Dirty Penny™ Copper

PREWEATHERED PATINA ON COPPER FOR INTERIOR & EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS

Dirty Penny is a Zahner-developed copper surface featuring a stunning array of colors, from reddish-browns and oranges to deep purples and iridescent hues. This premium patina offers architects and designers a distinctive, mottled finish that evolves over time, forming a protective layer that enhances durability. Whether sealed for lasting interior luster or exposed to ambient interior moisture for gradual transformation, Dirty Penny’s versatility makes it an ideal choice for walls, ceilings, and other architectural accents.

FESTIVAL OF ARTS IN LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

15 RENWICK RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN MANHATTAN WITH exterior copper panels.

AECOM CLEVELAND OFFICE RECEPTION AREA WITH EMBOSSED DIRTY PENNY SURFACE

WALL AND PARTITION SCREENS MADE WITH IMAGEWALL IN DIRTY PENNY COPPER

The Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library in Pueblo, Colorado.

Dirty Penny Copper Surface at 15 Renwick.

DETAIL OF THE DIRTY PENNY PATINA ON COPPER PANELS

Detail of the embossed Dirty Penny surface

Crafted with sustainability in mind, Dirty Penny is produced in Zahner’s EPA-certified facility using environmentally responsible methods. The material’s living patina, which naturally resists corrosion, grows stronger with time, ensuring durability in interior and exterior applications. Highly malleable, Dirty Penny can be perforated, embossed, or shaped to meet creative design needs, offering a beautiful, functional surface that aligns with design goals of environmental stewardship and architectural excellence.

Dirty Penny 3D Visualization

Use the visualizer to explore Dirty Penny in 3D environments.

Switch between Exterior & Interior views to see how the sun’s movement will play across a facade or how the Surface will appear from vantage points with a fixed light source.

Interior

Exterior

Dirty Penny Products

Dirty Penny is available with the following Zahner products and services.

Standard Products

Dirty Penny Material

Order flat sheets of Dirty Penny direct from Zahner. Click the button below to see available sizes, thicknesses, and other product details as well as options for submitting a quote request.

Flat Sheet Options

Standard Products

Moda Modular Wall Panel System

Moda combines Zahner’s metal craftsmanship with the convenience of modular design, making it ideal for transforming interior and exterior spaces with its clean lines and Zahner’s signature metal finishes.

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Versatile Systems

Flat Seam System

Flat Seam offers a uniquely flexible and affordable metal facade system utilizing interlocking panels that is compatible with most Zahner Materials.

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Versatile Systems

Flat Lap System

The aesthetic appearance of shingle or shake with the benefits of metal, Flat Lap is an easy to install, cost-effective shingle solution available in all Zahner Materials.

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Custom Solutions

Collaborate & Innovate

Whether it’s intricate facades or complex metal artworks, we welcome your most ambitious designs and construction projects. Push the boundaries of what’s possible, turn architectural dreams into tangible success, and create something truly special.

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Documentation

Downloads Details

Title	File Type	Link
Dirty Penny Copper™ Specs & Usage	pdf	Download
Surfaces Instructions – Storage & Handling	pdf	Download
Surfaces Product Datasheet	pdf	Download
Surfaces Rhino Material File – Dirty Penny	zip	Download
Surfaces Specification	docx	Download
Surfaces Warranty	pdf	Download
Zahner Product Warranty	pdf	Download


Recommended Application	Exterior and Interior
Base Metal (alloy)	copper
Standard Thicknesses	20 oz 24 oz 32 oz 48 oz
Approx. Decimal (mm)	.0270” (.686) .0323” (.820) .0431” (1.09) .0646” (1.64)
Approx. Weight (lbs/ft2)	1.25 1.50 2.00 3.00
COTE (in/in/°F)	9.8 x 10-6
Standard Sizes	3′ x 8′ 3’ x 10′

Recommended Application: Exterior and Interior
Base Metal (alloy): weathering steel (A606)
Standard Thicknesses: 14 ga, 12 ga, 11 ga
Approx. Decimal (mm): .0747” (1.90), .1046” (2.66), .1196” (3.04)
Approx. Weight (lbs/ft2): 3.13, 4.38, 5.00
COTE (in/in/°F): 7.0 x 10-6
Standard Sizes: 4′ x 8’, 4’ x 10’, 4’ x 12’, 5′ x 8’, 5’ x 10’, 5’ x 12’

Specs & Info

Title	File Type	Link
Dirty Penny Copper™ Specs & Usage	pdf	Download
Surfaces Instructions – Storage & Handling	pdf	Download
Surfaces Product Datasheet	pdf	Download
Surfaces Rhino Material File – Dirty Penny	zip	Download
Surfaces Specification	docx	Download
Surfaces Warranty	pdf	Download
Zahner Product Warranty	pdf	Download

Details

Recommended Application: Exterior and Interior
Base Metal (alloy): copper
Standard Thicknesses: 20 oz, 24 oz, 32 oz, 48 oz
Approx. Decimal (mm): .0270” (.686), .0323” (.820), .0431” (1.09), .0646” (1.64)
Approx. Weight (lbs/ft2): 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, 3.00
COTE (in/in/°F): 9.8 x 10-6
Standard Sizes: 3′ x 8′, 3’ x 10′

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Dirty Penny Copper Manufacturing, Properties, and Applications

Dirty Penny copper is a premium material developed by Zahner to provide artists and architects with a stunning architectural surface unlike any other. The preweathered copper features light and dark tones ranging from blues to greens and reds.

An iridescent surface, the material benefits from a microfilm which develops on the exterior layer of the material. The oxidized layer is like a living protection barrier, which grows and evolves as it further oxidizes.

Additionally, due to copper’s malleability, Dirty Penny can be easily perforated, bumped, and embossed.

Dirty Penny Changes Over Time

Patinated metals are distinct in their transformative nature. While immutable materials like stainless steel or passivated aluminum may stand up to weather without change, transformative metal systems are designed to change.

Dirty Penny is a patina on copper, a transformative material. If exposed to exterior elements, the material will continue to weather, darkening over time. Within twenty years, it will begin to turn green. This transformation provides the material with a protective coating. This natural process of weathering and longevity is part of what makes the material so desirable. While all patinated copper holds up well outside, Dirty Penny does so incredibly well.

Dirty Penny is also an excellent choice for interior surfaces such as ceilings and wall panels. When sealed and maintained, it is possible for a custom copper patina like Dirty Penny to maintain its iridescent luster. As an interior surface, the Dirty Penny copper’s unique finish can last indefinitely, especially if the material is sealed.

A Sustainable Material

As part of Zahner’s sustainability mission, each of the patinated metal products produced by Zahner are developed in the company’s EPA certified facility in Grand Prairie, Texas. The award-winning facility follows environmental practices in producing sustainable copper, zinc, and steel surfaces with custom patination, ensuring that the community water supply isn’t damaged by the use of improper waste disposal.