Light Copper Price Today: Roofing, Gutters, Sheet and Flashing

Light copper is thin sheet copper: roofing, flashing, gutters, downpipes and similar material. It is unalloyed but thin, weathered and often carries solder, tar, paint or steel fixings. It sits a step below number 2 and 25 to 35 percent below bare bright on a typical board.

What light copper covers

The ReMA code is Dream. The specification covers clean, unalloyed copper sheet of light gauge, plus roofing, gutters, downspouts, boilers and kettles, with allowance for the coatings and oxidation that outdoor service leaves behind.

It is a grade defined by thickness and history rather than by contamination. A copper roof is nearly pure metal, but it is thin, it has been weathered for decades, and it is usually fixed with steel nails and sealed with solder or tar.

Where light copper comes from

Roofing is the largest source. Standing-seam copper roofs, dormers and church spires yield large quantities when replaced.

Gutters and downpipes are the most common household source, and the most often stolen.

Flashing around chimneys and valleys, usually in short lengths with tar on it.

Boilers, kettles and cylinders, which are sheet copper formed into vessels, with brass fittings and often a tinned inside.

Decorative sheet from bars, kitchens and shop fronts.

Why it sits below number 2

Three reasons, and they stack.

Thickness. Thin sheet oxidises faster and loses more to slag in the furnace than heavy pipe does, so refiners pay less for it.

Weathering. Decades outdoors leave a green patina that has to be dealt with. The metal underneath is fine, but the surface is not.

Attachments. Steel nails, solder seams, tar sealant and brass fittings all arrive with it and all have to come off.

The grades guide puts the bare-bright-to-light-copper spread at 25 to 35 percent on a typical yard board.

Sorting light copper properly

This is where the money is, because the grade can be dragged down further by what is left on it.

Pull the steel. Nails, screws, brackets and hangers. A magnet finds them. Steel left in a bundle turns light copper into irony copper at a sharp discount.

Cut off brass. Gutter outlets, valve fittings and tank connections are brass and sell separately. The brass grades page covers the two brass grades.

Knock off tar and mortar. Yards deduct for heavy contamination. A scraper and a few minutes on a roll of flashing usually pays.

Flatten and bundle. Sheet takes less space flat, weighs the same, and is easier to grade. Rolled or folded sheet is fine; loose crumpled sheet is not.

Keep tinned vessels separate. Old kettles and cylinders are often tinned inside, and that is a different grade.

Light copper against the other grades

Light copper is the floor of the solid copper grades, below number 2. Below light copper the grades become mixed material: irony copper, copper-bearing scrap and insulated wire priced on recovery.

The table above shows today's spread. On weight the gap between light copper and number 1 is larger than most sellers expect, which is why a roof and a plumbing system of similar weight return very different sums.

Light Copper prices around the world

Where light copper comes from, market by market

Questions people actually ask

What is the light copper price today?

The live figure is at the top of this page. It sits a step below number 2 and 25 to 35 percent below bare bright.

Is copper roofing worth scrapping?

Yes. A copper roof is a large quantity of nearly pure metal. It grades as light copper rather than number 1, but the weight makes up for it.

Why is my roofing copper not number 2?

Because light copper is defined by thickness and weathering, not by contamination. Thin sheet that has been outdoors is light copper by specification, however clean you make it.

Does the green patina reduce the price?

It is already priced into the grade. Heavy flaking or corrosion can push a lot lower, but ordinary weathered patina is expected on light copper.

What is Dream copper?

The ReMA code for light copper. It appears on export contracts and larger yard price lists.

Do I need to remove the nails?

Yes. Steel fixings left in a bundle drop the grade from light copper to irony copper. A magnet sweep finds them.

Are copper gutters light copper?

Yes, and they are the most common household source. Cut off the brass outlets and pull any steel hangers before weighing.

Is a copper kettle or cylinder light copper?

Usually, once the brass fittings are off. Check the inside: if it is tinned, that is a separate grade and pays less.

Frequently asked questions