This copper chimney cap projects is for a client in Connecticut  (name and City removed 12/08 at client's request, first time ever). We spent nearly 2 years working out the details of this project, since his first e-mail (9/06). We finally go the details worked out where he had contracted with me to cover the other larger chimney as well, but just before I finished this smaller chimney cap for over the garage he had to cancel the other project do to lack of funds, so I was only able to build this one.

The inside of the base is 22" x 39" to fit over this small brick chimney. I made this to resemble the Tuscan arched style I make built to scale with the client's specifications.  This seems to be my most popular design. I show several different examples here on our web site to show the different sizes for price comparison, and there are minor differences and improved construction on each one.  I shared about 26 digital photos with the client through e-mail during the construction process.

One detail I do that is different  from most any other fabricator is to add these 3/4" thick solid Ipe hardwood boards inside the copper base for better strength and to hold the stainless steel screws tight to the sides of the chimney. It is attached with some expanding gorilla glue and rivets top and bottom. I piled the sides with heavy weight while the glue sets over night. Then the inside surface is varnished after the 2 halves are sealed together.

This shows the mid arch column section being drawn out and formed. It is made with all 4 column corners seamless to better hide the rivets holding it together over the center of the arch, instead of like I did with earlier fabrications. This unit was small enough to make all 4 columns in a single sheet.

The arch liners get attached. These pipes shown in the right photo below are pretty much just decorative, but take me nearly a full days work to measure each of the 16 sides, cut, fold, and attach these pipes in a single piece to each of the 4 columns with the 14 rivets from inside the columns. Alignment of the rivet holes are very tricky.

Here is the mid section being attached to the base with the 16 gauge stainless steel screen inside. I also rivet the screen to the inside of the mid section to add a good deal of strength to this chimney cap. The second photo below shows the 5" wide eave attached to the top of the mid section.

The roof of this is designed for a 6/12 pitch and has a 3" overhang past the sides of the base on all sides.

Here is the roof frame work being made and attached before the roof skin can go on.  Not being perfectly square there is a 17" long ridge across the top. The second photo below shows half of the roof skin attached over this framework.

Making the roof skin over this is easy enough, but the best placement of the internal bracing is more tricky.  Unlike a house roof with 24" centers, I do not want this to have any more than 12" between braces or hips.  These were only about 9" apart. This will give a very good support to the copper roof skin over them for snow loads that may build up over the chimney cap.

There are nearly 1,000 rivets that hold this chimney cap together, but very few of them will be seen from the outside. Just like with auto manufacturers; where they go to extremes to hid the fasteners for aesthetics, yet still be just as strong. I build the strongest wood crates you are likely to see as well, with predrilled holes for the deck screws I use to hold this together. I also glue most of this together for added strength. The hardwood plywood skin ins also glued and screwed over this wood frame.

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Below is a photo of our
Better Business Bureau's
NW Business Integrity Award
for the year 1998

We were also a 1997 finalist for this same award. See our referral web page to see how we managed to be honored with this special award