Is installing guttering an easy job?

[Thorfun]

As title says really. it 'seems' simple enough but I'm having a little wobble about getting it right. anyone installed their own guttering and have any issues/concerns or was it just plain sailing?

 

Also, how about knowing what to buy? I have a civil engineering drawing showing where downpipes etc should go but I'm a little concerned that I'll over spend on too much material or not buy enough and have to wait weeks to get extras ordered and delivered!

 

we're going for either Zinc or Stainless steel so would suppliers help design what items are required?

[Mr Punter]

Plastic is easy enough.  Some of the metal stuff requires some skill at sheet metalworking.  I have done ali and some lindab steel.  I cut the ali on a chop saw but I rather butchered the Lindab.  No rust running down the place 15 years on, so I guess it was not a disaster.  Zinc and stainless will be expensive.

[Thorfun]

Just now, Mr Punter said:

Plastic is easy enough.  Some of the metal stuff requires some skill at sheet metalworking.  I have done ali and some lindab steel.  I cut the ali on a chop saw but I rather butchered the Lindab.  No rust running down the place 15 years on, so I guess it was not a disaster.  Zinc and stainless will be expensive.

yes, expensive but a lot nicer than plastic and if I can save on costs by fitting myself then I have more money to spend on materials! 😉 

[Mr Punter]

Have a look at the Guttercrest ali stuff.  There is a bit of drilling, cutting and riveting involved in the install but all doable.  I found zinc is easy to damage.

[markc]

Secret is to having good (and safe) access. Trying to do it on a ladder or pair of ladders is a pain and it usually ends up looking like a roller coaster.

plastic is more forgiving as stainless and especially zinc can easily twist and crease.

[Thorfun]

14 minutes ago, markc said:

Secret is to having good (and safe) access. Trying to do it on a ladder or pair of ladders is a pain and it usually ends up looking like a roller coaster.

plastic is more forgiving as stainless and especially zinc can easily twist and crease.

scaffolding is still up as the timber cladding is being installed from next week. so once that's done I will keep the scaffolding up to allow safe installation of the guttering.

 

so, the consensus so far seems to be that maybe for zinc and stainless steel it might be worth getting a professional to do it as it's easily damageable?

[Gone West]

We used Lindab and didn't have any problems. It's a very different system to plastic but if all the cuts are made with hand tools it works ok. I was sceptical about the galvanising creeping over the cut surfaces, as explained in the instructions, but we didn't have any rust.

[markc]

7 minutes ago, Thorfun said:

scaffolding is still up as the timber cladding is being installed from next week. so once that's done I will keep the scaffolding up to allow safe installation of the guttering.

 

so, the consensus so far seems to be that maybe for zinc and stainless steel it might be worth getting a professional to do it as it's easily damageable?

Scaffolding makes it really easy, and much less chance of damage, stainless is an unforgiving metal to work with but it is very durable and stays ripple free. Zinc is much easier to work with but kinks and creases much easier. Both are far superior to plastic if fitted well and are doable with thought and care. Plastic is very forgiving as it can be bent and twisted into place without distortion of the finished job.

[Thorfun]

47 minutes ago, markc said:

Scaffolding makes it really easy, and much less chance of damage, stainless is an unforgiving metal to work with but it is very durable and stays ripple free. Zinc is much easier to work with but kinks and creases much easier. Both are far superior to plastic if fitted well and are doable with thought and care. Plastic is very forgiving as it can be bent and twisted into place without distortion of the finished job.

thanks for this. I think I can take care and have a logical mind so maybe I can do it!

 

52 minutes ago, Gone West said:

We used Lindab and didn't have any problems. It's a very different system to plastic but if all the cuts are made with hand tools it works ok. I was sceptical about the galvanising creeping over the cut surfaces, as explained in the instructions, but we didn't have any rust.

I'll look at Lindab and see how it compares to the Metal Gutta parts that I've been looking at.

[Russell griffiths]

I used guttercrest, all aluminium powder coated. 

When you look at it it looks expensive, but all the brackets are fitted to the gutter as standard, if you add up a section of another gutter it’s cheaper but then add a joiner and 4 brackets per 3 m length and the galv stuff was actually dearer. 

Easiest gutter I’ve fitted, no brackets, no fall required, but you will need a brain and a good idea how to use a drill and pop rivet gun. 

[Thorfun]

13 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

I used guttercrest, all aluminium powder coated. 

When you look at it it looks expensive, but all the brackets are fitted to the gutter as standard, if you add up a section of another gutter it’s cheaper but then add a joiner and 4 brackets per 3 m length and the galv stuff was actually dearer. 

Easiest gutter I’ve fitted, no brackets, no fall required, but you will need a brain and a good idea how to use a drill and pop rivet gun. 

cheers. will take a look.

[Roundtuit]

Zambelli galvanised guttering here.  Easy to fit with a hacksaw, and tin snips for fitting the hoppers.  Very pleased with it.

[Thorfun]

next question on guttering......the fall....

 

I have a roof with downpipes at either end. do I lay to fall from the middle of the roof so the water runs evenly to each end or do you start at one end and run to fall to the other end. e.g.

 

 

or

 

[markc]

If you have DP’s at both ends then high point in the middle yes

[Thorfun]

1 minute ago, markc said:

If you have DP’s at both ends then high point in the middle yes

thanks. it did indeed seem logical to me but sometimes it's best to ask before jumping in! 🙂 

[markc]

2 minutes ago, Thorfun said:

thanks. it did indeed seem logical to me but sometimes it's best to ask before jumping in! 🙂 

Absolutely, I have seen it done the other way … down pipes at each end and low point in the middle … and looked more like a roller coaster than a gutter

[Temp]

Main thing is to make sure the guttering projects far enough as water can shoot off the end of tiles rather than drip off the end. 

[Russell griffiths]

Modern gutters require so little fall it’s not worth worrying about. 

Mine is perfectly flat.   

[Thorfun]

4 minutes ago, Temp said:

Main thing is to make sure the guttering projects far enough as water can shoot off the end of tiles rather than drip off the end. 

yeah. cheers. we're looking at 125mm wide gutters with a deep profile. the timber cladding that the gutters will be fixed to are about 70mm from the edge of the slates:

 

so I'm currently chatting with the guttering supplier to ensure that the fascia brackets allow the guttering to protrude sufficiently to do as you say.

 

[Thorfun]

Just now, Russell griffiths said:

Modern gutters require so little fall it’s not worth worrying about. 

Mine is perfectly flat.   

yeah, that's what I've heard. especially with the deep metal guttering I'm looking at. I've read some manufacturers for this guttering are suggesting a 1:600 fall so that's 3mm over 1m which is nothing really.

[Temp]

If you win the lottery have a look at Copper guttering. Looks great but £.

[Thorfun]

1 minute ago, Temp said:

If you win the lottery have a look at Copper guttering. Looks great but £.

yeah. looked at it, loved it, then discounted it due to cost! the zinc we're going for is expensive enough for us. 😉 

[Russell griffiths]

4 hours ago, Temp said:

If you win the lottery have a look at Copper guttering. Looks great but £.

My neighbour has just had this on his new build, I feel like the pauper next door. 

[Kevin J]

@roofing-tools.com Gutters in All afore mentioned metals and GreenLine. 
metallic dark Silver is really close to zinc in colour

[Kevin J]

Soldering Zinc Gutters is an art.

in France, where Zinc Gutters are popular, it’s probable you’ll see Cast Iron pipes at ground level especially on street scene as zinc pipes can be easily squashed. The alternative is to slip a plastic pipe inside the lower pipe as reinforcement