Fifty years of weather were taking their toll on the coliseum at Fort Hays State University, and the aged, leaking batten seam copper roof was deemed beyond repair. “Everyone was used to the way that roof looked,” shared Kelly McMurphy, Architect. “The owner wanted to keep the look of the standing seam roof and the color. Metal was the only option as a replacement and to keep the same look, a Dark Bronze [finish] was chosen.”
Luke Haines, President and Owner of Roofmasters Roofing and Sheet Metal, said the 2″ x 2″ redwood battens had disintegrated after years of extreme heat under the copper caps. The crew removed the battens, replaced any necessary roof deck sections, then installed 50,000 square feet of symmetrical standing seam panels—most as roofing, but some as walls. “We’ve installed this system on many roofs, but this was the first as a large vertical wall,” Haines added. “It’s an exceptionally watertight system, so it can be installed as a wall.”
