Sometimes, you have to manufacture your own roofing profile /
If it’s a challenging metal roofing project, the crews at Kulp’s of Stratford say, “Bring it on!”
A cold call by Bob Kulp led to a very challenging, but fun project for the Stratford, Wis., roofing installer. The Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff, Wis., called for a roofing installation replicating Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello just outside of Charlottesville, Va. Approximately 2,800 square feet of standing seam roofing — including some tapered panels — as well as another 700 square feet of Kulp-fabricated metal shingles for the dome.
“When we got the job, I said, ‘Hot diggety-dog!’” Kulp says. “My guys love doing these kinds of jobs. It keeps them going.”
Kulp wanted to truly replicate Jefferson’s primary plantation by installing shingles fabricated from Follansbee’s terne-coated stainless steel. The decision makers had other ideas. “They were really set on the white color,” Kulp says.
Ultimately, it was decided to go with 24-gauge PVDF-coated steel, for both the standing seam coil and flat stock used to produce the shingles. Coated Metals Group of Verona, Wis., supplied the steel.
“We designed and fabricated the shingles in our metal brake, I think about 600 of them,” Kulp says. “There was nothing else on the market that would have worked and we were able to do it.”
Shingle manufacturing was completed in the shop in a couple days. The standing seam panels were formed on Kulp’s Schlebach Quadro, he purchased from MetalForming Inc.
The shingle installation was made a little easier because the dome wasn’t a true dome but sectioned off into eight sides, which let to eight hips around the dome. Kulp’s also manufactured the hip caps. The panels were small enough to make the transitions up and around the dome so the shingles didn’t have to be bent too much.
“It really wasn’t that bad,” Kulp says. “We like challenges like this one. That’s why we do what we do.”
