Purchase a copper sheet appropriate to the specifications of your job. Get approximately 2 feet (about 61 cm) more copper sheeting than you need for the job. Allow 1 foot (about 30.5 cm) on each side. It will shrink with extensive hammering, and you'll need the excess on the ends for hammering in nails.
Choose a soft temper of copper sheet to allow you to hammer copper more easily. It can also be shaped by hand, if necessary.
Select a copper sheet that is as thin as possible but still works for your job. The thinner the copper sheeting, the easier it will accept the indentations of your hammer. For ease of hammering, choose a 24-gauge thickness for your copper sheeting. This can also be called 16 oz. or .021 inches (about .05 cm).
Purchase a piece of plywood that is as long and wide as your copper sheeting.
Put on protective gloves to prevent cuts and protect your hands from any pieces of copper that may dislodge while hammering.
Unroll the copper sheeting onto the plywood.
Put on protective eyewear when hammering copper. This protects your eyes from any stray shards of copper that may dislodge while indenting copper.
Hammer a nail into both ends of the copper sheet and into the plywood. This will secure your copper sheeting in place while you are hamming the copper. You want the copper sheeting to be as flat and flush against the plywood as possible. This will give you the most control over your ability to hammer and indent the copper sheeting.
Place a towel over the portion of copper you're about to hammer.
Use a ball peen hammer to create the indentations.
Hammer softly, letting the weight of the hammer create the indentations in the copper.
Indenting copper will not be difficult with a thin and soft enough sheet of copper. To avoid making too drastic of indentations in your copper sheeting, start soft and gradually apply greater and greater force until you've created the desired pattern.
Hammer the copper sheeting with varying forces and patterns until the desired effect is achieved.
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