List of Top 5 Different Types of Coping in Wall

Coping in walls is the protective capping, or we can say a covering to protect the exterior walls from water infiltration. The primary aim of wall coping is to ensure that the rainwater does not run down a building’s structure, leaving an unsightly mark that can ruin the aesthetics of your home. So, coping is used to prevent that and water from seeping through the wall.

Wall coping is available in a range of materials, and each of them is used for a specific purpose. So, if you are looking for different types of materials, you have come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss the different materials of coping along with their benefits.

1. Natural Stone Coping in Walls

Natural stone is one of the most durable, robust, and popular materials for coping in walls. They work pretty similar to the pier caps and protect your walls from different weather conditions. This material offers matchless beauty as well as functionality. You can install granite, sandstone, limestone, slate, or any other natural stone as your wall capping material.

The installation of wall coping stones is simple. You first have to make sure that each coping stone is leveled using a spirit level. Once you are satisfied with the level, start placing each coping stone with a wet mortar mix or adhesive. Make sure each coping stone is placed properly and is perfectly leveled.

2. Concrete Coping in Walls

Concrete coping offers a stunning and stylish finish to your walls. They protect walls from water and weather damage by deflecting rainwater away from the surface of the wall. Concrete coping has a bit of a different installation method. In this type of wall coping, masonry anchors are installed on top of the wall.

Creating this coping without any physical joints dividing the various coping pieces is typical. The sides and top of the concrete have control joints tooled into them, just as they are in poured concrete sidewalks, every few feet to make sure that if the concrete cracks as a result of material shrinkage, thermal expansion, contraction, or building movement, the cracks will happen inside the control joints. The concrete can also be poured into fully formed portions with joints, which are subsequently mostly filled with mortar and finished with building sealant.

3. Clay or Terracotta Coping in Wall

Due to the fact that they are frequently thought of as a good visual match for limewash brick and other types of brick walls, clay or terracotta copings are frequently seen on masonry walls. Because they last so long, they are a far better choice than brick copings. Clay copings, however, have the potential to detach from the mortar bed if poorly built.

Clay wall copings are attached to the top of the wall by setting them into a mortar bed during installation. Unless the coping pieces are designed with a socket at one end that the subsequent piece fits into, the individual coping pieces should overlap one another. Mortar should be used to fill joints and sockets.

4. Metal Coping in Wall

Installing metal copings requires a different procedure to follow. The thermal expansion/ contraction of the metal in relation to the wall is a key factor in the attachment of any type of metal coping, be it copper, aluminum, stainless steel, zinc, etc.

Simply attaching it to the wall could result in fastener failure or coping deformation. So, to avoid that, wood blocking is attached to the top of the wall. Cleats are affixed to the sidewalls in addition to the wood blocks, and the bottom of the coping’s vertical legs is hooked back up onto the cleats. This will allow the metal coping to slide as soon as they expand and contract.

5. Brick Coping in Walls

Brick is another great and strong material for wall coping. If you have walling bricks in your home, then brick coping will blend perfectly with it. Brick copings come in different types, including bullnose, double bullnose, and standard ones. You can install either of them according to your needs, style, and budget.

However, the installation of these brick coping in walls is the same for every type. Mortar or a layer of adhesive is used to stick these bricks onto the top of the wall. You just need to make sure they are leveled and placed properly.

Conclusion

These are the strong, durable, and most popular types of coping in walls that many homeowners and architects prefer. Make sure to discuss with the professionals first, as they will guide you with the best possible coping material for your walls.

Frequently Asked Questions

These frequently asked questions will help you know about coping in walls in a better way.

Q1. Do you need coping on a wall?

Coping in walls is necessary as it protects your walls from rainwater seeping through them and from different weather conditions.

Q2. What is the difference between coping and bullnose?

Coping and bullnose are two different terms. Coping is a covering or capping that is installed on top of the wall to protect it from water damage. On the other hand, bullnose is a style of coping that comes with rounded edges.