Are you building a new home or renovating an old one? Sometimes, picking a material is a big job in itself. Whether you’re planning a full roof restoration or need your old, worn-out gutters replaced, the material is important to the entire foundation of your property, commercial or residential.
This blog will explore the wide range of gutter materials, different gutter types, and what features to look out for. At the end of the day, you want a gutter system that protects your whole home when it rains.
Selecting Gutter Materials: Key Things to Consider
From steel to copper, what do you need to think about before investing in a material?
Durability
Does the material last a long time, or is it more prone to corrosion during certain weather conditions? When picking a material, it should be well suited to the climate you live in.
For example, Colorbond roofing has five layers of protection and can handle the elements better than copper or galvanised steel alone. If you live in an area where temperature changes on a whim (such as Melbourne, which is known for four seasons in a day), you want a material that resists contraction and expansion. You don’t want leaks or cracks!
Maintenance
Is the material easy to maintain? For example, aluminium needs frequent cleaning or replacements, whereas stainless steel has less upkeep as it’s highly resistant to corrosion and rust.
You also want to make sure that your gutter material is compatible with your roofing material to avoid damage or chemical reactions.
Zinc gutters, for example, work extremely well with tile roofing as they can handle heavy rain without leaking. On the other hand, Colorbond Steel is easy to maintain by regular washing with clean water.
Aesthetic Appeal
Does the material complement the style and colour scheme of your home?
Colorbond Steel has 22 steel core colours and 6 in a premium Matt finish, so you can discover the perfect colour scheme and design palette for your dream property. The visual effect of Colorbond is also clean aesthetic lines that give it a brilliant appearance.
For a Classic finish, you can choose from Bluegum, Basalt, Shale Grey, Manor Red, Jasper, Cottage Green, Pale Eucalypt, Deep Ocean, and more.
For a Matt finish, choose from Surfmist, Shale Grey, Dune, Bluegum, Basalt, and Monument.
Overall Cost
How much is the gutter material going to cost? Consider the complexity of the installation: for example Colorbond needs a professional installer and cannot be DIY’d.
Although stainless steel options are pricey, if they last decades, this can give you a more accurate picture of the overall value. Roof architecture, gutter design, and unique property requirements can increase or decrease the cost.
Why are gutters critical for your home? Without gutters, rainwater can erode the soil around your home, deteriorate your home’s exterior, and ultimately damage the foundation of your home. Rainwater can cause paint to peel, mould to grow, wood to rot, water stains on brick and stone, and damaged windows and doors.
Common Gutter Material Options
What are some common gutter materials for your residential or commercial property? There are many options on the market, but we’ll help you figure out what is best for you.
Aluminium Gutters: Pros and Cons
Pros: Lightweight and unable to rust, aluminium gutters can be painted to match your home exterior.
Cons: Aluminium is not as sturdy as copper or Colorbond steel gutters and is at risk of denting or damage from falling branches and heavy winds. This might not be a good option for your home if the weather is unpredictable.
Copper Gutters: Pros and Cons
Pros: Offering homeowners a classic look, copper can last decades if cared for properly. And if you live in coastal areas with salty sea air, copper is a material that doesn’t corrode easily.
Cons: Copper is an expensive option and needs to be installed by a professional roofer, and ultimately, it isn’t as strong as Colorbond steel.
Zincalume Gutters: Pros and Cons
Pros: Much like copper, zinc gutter systems are long-lasting, and zinc gutters develop a gorgeous patina layer over time.
Cons: Zinc gutters are less expensive than copper but are still more of a bank breaker than other materials.
Vinyl Gutters: Pros and Cons
Pros: Vinyl gutters are cheap to buy if your budget is tight, easy to install and even easier to maintain.
Cons: Although they can last for up to 15 years, vinyl isn’t as strong as copper or metal gutters and becomes brittle during cold weather. If there’s a storm, vinyl can’t handle it!
Colorbond Steel Gutters: A Closer Look
In a number of sizes, styles, and profiles, Colorbond Steel by Bluescope complements your roof colour, building materials, and you can feel confident in long-lasting performance for your gutters. You receive the reassurance of over 50 years of Colorbond steel testing.
Designed to endure the harsh Australian environment, Colorbond steel is coated in an industry-leading, enhanced corrosion-resistant Activate technology, enhanced with a pre-treatment, primer, and a based-on topcoat.
Every Colorbond Steel product uses recycled material, and the steel itself can be completely recycled. This proven longevity keeps resources in use for longer, reducing impact on the environment.
When investing in Colorbond, you get the support of BlueScope, such as a solid building warranty from Australia’s largest manufacturer.
Colorbond Steel is designed with Thermatech solar reflectance technology, so it bounces back more of the sun’s heat on sunny days! Thermatech is available in all core Colorbond colours except Night Sky.
What about wood gutters? Offering a unique aesthetic appeal and used in restoring historic homes, wood gutters are expensive and frequently need their condition checked. If you would like to learn more about the importance of gutters, have a read of the beginners guide to different roofing materials!
Gutter Profiles: An Overview
Once you’ve picked out a material, it’s time to look at different gutter profiles! Let’s take a look.
Fascia Gutters
Attached onto your property’s fascia system (the sliding panels found under the edge of your roof), fascia gutters or “eave gutters” fit most Australian modern homes.
Fascia gutters are larger than other gutter types, so they can handle more water, are accessible, and are easy to install.
How do you know if these gutters are not for you? If you prefer DIY roofing projects, it’s not recommended that you implement fascia gutters on your own. A licensed and insured roofing contractor must install them.
Half-round Gutters
Made from long pipes that are cut in two and forming a U-shaped gutter, half-round gutters are commonly used as replacements in older homes or used in modern properties designed to replace a vintage-style home.
Half-round gutters are different from K-Style as they are not nailed to the fascia board but are installed using brackets.
Are they right for your property? With their rounded, smooth surface, half-round gutters are easy to clean, and rainwater washes out debris into the downspout.
It’s not a good idea to install half-round gutters if your property is defined by straight lines. They also have a more complicated design than K-style gutters, so the installation has extra steps.
K-Style Gutters
As a popular gutter style for the last 50 years, K-Style gutters mirror regular crown mouldings and come with a flat back to easily install fascia boards.
Why should you choose K-Style? They give a clean look to your gutter system, and are less prone to leaks in comparison to gutters made of segments or sections.
K-Style gutters might not be for you as cleaning them can be more challenging, and they have deep bases and enough corners to collect more dirt over time.
How Can Xclusive Roofing Help?
So, your current material has broken down and you’re hoping for a restoration or replacement. How can Xclusive Roofing lend you a hand?
- High-pressure cleaning by removing dirt, debris, and organic growth that may have accumulated over time.
- Roof repairs such as replacing broken tiles, repairing cracked cement work, fixing leaks, and repairing any damaged areas on your roof.
- Pointing and bedding over time can deteriorate (leading to leaks), and we can help you repoint and re-bedding.
- We use premium quality paints and coatings to give your roof a fresh, new look, providing an additional layer of protection against all weather conditions.
When you need to hire a professional roofing contractor for roof gutter installation, Xclusive roofing repairs and restores gutters for Seaford, Narre Warren, Hallam, Dandenong, Pakenham, Cheltenham properties.
Reliable Roof Repairs for Melbourne Properties: Get in Touch!
Whether you want to replace aluminium gutters, galvanised steel gutters or PV gutters for minimal maintenance options such as Colorbond Steel or tile, you can trust Xclusive Roofing to deliver outstanding results.
With years of experience in the industry in roof tiling, roof restorations, box gutters, klip-lok roofing, gutter replacements, downpipes, and custom made flashings, we have the expertise to complete a professional installation for all architectural styles in mind.
Contact us today at quotes@xclusiveroofing.com.au or call 03 5978 6473 to request an obligation-free quote from a family-owned business that is committed to ensuring your roofing needs are met with precision and care. You can also visit our stores in Cranbourne, Coburg, and Campbellfield.
