the original design whenever the client wants to preserve the historic reading of the building.
Parapets, low walls and coping (flashings)
Parapets and copings are the upper finish of the walls that crown flat roofs, balconies and parapet walls. Their function is twofold: protecting the top of the masonry from infiltration and giving the facade a clean crowning line. In zinc or copper, this general flashing has a service life far above painted-sheet alternatives.
We build parapets with a drip on both sides, properly placed expansion joints and concealed fixings. On flat roofs, the coping integrates with the waterproofing membrane to form a continuous system. For decorative parapets with moulded profiles, we make the coping to measure, replicating the profile of the original stonework.
Domes and lanterns
Building copper or zinc domes is one of the most demanding showcases of light sheet-metalwork. Each dome is built from individual gores, cut, formed and soldered by hand into a continuous curved surface. It is a noble finish that crowns towers, turrets and signature buildings with an unmistakable silhouette.
The lantern - the raised volume above the ridge that ventilates and lights the space below the roof - is a typical element of Portuguese heritage that few competitors handle. We reproduce it in zinc or copper sheet, with side glazing and vents sized to the roof area. Each lantern is built in the workshop and installed on site as a single piece, avoiding unnecessary joints in the most sensitive area of the roof.
Mouldings and cornices
Zinc or copper mouldings and cornices structure the facade composition: they mark the transitions between floors, frame window openings and introduce shadow lines that enrich the reading of the building. We make plain profiles and classical-inspired moulded profiles, adapted to the architectural style of each project. Each cornice section is prepared for soldered or lapped jointing, forming a continuous line with no visible breaks. Window mouldings include coordinated sill, jambs and lintel, with slopes that throw water away from the wall.
Refurbishment and heritage
Portugal has a vast historic building stock where decorative zinc and copper elements are part of the architectural identity. Before any heritage intervention, we run a rigorous dimensional survey of the existing pieces, record the profiles and details to be replicated and propose replacement in rolled zinc or copper - materials already present on many Portuguese buildings of the 19th and early 20th century. The final solution preserves the heritage character and adds decades of service life to the building, while remaining visually indistinguishable from the original.
Materials
We work with zinc from the leading European mills - VMZINC, elZinc and RHEINZINK - in three common finishes: natural (which evolves into a grey patina over five to fifteen years), light pre-weathered (factory-stabilised pearl grey) and dark pre-weathered (anthracite grey). For stronger colour expression, we supply pigmented finishes in blue, brown, green and red.
Copper is supplied as rolled sheet in the salmon tone characteristic of new material, evolving over time to dark brown and, after several decades, to the classical green patina. For projects that want the immediate effect, brown pre-oxidised copper or green pre-patinated copper is available, factory-stabilised. Discover the materials we use.
Bespoke workshop fabrication
Every decorative element is fabricated in our own workshop, with cutting, folding and soldering equipment suited to thin-sheet work. We work from the architectural drawing, the on-site survey or the original part to be replaced, and we deliver the elements numbered and ready to install. Workshop production guarantees better quality control than working entirely on site: parts assembled in stable conditions, soldered joints with the sheet properly supported and tolerances checked before transport.
Decorative elements naturally pair with our work in zinc and copper roofing and zinc and copper facades. See also our project portfolio.
