Installing Guttering

Generally speaking, guttering tends to get overlooked over the years as it is usually high up and not as easy to maintain as other household items. But sometimes your guttering will need attention and whether you are replacing existing guttering or adding new, you can follow the steps below to help you. If you have any questions or would like to speak to someone about your project, please don’t hesitate to call us on: 1300 886 944. For detail on our comprehensive guttering range, please click here

Pre-Assembly

a) Cut gutter to length for each fascia run. You can use tin snips or a hacksaw for this. Overlap joints by a minimum of 100mm in the direction of the flow. 
b) Run beads of roof and gutter sealant (usually silicone) across the base and up the sides of the overlap. Turn the gutter upside down and join it together with appropriate rivets. Ensure you seal around the rivets and along the seam with the sealant, smoothing so that water flow is not obstructed.

Attaching the Stop-Ends

c) Position the stop-ends and pre-drill in readiness for riveting. It is best to do 2 holes on the back, 2 across the base and 2 (if possible) on the face side. 
d) Run a bead of sealant along the overlap, then position the stop-end, fix securely using rivets. Finally, add a small touch of sealant to the rivets.
Note: Left and right stop-ends are available, so please ensure you have the correct items

Assemble the Spout

e) Downpipe spouts must line up with stormwater pipes. Mark the centre of the outlet on the base of the gutter. Place the spout, flange side down, and score around the inside with a pencil. Put timber blocks under the hole and cut into the gutter with a chisel enough to enable you to get tin snips in to shape the hole. Then, with your tin snips cut 1-2mm outside the line you drew.
Note: Red snips cut right-handed and green snips cut left-handed. 
f) Place the spout into the hole and pre-drill all 4 holes on the short sides of the flange for rivets. Once drilled, remove the spout and run a bead of sealant around the opening. Place the spout into the sealant and secure it with rivets.

Preparation for a Mitre

You will undoubtedly need to mitre your gutter at some stage. To do this accurately measure and mark up the mitred corners.

Note: Remember, for internal mitres, the face sides are shorter than the back. For external mitres, the face sides are longer than the back.

g) Measure the width of your gutter and then use this measurement along the back or face top edge. Mark this point and draw a 45º line across to the opposite corner. You should allow 5mm length for the bracket. 
h) Check the mitre fits in the corner bracket before you secure it. Once you are happy, run a bead of sealant along the bottom edge of the gutter and the top edge of the lower bracket only. Temporarily clamp and tighten the internal bracket in place.
NOTE: Do not secure the top internal part of the bracket until the second half of the mitre has been positioned.

Hanging the Gutter

i) To set the required fall of your gutter, put a nail 10mm below the top edge of the fascia at the high end. Calculate minimum gutter fall of 1:50 (that is for 2mm of fall for each metre of gutter.) then, put a nail at the lower end and fix a stringline between the nails and check fall with a spirit level.
j) Place your brackets along the stringline at maximum 1200mm centres and secure with Bugle Phillips head screws.
k) You may need help to lift longer gutter lengths. With external brackets, roll the tip of the bracket strap over the top rolled edge.

NOTE: alternatively, you can use suspension clips to give you the desired fall you need.

Adding Downpipes

l) Buildings with eaves need a downpipe offset to route the downpipe to the back to the wall. They can be purchased with a slip joint. Prepare the lower offset first and place against the wall in readiness to align with the upper offset.
m) To do this, use a plumb line from the outer edge of the spout down the side of the downpipe (that is coming out at an angle from the wall.) and mark it. The lowest point is the centre point of the upper offset cut.
n) A second piece of downpipe is then used to connect the downpipe to the stormwater at 45 degrees. Measure the length required to bring the downpipe inside the stormwater and mark this around the downpipe. (To set 45 degrees on the face, draw a line half the width of the downpipe on either side of the first line and cut out as far as the lower offset) 
o) Finally, put the bottom half of the downpipe inside the upper section. Position for a tight fit between the gutter and stormwater. Then secure downpipe sections together (using rivets) at the back, then rivet the downpipe to the spout. Fix the downpipe to the wall with two brackets and masonry anchors.