Church Roof Replacement Using Terne-coated Stainless Steel

HISTORIC ENGLAND has updated its guidance on the design and installation issues when using terne-coated stainless steel as an alternative roofing material following the theft of lead from historic church roofs.

Terne-coated stainless steel (TCSS) is the most durable alternative to lead and offers advantages over other options such as slate or tiles.

The Historic England Guidance Note: Church Roof Replacement Using Terne-coated Stainless Steel on installing these types of roofs was prepared by Keith Roberts on behalf of Historic England and was first published in 2019, updated in 2020. This latest 2022 update offers further guidance on rain noise.

The updated guidance follows a number of issues regarding the use of TCSS that are often raised by congregations, architects and advisory bodies when making decisions on roof replacement after lead theft from a historic church.

To address these, Historic England commissioned an independent metal-roofing consultant to survey the TCSS roofs that have been installed on a number of churches in England over the past 25 years and to review their performance, summarise lessons learnt and identify ways in which problems had been or could be overcome.

Updated guidance

In particular, the research focused on rain noise, comparing the rain noise on a lead roof and various TCSS roof assemblies (standing seam, batten roll joints and batten roll joints with two different proprietary sound insulation materials).

The research can be seen here: Rain Noise: Acoustic Tests on Terne-Coated Stainless-Steel Roofing.

The updated Guidance Note: Church Roof Replacement using Terne-coated Stainless Steel incorporates the results of the research with an additional chapter providing technical guidance on addressing rain noise and the role of underlays.

Contents

• Introduction
• Stainless steel material choice
• Terne coating
• Keeping the rain out: seams
• Keeping the rain out: details
• Reducing rain noises: seams
• Reducing rain noises: underlay
• Unacceptable appearance from ground level
• Surface discolouration
• Appropriate skills
• Further reading

The Guidance Note is aimed at parochial church councils and their architects, diocesan advisory committees, local authority conservation officers and other conservation professionals. It is designed to help with decisions following theft of lead from a historic church roof.

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