Renaissance Wins 2023 IFD Award for the Martin County Courthouse Metal Roof Restoration

Renaissance Historic Exteriors was recently named the winner of a 2023 International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) award in the Metal Roofing Category for outstanding metal roof restoration work on the historic Martin County Courthouse in Fairmount, Minnesota.

Headquartered in Switzerland, the IFD is an international body of roofing professionals that promotes the growth and professional development of today’s leading roof restoration and construction professionals. The IFD is an advocate for the development of roof construction training, education, and technology, and their annual awards event showcases world-class examples of roof restoration and construction in a variety of applications.

The Martin County Courthouse was built in 1907 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. After 113 years of continued service, the courthouse roof and dome were in severe disrepair, and our restoration teams were brought in to help restore the courthouse to its original glory.

The $2.5 million roof restoration project was complex and wide-ranging, and the work required the highest level of craftsmanship, care, and collaboration on which our historic restoration specialists have built their reputations.

the scope of work on the martin county courthouse

Work on the Martin County Courthouse began by restoring portions of the roof that housed a large copper dome. The dome had sustained a high degree of water damage from holes and cracks in the copper used in the original construction. The courthouse roof also featured several large copper eagles, two of which needed to be completely removed and replaced due to environmental wear and tear.

The amount of water or moisture damage throughout the entire roof system meant our restoration specialists needed to use a variety of specialized techniques and materials to ensure new and restored roofing components were able to combat weather conditions like rain, snow, and high humidity.

The 50-foot-high copper dome atop a 58-foot-high rooftop also posed some interesting challenges in executing restoration work, as did the fact that the courthouse needed to remain open for daily operation during the project.

With the copper dome and adornments restored, the scope of work turned to the removal and restoration of the original copper roof. The copper roof was attached directly to the concrete deck, and separating the original roof from the deck required detailed planning and care. The concrete roof deck had sustained significant deterioration in large part due to the years of freeze-thaw cycles that are part of the Minnesota climate.

The removal of the original roof revealed the courthouse’s original gutter system that also needed to be completely removed and restored. This involved fabricating an entirely new system that was compatible with the courthouse’s copper roof and maintained the historical accuracy of the original.

how the renaissance team brought new life into historic structure

With a great emphasis and priority placed on the safety of the structure and the protection of courthouse employees and visitors, our historic roofing specialists fabricated and installed a new, custom standing-seam copper roof, complete with a new gutter system that combined state-of-the-art materials with old world craftsmanship to enhance drainage and extend the service life of the entire system.  

To restore the courthouse’s stately copper domes, our copper roofing specialists utilized our in-house copper studio capabilities to fabricate new copper pieces. In addition, our roofing teams collaborated with our historic carpentry teams to create a wood sheathing to better support the copper dome and reduce the likelihood of structural damage due to moisture.

What’s more, we installed a mechanical ventilation system inside the dome to help control moisture levels. 

For the large copper eagles, we again used our in-house copper fabrication tools and resources to restore each statue’s impressive 6-foot wingspan, and our copper technicians used their superior craftsmanship to restore the ornate designed features of each statue with an eye toward the utmost in historical integrity. 

After a little more than two years of work, we completed work on the Martin County Courthouse in November 2022. In their assessment of the project, the IFD paid special attention to the high caliber of our copper roofing and dome restoration work, and to our highly-skilled roofing, copper, and carpentry teams for their work in blending traditional techniques with today’s technology to ensure the courthouse is preserved for generations to come.

For Renaissance, no historic restoration challenge is too great. View some of our recent project profiles, or contact us to learn more about how we can help you restore and preserve your historic commercial or residential structure.