Coping is a protective covering that prevents water seepage from entering the walls of buildings. It is used on compound walls, boundary walls and parapet walls to prevent water damage. The coping also gives the wall a good aesthetic look.
The coping materials vary from a variety of different building materials to include stone, concrete, masonry and metals. They come in a range of different shapes, colors and finishes to suit your commercial building’s style.
Common coping material is metal, such as zinc, aluminum or copper. These are durable and can stand up to many harsh weather conditions, including strong winds, heavy rains and high temperatures.
One major benefit of coping is that it reduces the risk of efflorescence - a fungus that grows on masonry. It also helps to keep a dripping wall from causing structural damage or wood rot.
In a nutshell, copings have projections that throw rain as far away from the top of the wall as possible to help minimize efflorescence and other damage caused by the sun’s UV rays. They are usually installed in conjunction with drip grooves cut into the underside of the projections to prevent rain from dripping back against the wall.
A coping should also be constructed with a slope to drain the collected water off the wall. It is also important to ensure that the coping material is resistant to frost and sulfate action as they are often exposed to temperature extremes and many wetting and drying cycles.
