Building new and need a cap that fits right the first time? Browse our custom chimney caps → — custom fabricated to cover your entire chimney top. Ships anywhere in the USA.
A new construction chimney is a clean slate. The masonry is fresh, the crown is flat, and there's no existing damage to work around. It's the best possible situation for a chimney cap — also called a chimney topper, chimney rain cap, or chimney cover — installation, and the worst time to put a hardware store cap on it.
Here's what to spec, when to order, and what to expect.
Why New Construction Is the Best Time to Get This Right
On a new build, you have full access to the chimney before landscaping goes in, before the homeowner moves in, and before the first winter has a chance to do any damage. The crown dimensions are known, the flue configuration is set, and there's no guesswork about what's underneath.
A custom fabricated cap installed on a new chimney protects it from day one. There's no period of exposure, no temporary cover, no "we'll deal with it next season." The chimney is done right when the house is done.
What to Spec
For new construction, we typically recommend:
Material:
- Copper for high-end custom homes, historic reproductions, or any project where the cap is a visible architectural feature
- Kynar aluminum in a color matched to the roof or trim for contemporary and colonial builds where the cap should blend in
- Galvalume for straightforward applications where budget is the primary consideration
Configuration:
- Side mount for most new construction — clean square edges on a new chimney crown make side mount the natural choice
- Top mount when the mason has laid a particularly nice stone or slate cap and the client wants it visible
Spark screen: Stainless steel standard. Copper mesh available on request for copper cap builds.
When to Order
Order as soon as the chimney crown dimensions are finalized — typically when the masonry is complete and before the roofing crew finishes. Our lead time is 3–4 weeks, which fits neatly into most construction schedules if you plan ahead.
Don't wait until punch list. That's when everything is urgent and lead times feel long.
How to Get Dimensions
Measure the outside length and width of the chimney crown — the flat masonry surface at the top. Add the flue tile dimensions and how far the tile(s) protrude above the crown surface.
Not sure? Check our measuring guide → or call or text Sean at (609)352-9840. We work with contractors regularly and can talk through any configuration before you commit to an order.
Ships Anywhere in the USA
Every cap ships in a custom wooden crate via insured LTL freight. We've shipped to job sites from Maine to California. If your project is outside New Jersey, that's not a problem — it's the norm.
Browse our custom chimney caps → — custom fabricated to cover your entire chimney top. Ships anywhere in the USA.
Sean has 32 years of experience fabricating and installing sheet metal components, copper roofing, and custom architectural metalwork — including historic preservation projects on schools, churches, and government buildings. Every cap that ships from Archaic Metal is built by hand in New Jersey.