Of all the different gutter types available around the world, K-style gutters are by far the most popular gutter style in most of the US and Canada. They have an efficient design for handling heavy rain, they’re relatively easy to install, and they come in various gutter materials that allow you to stay on a budget without sacrificing aesthetics. If you’re going to install K-style gutters on your home, read on to see some incredibly useful tips to simplify your gutter installation. 

Why People Prefer K-Style Gutters

There are a few different reasons why 98% of the homes in the US are fitted with K-style gutters as opposed to other types of gutters such as half-round styles. These gutters are designed to be flat at the area where they fit up against your house and rounded at the part facing away, which provides a classic aesthetic appearance much like crown molding. This design is also quite efficient since it allows for plenty of flow; depending on the size, these gutters can carry a great deal of water and safely move it away from your home. They are generally regarded as more durable and easier to install and maintain than other rain gutter types, so for most homeowners who need new gutters, K-style is the most sensible choice.

K-Style Gutter Installation Tips 

If you’ve opted to install your own gutters instead of hiring professional installers, then you made the right choice with the K-style. They make great DIY projects and are among the easiest for do-it-yourselfers, and with some attention to detail, there’s very little that can go wrong. Following these general installation tips will help things go a little more smoothly, too.

• Plan before you hang. Before you get started pulling down your old gutters, be sure that you take the time to plan your project from start to finish. For example, make sure you measure the ​precise length of gutter you need, know where your downspouts and drops will go, and make sure those center drops are not near windows or doors.
• Do What You Can on the Ground. No matter how careful you are, there’s always some inherent risk of working on the roof. To reduce your risk, do as much of the project as you can from the ground. You can go ahead and put the caps on the gutter, put the downspouts and drops together, and cut any miters that you’ll need to provide the proper fit at corners. 
• Pitch is important. Finally, one of the most commonly-overlooked parts of gutter installation is the angle at which the gutters are installed. Of course, you don’t want it to be visibly off-kilter, but you will need a very slight slope to allow water to travel freely to the downspout. Ideally, you will want to incorporate a slope of a quarter inch for every 40 feet of gutter, which is an angle of less than a single degree.
• There are several types of gutter hangers on the market.  The hidden hanger is far and away the least expensive, easiest to install and very strong when installed onto a flat fascia board.  If there isn’t a flat fascia and instead a canted fascia or a crown molding then we recommend going with either a Tbar hanger, wrap around hanger or a threaded rod hanging system.
• There are several ways to handle connecting the gutter at corners which are also known as miters.  Box miters, strip miters and hand cut miters are the options for adjoining these gutters together at the corners.  Box miters are by far the easiest to install and have a nice finished appearance.  Strip miters don;t have the same clean appearance but offer a bit more strength and and there will only be one seam at the corner where a box miter will have three seams.  A Hand cut miter is where the gutters are mitered at each end and connected to each other with rivets or screws.  Hand cut miters will have the cleanest finish and will be the most durable but are harder to do and should be left for the skilled trades people.   
• The outlet tubes, miters, and end caps should be sealed with a sealant from the inside of the gutter.  We recommend a self leveling sealant like the Ruscoe 12-1 gutter sealant which is designed to go on thin and find it;s way into the seam as opposed to just laying over the top of it.
• Fasteners choice should not be overlooked.  For aluminum gutter we like pop rivets for attaching the outlets, end caps, and miters but screws can also be used.  For the gutter hangers we recommend the zinc coated screws for aluminum gutters and stainless steel screws for the copper gutters.   

Invest in the Best Gutter Systems and Accessories 

For many people, buying gutter accessories seems simple enough until it comes down to making decisions. It’s important to be aware that K-style gutters come in many different sizes and each of these calls for its own unique accessories. Though not all accessories must be sized to match the gutters, others certainly do, and if you’re ordering these supplies online, it can be frustrating when the products you ordered simply will not work. Rather than putting your project off, do a little research about the gutters you need. Most homes have either 5” or 6” K-style gutters with 5” being the most popular. 

Once you know what size your gutters will need to be (and there are worksheets online to help you calculate this), make sure that the accessories you buy – including things like clips, elbows, downspouts, and more – were designed to work specifically with that size. It’ll save you time and frustration, and it will allow you to get the project done more quickly, too.

Questions About K-Style Gutter Installation? Contact Us Today 

Gutter installation is not inherently difficult, but it can be tedious, and it is not without risk. If you feel confident enough to do it yourself, be sure that you take the time to study installation guides carefully and stay safe when working on a ladder or roof. Otherwise, there are many outstanding professionals who have years of expertise, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them for a quote.Gutter Supply is the industry leader in gutter systems, gutter machines, and accessories. Along with popular K-Style gutters, we also stock a range of gutter shapes including half-round gutters and seamless gutter systems. We also make it easy to shop by material, with a great selection of copper gutters, aluminum gutters, steel gutters, vinyl gutters, galvalume gutters, and much more. If you’re looking for accessories, we also feature gutter hangers,gutter guards and rain chains. For more information, call 1-888-909-RAIN (7246) today.

Author: Mike Milliman

Mike is managing partner at Gutter Supply Inc. and has over 20 years of experience in the industry. His expertise and vast knowledge of the industry, along with his priority on customer service, has contributed to the continued success of Gutter Supply, it’s contractor customers and homeowner DIY’s. View all posts by Mike Milliman