Installing aluminum gutters

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  • wreckwriter
    Established Member
    • Mar 2006
    • 449
    • South Florida
    • BT3100-1

    Installing aluminum gutters

    I know the recommendation is generally have gutters installed professionally. Well, I've called around and the folks around here are totally jammed up doing whole house hurricane fixes still. Nobody has time to mess with with my little installation for weeks if not months. If I want it done anytime soon I have to do it myself.

    I need to do a run of about 12 feet, make an outside corner and run about another 10 feet where I will end with a downspout. I've considered various materials and have pretty much decided on aluminum rather than vinyl, mostly because vinyl seems to be only available in white around here and I need brown. Painting it seems an extra hassle for little, if any, benefit. I plan to use the hidden hangers that come with a screw as part of the hanger (rather than using a nail).

    The questions I have are pretty simple:

    What's the best sealant to use at seams? HD sells "Seamer Mate" (but only in little tubes) for this purpose and I believe Liquid Nails makes a gutter seal product, likely others as well. The gutter brand I'm planning to use is from the seamermate folks: http://www.amerimax.com/gutters.htm

    As far as joining run to corner piece, end cap, downspout, etc, do you use just sealant or do you drill and pop rivet as well? The gutter manufacturer doesn't mention rivets but other howtos I've seen do.

    Thanks for your time.

    Tom
    http://www.wreckwriter.com/
  • jAngiel
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2003
    • 561
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #2
    What I have seen is for the upper gutter connections is just the seam sealer because every new piece needs hangers on each end and if it's a large piece, evenly spaced through the length as well. If I remember correctly the pieces sort of snap together or have a metal lip that slide together so the sealer will reinforce it as well. The actual downspouts slide together without the sealer and usually use two sheet metal screws to keep them together.

    The only place where the sealer is needed is up top where it will be in contact with water running horizontally. Once it starts its way down, it moves pretty fast and doesn't leak anyway. Just my opinion though, I'm sure professionals would disagree.
    James

    Comment

    • wreckwriter
      Established Member
      • Mar 2006
      • 449
      • South Florida
      • BT3100-1

      #3
      Yea, that's pretty much what the manufacturer says. I've talked to several professional builder types about this and they say DIY gutters pretty much always leak. I was willing to pay for a seamless professional gutter but I'm not willing to wait for it. We need to paint the porch floor soon and the water pours off the flat roof so hard that its worn into the concrete. I don't dare paint until I have a gutter. I'm going to seal it as best I can and cross my fingers...

      Thanks for the reply!
      http://www.wreckwriter.com/

      Comment

      • os1kne
        Senior Member
        • Jan 2003
        • 901
        • Atlanta, GA
        • BT3100

        #4
        I did aluminum gutters on my old house about 3 yrs. ago. The main words of advice that I can give would be to plan things so that you have as few seems as possible, do it before it gets too hot, and have a helper. For the connection of your downspouts to the gutter, cut a hole in the gutter and use the little "sleeve-thingies" to feed into your downspout - do not buy the little (10"-12") section that has the downspout hole in it already!! (they cause you to have a lot more seems and you will wish that you had done it differently until you move into another house, maybe longer DAMHIKT).

        You can get a whole tube of sealer (similar to caulking), usually in the paint section of the big box stores.

        Good luck!!

        link to "sleeve-thingie" (outlet) example http://php1.secure-shopping.com/gutt...&cat=61&page=1
        Last edited by os1kne; 04-20-2006, 11:30 AM.
        Bill

        Comment

        • wreckwriter
          Established Member
          • Mar 2006
          • 449
          • South Florida
          • BT3100-1

          #5
          Originally posted by os1kne
          I did aluminum gutters on my old house about 3 yrs. ago. The main words of advice that I can give would be to plan things so that you have as few seems as possible, do it before it gets too hot, and have a helper. For the connection of your downspouts to the gutter, cut a hole in the gutter and use the little "sleeve-thingies" to feed into your downspout - do not buy the little (10"-12") section that has the downspout hole in it already!! (they cause you to have a lot more seems and you will wish that you had done it differently until you move into another house, maybe longer DAMHIKT).

          You can get a whole tube of sealer (similar to caulking), usually in the paint section of the big box stores.

          Good luck!!
          Points taken. Thanks!
          http://www.wreckwriter.com/

          Comment

          • Salty
            Senior Member
            • Feb 2006
            • 690
            • Akron, Ohio

            #6
            A good sealant to use here is one that is butyl rubber based. It is messy to work with because it needs to be cleaned off with mineral spirits but after it has skinned over it lasts for a long time. It sticks to everything too. Pop rivet the end caps, corner sections and the downspout thimbles, then smear on the butly sealant, on the inside only!
            Why doesn't the word 'planing' show up in my computer spell check?

            Comment

            • DaveS
              • May 2003
              • 596
              • Minneapolis,MN

              #7
              If I were in your position, I would try calling a local gutter installer, and ask him when the next time he/she is planning on having the roll of "brown" on the extruder, and ask if you can go to that jobsite and have them shoot out a couple sections for you. (how to get a floppy bendy 12' section of gutter home without damage is another problem).

              Maybe they would even swing by your house and shoot it out right there. It wouldn't take 15 minutes.

              They should also be willing to sell you the connectors and a 5 minute instruction, and send you on your way.

              If you play your cards right, you might even have one of their guys offer to come over after hours and do it as a side job [insert standard disclaimer regarding using only licensed and bonded trades in case of accident, injury, or damage].

              I dunno... might be worth a shot.

              Comment

              • ejs1097
                Established Member
                • Mar 2005
                • 486
                • Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

                #8
                There are gutter supply stores around here where the pros buy from and will sell to non-pros as well, I was planning on seeing if they come to the house and spit out seamless like DaveS mentioned.

                I need a 25' straight run replaced on my backside. I had an estimate and the worker actually suggested DIY since they charge so much. I'm not sure in your area but talking to some neighbors and what they paid was in line with the estimate I got. $600.00 for a 25' straight run! That just sounds crazy to me.
                Last edited by ejs1097; 05-03-2006, 08:18 AM.
                Eric
                Be Kind Online

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                • wreckwriter
                  Established Member
                  • Mar 2006
                  • 449
                  • South Florida
                  • BT3100-1

                  #9
                  I agree, that's pricey. I'm just going to DIY and work towards as few seams as possible. I figure less than $100 in materials since my area is so small.
                  http://www.wreckwriter.com/

                  Comment

                  • JimD
                    Veteran Member
                    • Feb 2003
                    • 4187
                    • Lexington, SC.

                    #10
                    I used silicone caulk on the seams in the gutter across the backside of our last house. It didn't leak but the silicone seem to attract dirt to the seam. Pop rivits or little screws will both work to fasten things together. Hidden hangers with screws are a good way to go. Be careful with the pitch. I used a chaulk line to put a mark on the fascia to keep the gutter straight. I thought it was pretty simple really.

                    Jim

                    Comment

                    • wreckwriter
                      Established Member
                      • Mar 2006
                      • 449
                      • South Florida
                      • BT3100-1

                      #11
                      Got this done this morning. Will fill with hose tonight and see how they work. Thanks for the tips!
                      http://www.wreckwriter.com/

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