Coping and capping
Cappings and copings are used to cap the tops of masonry parapets and freestanding walls to prevent rainwater from penetrating into the construction below. They can be made from profiled metal such as lead, aluminium, zinc, copper and plastic-coated steel, or by using special bricks or masonry.
Irrespective of the materials from which they are made, a coping will typically project by around 50mm on either side of the wall, whereas a capping will sit flush to the wall with no projections.
Copings have projections to throw water as far as possible from the wall surface below. This is facilitated by the inclusion of drips – typically 10mm-wide semi-circular grooves cut into the underside of the projections – designed to prevent rain from dripping back against the wall.
Because of their position, cappings and copings are exposed to temperature extremes and frequent wetting/drying cycles. As they are more exposed than ordinary walling, they should be made of materials that have greater resistance to frost and sulphate action. To assist with water run-off, the tops of copings and cappings typically feature either a single or double slope.
In most cases, the coping/capping arrangement will not be completely water tight. Therefore, to avoid water penetration into the wall below, a damp-proof course is usually installed beneath the coping/capping.
NB Short Guide: Climate Change Adaptation for Traditional Buildings, published on 10 July 2017 by Historic Scotland, defines a cope as a: ‘Masonry or concrete slab projecting over a masonry element, designed to shed water.’
[edit] Alternative meaning
AR5 Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, Glossary, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines coping as: ‘The use of available skills, resources, and opportunities to address, manage, and overcome adverse conditions, with the aim of achieving basic functioning of people, institutions, organizations, and systems in the short to medium term.’
It defines coping capacity as: ‘The ability of people, institutions, organizations, and systems, using available skills, values, beliefs, resources, and opportunities, to address, manage, and overcome adverse conditions in the short to medium term.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Specifying rendered external wall insulation for fire safety
How to interrogate the evidence provided to the specifier.
The benefits of writing articles for your organisation
How to create a profile for your organisation and publish for free.
No Falls Week. The importance of safe working at height
What to expect and what is on offer to avoid accidents.
Scottish Government action to reach net-zero targets
Retrofit expert group highlight critical actions needed.
A forward thinking, inclusive global community of members.
From engineered product life-spans, to their extension.
Circular economy in the built environment
A brief description from 2021. Where are we now?
Mental Health Awareness Week with ABS
Architects Benevolent Society programme of activity.
CLC publishes domestic retrofit competency framework
Roadmap of Skills for net zero.
May 13-19: Moving more for our mental health.
Understanding is key to conservation.
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.