# Forum Home Renovation Roofing  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?

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## 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.

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## Ashore

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

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## 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?

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## 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.

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## 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...)

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## 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

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## 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  :Smilie:

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## 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.

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## 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

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## 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.

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## 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

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## 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.

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## 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.

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## demuire

Thanks Bazza  :Smilie:

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## LotteBum

When we did our roof and guttering, the roofing guy said that even if we were going to paint our gutters to still use Colorbond.  He said that they were more durable than Zincalume, but also said that a Zincalume roof is much the same as Colorbond, because water doesn't pool.  
Anyway, that's just what we were told.  Best of luck with it. 
Lotte

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## tameriska

> (which would be plain gutters all round, and with a tin roof .

  Do you know if your tin roof is Galvanised or Zinc iron. 
From what I have heard, for longevity, it is better to match galv with galv, and zinc with zinc.
I have heard of a Zinc roof paired with a Galv tank, the galv tank rusting out earlier than if it had been paired with a galv roof. Something to do with a reaction with the water running off one metal into another.
I am sure that other forum members will be able to explain better than I have, as this is only something I was told from a builder a few years ago.

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## demuire

I have no idea, it's silver  :Tongue:   I've decided to go the colorbond gutters though, so no worries (I guess?)

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## Barry_White

As an old Lysaght Rep and manager here is the correct information on Zinc (or Gal in the laymans terms), Zincalume and Colorbond. 
Zinc or Gal is the old finish which its life span is governed by the thickness of the coating on the surface. Prior to the advent of Zincalume there was some Colorbonded Gal based material around as well as some imported material. Gal coated roofing was phased out about 25 years ago but there was still a bit of Gal feed used in guttering for a bit longer.  
Old Gal is distinquised by the dull dark grey appearance from weathering that takes place after being exposed to the elements for about six months. The life of gal is about 50 + years before it begins to show signs of corrosion. 
Zincalume is an aluminium/zinc based coating that is far superior to the old gal and the thickness of the coating has no bearing on the length of time it will last. The life of Zincalume from accelerated testing was said to last at least four times as long as Gal and even up to eight times as long inland from the coastal invironment. The only downside of Zincalume is you can't have water running off the old lead flashings on to it because it will create corrosion. The appearance of Zincalume is of a shiney silver surface and does not dull off like Gal. 
Colorbond today has a Zincalume base and has the same properties as Zincalume. 
As far as corrosion goes you should not run rain water off Zincalume or Colorbond onto a Gal surface as the water coming off is of a pure nature and does not add any protective salts to the water hence will create corrosion to the Gal surface. Whereas water from a Gal roof onto Gal gutter will not create this senario. The reverse is not so which means you can run water from Gal onto Zincalume or Colorbond and it will NOT create corrosion. 
The result is the same if running rain water off a Terracotta tile roof it also will create corrosion in Gal gutter. If you want to see this effect have a look inside some old Gal gutter with a Terracotta roof and see the rust spots all along the gutter where the water has been dripping out of the valleys of the tiles. 
Tameriska is correct in as much that you should not run water off Zincalume or Colorbond into an old Gal tank as it will accelerate the rate of corrosion and shorten the life of the tank.

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## Mini

A bit late in this thread but my experience with plastic guttering was all good. It was on the house for 20 years, installed by me and never leaked, cracked, broke or discoloured and also it was easy to instal. The only issue I can see with it is in bushfires, it will melt when used to hold water. Mine only came off in house renos and I let them instal colourbond as I won't be here long enough to see it rust. I just don't know why every one knocks plastic guttering when they have not used it. A friend of mine has had it on his house a lot longer than 20 years and it is still going strong. This is just my experience for what it is worth.

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## tameriska

Barry, thankyou for explaining that. 
I didnt know all the logic behind it, could just remember being told about it years ago.

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## damien

Is it possible to paint the Zincalume guttering?

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## Barry_White

> Is it possible to paint the Zincalume guttering?

  You sure can paint Zincalume it fact it doesn't even need a primer either. The only thing you need to do is to make sure there is no oil residue left over from the rolling processes.

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## damien

> You sure can paint Zincalume it fact it doesn't even need a primer either. The only thing you need to do is to make sure there is no oil residue left over from the rolling processes.

  
Thanks for that

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