Adding the cherry on top: Metal ornamentals

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about the history of metal ornamentals and how they can add that finishing touch to a building! 

In this episode of the AskARoofer Podcast, Lauren White and Megan Ellsworth sat down with Alina Bosak of Chicago Metal Supply to discuss metal roof ornamentals. Alina is the president of Chicago Metal Supply, which specializes in architectural sheet metal manufacturing and fabrication. Alina shared, “We serve the commercial and the residential trade sector of Chicago, but also all across the U.S., so we actually touch a lot of different states because of our specialization in historical restoration and preservation.” 

Because of their specialization, they come across roof ornamentals frequently. Alina explained what these are, saying, “It specifically refers to products like finials or cupolas, weather veins, something extra that's added to a roof for decorative purposes. No one ever needs to have a finial or weathervane on their roof. They do it because they're investing in the artwork of their roof or their building.” With that context, the trio discussed a brief overview of the history of these features! 

1800s 

Roof ornamentals gained traction in the U.S. in the 1830s in Cincinatti, Ohio. Alina explained a bit of the story, saying, “It actually started by some stone cornice that crushed two men because it fell off of a building, and then a sheet iron worker said, ‘Oh, my gosh, we need to come up with something lighter and cheaper than stone or wood and something that can bend easily.’” As a result, they turned to metal and copper to build the decorative aspects of the home, and it turned out to be popular and profitable.  

1900s 

By the 1900s, these ornamentals were hugely popular. Alina explained, “There were so many firms that just specialized in ornamentals and sending out catalogs like the Marshall Field's catalogs.” The popularity then slowed down a bit in the Great Depression and World War II as metal and various materials were used for other efforts. 

Today 

From building new pieces for any type of roof to restoring the historical ones, companies like Chicago Metal Supply carry on the legacy and architectural work of ornamentals. Alina explained, “We do any kind of ornamental that anybody would want. But our specialty, I would probably say, is restoring ornamentals. For example, we actually had a cool lamp that's on the street, so a streetlamp that was in Chicago, in Old Town. They came, and it was an old copper piece, and we restored it for them.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to get more information about the work Chicago Metal Supply does with metal roof ornamentals.