Roof With Widows Walk

Copper can be rather expensive in today s market so the recommended substitute for flat roof widow s walks is epdm rubber roofing.

Roof with widows walk.

Porticoes are usually developed with a copper pan that is framed with drainage to prevent water from pooling on the surface of the roof. The quintessential new england widow s walk was a small platform on the roof with a short picturesque railing around it. Often found on houses in well known northwest port cities a widow s walk is a railed rooftop platform. Legend has it the observation decks earned their name from the wives of mariners who would heartrendingly watch for the return of their husbands fishing boats many of whom never returned.

Enough of the romance. Widows walk re roof legacy flat roofing sheet metal st. Functionally a widow s walk needs to be safe easily accessible and weatherproof. Classically widow s walks or porticos as they re also known have been roofed with a protective copper pan outfitted with a drainage system to keep water from pooling on the surface.

Copper can be expensive though so often a more modern choice is to opt for epdm rubber roofing a popular option for homes with flat roofs. A widow s walk also known as a widow s watch or roofwalk is a railed rooftop platform often with a small enclosed cupola frequently found on 19th century north american coastal houses. Most widow s walks were accessed by a ladder and a trap door from the top floor or attic.