Guttering - Metal or plastic?

[demuire]

I need to get some of my gutters replaced, some of them are rusty and leaking a fair bit. Apart from not really having a clue about guttering and being a little apprehensive about getting a really tall ladder (it's a high set house) and going up there, I'm wondering - why does everyone seem to use metal gutters? I was at Bunnings today and I saw some plastic guttering (I think it's meant to be a gutter...), are these alright to use? What are the pros/cons of using metal vs plastic guttering?

[Barry_White]

Demuire

Don't use plastic or vynal gutter eventually it will break down from UV exposure.

Metal gutters today are made from Zincalume and will out last you and if you can get the same profile it may just fit into the existing brackets. To seal it you use silicone.

[Ashore]

No joy with the plastic guttering didn't expand contract with the house and caused joints to leak, have it inside the shed now and its great for storing dowel, picture frame profile copper pipe rod etc

[demuire]

Heh, thanks for that. I would assume the same applies for gutter guard? What about the downpipes etc? Some of my existing ones are PVC, others are metal.

I was having a look at my guttering (from below, I don't have a ladder tall enough at the moment), and it looks like the gutters are riveted to the brackets. Looking at what Bunnings has it looks like those gutters snap into place (and are not riveted into place)?

Assuming my gutters are indeed riveted to the brackets, I would assume replacing them would involve drilling out all the rivets to release the gutters, then replace with new guttering, drill and re-rivet?

Is there much price difference between unpainted guttering and "color coded" guttering?

[Barry_White]

Heh, thanks for that. I would assume the same applies for gutter guard? Depends on what type of gutter guard. What about the downpipes etc? Some of my existing ones are PVC, others are metal. Metal would be better but painting the PVC would be necessary.

I was having a look at my guttering (from below, I don't have a ladder tall enough at the moment), and it looks like the gutters are riveted to the brackets. What type of gutter is it. Is it a squareline or a quad gutter. It shouldn't really need riveting. Looking at what Bunnings has it looks like those gutters snap into place (and are not riveted into place)?

Assuming my gutters are indeed riveted to the brackets, I would assume replacing them would involve drilling out all the rivets to release the gutters, You would certainly need to drill the rivets out to remove the gutterthen replace with new guttering, drill and re-rivet?

Is there much price difference between unpainted guttering and "color coded" guttering? Colorbond gutter is about $2 to $2.50 a lineal metre extra but seeing it is up high it would certainly be worth putting up Colorbond over Zinc because you wouldn't want to paint it up high.

[demuire]

Thanks Bazza. It's a square gutter. How are square gutters usually attached? I can only see two sections of the guttering sort of close up (at the front and rear balcony); the front (new) one looks to be riveted to the brackets, I can't see any brackets at all on the rear (old) ones.

Most of my existing gutters are colorbond (or well, they're the same color as the house, they could have been painted by the previous owners), except some new ones at the front of the house that are zinc. It is looking like I will have to replace all the old ones, which would leave just the zinc ones at the front. Heh, maybe I should just get zinc ones to match the ones in front (even if they don't match the rest of the house...)

[durwood]

A house near mine when I lived in Sydney had vinyl siding and plastic gutters fitted.

Looked great till we got a good hail storm one day. Trashed the gutters and the siding looked like kids has taken to it with a ball pein hammer

[demuire]

Okay, I think at this point it looks like I'll be getting metal gutters, with PVC downpipes.

Next (and maybe last?) question: aesthetics aside, is there much difference between zinc coated gutters and colorbond gutters? The gutter man tells me colorbond is much more durable (powdercoated etc), but they both have the same warranty etc.

Thanks everyone

[Barry_White]

Okay, I think at this point it looks like I'll be getting metal gutters, with PVC downpipes.

Next (and maybe last?) question: aesthetics aside, is there much difference between zinc coated gutters and colorbond gutters? The gutter man tells me colorbond is much more durable (powdercoated etc), but they both have the same warranty etc.

Thanks everyone

Demuire

This is from my post above.

Is there much price difference between unpainted guttering and "color coded" guttering? Colorbond gutter is about $2 to $2.50 a lineal metre extra but seeing it is up high it would certainly be worth putting up Colorbond over Zinc because you wouldn't want to paint it up high.

It's not powdercoated but a polymer silcone based paint oven baked on.

As I said in my other post for the difference it is worth getting colorbond because you will never have to paint it again unless you get sick of the colour.

[dennford]

If it's at all possible, why not get rid of the guttering alltogether. when we lived in the tropics guttering was useless anyway so we just made sure that where the water fell was paved or some othet way to stop the soil being washed away. Now we live in Perth as my gutters deteriorate I get rid of them - half my house has been without gutters for a couple of years now.

In fact (someone correct me if I am wrong) I believe some shires in the hills do not allow gutters anymore.

No cleaning
No renewing
less fire danger

Denn

[Big Shed]

Don't know about other council areas, but in Bendigo if you don't have your stormwater in place, ie guttering, downpipes etc, then no CoO.

[flynnsart]

S E Qld is trying to get everyone to collect their rainwater these days, so guttering is necessary. You can get colorbond seconds at a reasonable price if you look around.

Donna

[demuire]

Bazza: Yes, saw your post re: price. What I meant with my follow up post was more about the actual quality/durability etc of the guttering. Probably should have worded it better.

If I go colorbond I will try to match the rest of the house (and will end up with what I have now - painted gutters on the side and back, plain on the front), if not I will leave it unpainted zinc (which would be plain gutters all round, and with a tin roof I don't think it looks bad - haven't really made up my mind if I actually prefer either way, but if the colorbond is a "better" product that will sway me towards it, if it's more or less the same thing, just a different color, then I might save the money and go plain zinc. At the end of the day it's an extra (or saving of) $50-60, so it's not that much more/less money.

And yes, using guttering to collect water.

[Barry_White]

Bazza: Yes, saw your post re: price. What I meant with my follow up post was more about the actual quality/durability etc of the guttering. Probably should have worded it better.

If I go colorbond I will try to match the rest of the house (and will end up with what I have now - painted gutters on the side and back, plain on the front), if not I will leave it unpainted zinc (which would be plain gutters all round, and with a tin roof I don't think it looks bad - haven't really made up my mind if I actually prefer either way, but if the colorbond is a "better" product that will sway me towards it, if it's more or less the same thing, just a different color, then I might save the money and go plain zinc. At the end of the day it's an extra (or saving of) $50-60, so it's not that much more/less money.

And yes, using guttering to collect water.

The quality of both is equal but at least the Zincalume will not fade. The Colorbond will fade to a certain extent depending on colour. The Colorbond has a zincalume base anyway.

[demuire]

Thanks Bazza