How to Install Guttering on a Shed
So you’ve just put up a brand new garden shed, and it’s looking pristine. Sheds are a fantastic place to keep garden tools safe, or even as the ideal home-away-from-home getaway. You’re probably on a high right now, but the job is only half done. If you want your shed to stay strong and beautiful for years to come in this rain-plagued country, you’ll need to fit a gutter.
Why Install Guttering on My Shed?
You’ve just put in all that hard work, and you may be wondering why exactly your shed needs a gutter. It’s true that your shed roof should be perfectly capable of shedding rainwater, but where’s it going to go? Straight onto the walls of your shed. Water can cause serious damage to timber structures, and garden sheds are no exception. Not only will this look unsightly, it may also compromise your shed’s strength and stability. What’s more, water damage can cause warping, mould, mildew, and eventually rotting timbers.
Beyond protecting the structure of your shed, guttering can actually allow you to collect rainwater, which can then be recycled and used in your garden. A great option for the environmentally conscious out there!
Types of Guttering
Guttering systems have been around for millennia, and the wide array of designs and choices that persist today reflect that. Here are some options for shed gutters:
Plastic (UPVC)
Choosing the right guttering for a house can be surprisingly difficult, however, we’re big fans of plastic guttering here at Roofing Megastore. Usually made from UPVC, this form of guttering is cheap, easy-to-install, and lightweight. Thanks to its lightweight, this sort of guttering is perfect to put on your shed. One caveat however is that UPVC guttering can have a shorter lifespan than alternatives, and may need a bit more upkeep. UPVC is also vulnerable to UV rays, meaning if your shed is in direct sunlight, the gutters could go brittle and split. However, if your shed is in the shade, this should not be an issue.
Metal
Metal guttering is far more durable than UPVC, but this strength comes with increased cost. Aluminium and steel guttering are both options that will still be lightweight enough for a timber garden shed and should be simple to install. These metal gutters can last up to 25 years but will require some upkeep to prevent rust.
Zinc guttering can last even longer than steel or aluminium, even as long as 50 years! What’s more, this form of guttering is available in a number of stylish finishes. However, if you’re looking for maximum longevity, cast iron guttering is your best bet. Unfortunately, unless your shed is particularly sturdy, it’s unlikely to be able to hold the weight of cast iron.
Finally, we come to copper guttering. Copper gutters offer iconic, timeless visuals, along with superb durability, however, they are also some of the most expensive on offer. That being said, copper guttering is highly resistant to rust, requires very little maintenance and is 100% recyclable.
Once you’ve chosen the guttering material that suits you, it’s time to choose the profile. There are three main profiles of guttering, which are half-round, square line, and ogee. Whilst square and half-round gutters are the more contemporary of the three, ogee outdoes them both in flow rate. If you’re unsure of which to choose, we’d suggest simply matching the gutters on your house.
How to Fit a Gutter to a Shed
The first thing you’ll need to consider when installing shed guttering is where you want the water to drain. If you’ve got a nearby drainage system, that would be ideal. Otherwise, we’d advise purchasing a storage tank or water butt to collect the water and prevent it from draining towards any buildings.
As for the parts you’ll need to order, this will of course depend on the size and shape of your shed. For a standard 6’ x 4’ garden shed however you will need:
- 1 x 6ft section of guttering
- 1x 6ft length of pipe
- 1x Stop End Outlet
- 3x Fascia brackets
- 1x Downpipe clip
- 2x 112-degree bend joints
- 1x Stop End
- 1x Water butt/ Storage tank (if needed)
Installing a Gutter on a Shed Step-by-Step
We’ve written this guide with UPVC guttering being put on a pent-shed roof in mind, meaning a shed with a single sloping roof. If you’ve got a shed with an apex roof, you’ll need guttering across three sides rather than just one.
1. Check the Direction of the Water Flow
The first thing you’ll want to do is check the direction your water will flow. This will determine which way your guttering will be sloped. Water will always flow downwards so any pre-existing slopes can help you determine this. Otherwise, this can be checked using a spirt-level.
2. Mark Out and Fit Your Brackets
Brackets should be installed at any point where two pieces of gutter meet and as supports. To determine where to install your brackets you can use a piece of string to mark out the gutter position. Support brackets should be installed at a maximum of 3 ft intervals and as necessary to ensure a stable gutter. Working from the end furthest from your drainage point each bracket should be fitted at least 5mm lower than the previous one.
3. Install Guttering
Once your brackets have been secured you can click your guttering into place. Ensure that it is seated properly before proceeding to the next step.
4. Affix your Stop End Outlet
With your guttering now installed, you can fit your stop-end outlet. This may require a little bit of force, so be careful not to split the guttering.
5. Mark and Trim Downpipe to Suit Needs
If you are draining off water into a butt or a storage container, you will want to make sure it is in position at this point, either on it’s stand (if it has been equipped with a stand) or on a stand made out of bricks. Insert a 3ft piece of pipe into the downpipe junction, ensuring the pipe sits perpendicular to your shed.
6. Fit the First Bend Joint
Install a bend joint onto the end of the downpipe, pointing towards your shed so that the mid-section of your pipe can later be secured with a downpipe clip.
7. Mark and Trim the Remaining Downpipe to Suit the Needs
Measure the amount of piping required to reach your storage container or drainage system and trim it to suit your needs. You should be left with two sections of downpipe that will fit into the bend joints. Measure, trim and remove as required.
8. Fit the Second Piece of Downpipe
Affix the second portion of the downpipe into the first bend joint. This will be the portion of pipe that the downpipe clip is connected to.
9. Fit the Second Bend joint
Install the second bend joint. This one should be pointing towards your storage container or drainage system.
10. Fit the Final Piece of Downpipe
The last piece of downpipe can now be affixed. It should lead nicely towards your storage container or drainage system.
11. Affix the Downpipe Clip
Fix the mid-section of your downpipe to your shed using the downpipe clip. This will further secure the guttering, protecting it from strong winds.
12. Fit the Gutter Stop End
Lastly, fit the gutter stop end to the higher end of the guttering. This is technically an optional step, but does make the whole system look a lot neater
Once you’ve installed your shed guttering, we recommend carrying out a test to make sure it’s both watertight and operating correctly. This can be done by pouring water onto your shed roof or spraying a hose pipe down your gutters in the direction of your drain outlet. If your guttering holds fast without any signs of leakage, you can be sure you’ve done the job correctly. For apex shed roofs, guttering can be connected around corners using an angle connection in a matching profile.
How Much Will Putting a Gutter on a Shed Cost?
Whilst material costs will naturally vary, we’ve chosen UPVC guttering as our example, as it is both the most common, and most affordable.
|
Gutter Section |
Price |
|
2m - £4.49 4m - £8.86 |
|
|
2.5m - £5.99 4m - £9.68 5.5m - £12.34 |
|
|
£2.51 |
|
|
£0.85 |
|
|
£0.94 |
|
|
£1.69 |
|
|
£0.84 |
|
|
£1.27 |
|
|
UPVC Half Round Guttering – Angle – 112mm x 51mm (For use on Apex Roofs) |
90 Degrees - £2.95 135 Degrees - £3.34 |
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Estimated Cost For a 6’ x 4’ Pent Shed |
£35.00 Excl. Storage Container |
How to Maintain Shed Guttering
Whilst it would be fantastic if your new guttering could simply be left alone, proper upkeep is vital to keep it running as it should. We’d recommend inspecting your gutters at least twice a year at the end of both Spring and Autumn. For more advice on proper gutter maintenance, we’d recommend our guides to clean guttering as well as how to fix leaking gutters.
And that’s it! Your garden shed should now feature a beautiful guttering system that will keep it healthy and looking its best for years to come. If you’ve got any more questions about our guttering range, or anything else, get in touch with our award-winning customer service team. They’ll be able to help you with any query you may have. Call them on 01295 565 565, email [email protected], or use our handy online live chat.
