I have some 5" galvanized gutters for my porch---used but in good shape. I also have about 200 of the long nails and sleeves, but I was always under the impression that the gutters also needed some support like a bracket or strap under and around the top.

Will the nails and inner sleeves hold the horizontal run good enough?

Rafter ends are on 16" centers--total run of the porch is 36 ft, covered with hardy plank fascia. I suppose I will have to mark, then drill thru the hardy plank to prevent splitting it out?

http://www.guttersupply.com...-kstyle-gutter.gstml

Unless your sleeves go across the gutter and snap into the front and rear track, you should use something like the link above.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: I have some 5" galvanized gutters for my porch---used but in good shape. I also have about 200 of the long nails and sleeves, but I was always under the impression that the gutters also needed some support like a bracket or strap under and around the top. Will the nails and inner sleeves hold the horizontal run good enough? Rafter ends are on 16" centers--total run of the porch is 36 ft, covered with hardy plank fascia. I suppose I will have to mark, then drill thru the hardy plank to prevent splitting it out?

Using the nails is OK.
But driving them in the wood is not as easy task. I use a long drill to make a pilot hole in the wood, then they go in allot easier.
I usually have to caulk where the gutter sets against the fascia to keep it from leaking.

If your gutters have a flat surface where they rest against the fascia boards, then you should be OK. Just be careful not to leave any sags in the gutter. Water will collect there, and weigh them down.

It's flat except for a little run of flashing on the top. Should I try to work the back top edge of the gutter up under the flashing?



Sleeves are just round tubes for the nail to pass thru without distorting the top of the gutter.





If I could find screws long enough, I would prefer to use them instead of the nails, but so far, have not found any that long.

Porch is only 10' 'deep', so the roof runoff is minimal.

I used to help my dad hang galvanized gutters 'way back when' and driving those spikes are tough! It looks like you are doing it right- you may have to pry the flashing away from the fascia board a little to get the gutter to slide behind it. Whoever put the gutters on my house put them over the flashing and when it rains, water gets between the gutters and fascia and drips in weird places. Start in the middle with one spike so that you can tilt the gutter slightly toward the downspout.

Spikes and ferrules will be just fine. Like stated above, start with one in the center, drill a hole in the gutter and a smaller hole in the fascia, run the gutter under the drip edge, slip the spike through the outside of the gutter, through the ferrule and drive that thing in hard. You want the hole in the fascia to be smaller so the spike holds better.

The brackets that screw in are alright, but if you already have spikes and ferrules just use them and save money. They have been used for many years and prove to be plenty supportive.

-Joe

TSC carries lag bolts up to 8” I think, maybe longer if I remember right.

But I have seen just the nails holding those up here. So they should work just fine for you in Texas.

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

quote Originally posted by joesfiero: Spikes and ferrules will be just fine. Like stated above, start with one in the center, drill a hole in the gutter and a smaller hole in the fascia, run the gutter under the drip edge, slip the spike through the outside of the gutter, through the ferrule and drive that thing in hard. You want the hole in the fascia to be smaller so the spike holds better. The brackets that screw in are alright, but if you already have spikes and ferrules just use them and save money. They have been used for many years and prove to be plenty supportive. -Joe

I do not want them attached to just the fascia, as it's Hardy plank and won't hold well enough--the nail will have to be driven thru the fascia and on into the rafter ends or stubs.

quote TSC carries lag bolts up to 8” I think, maybe longer if I remember right.

8" lag bolt has too large of a diameter. IF I could find a 7-8" Phillips head or torx screw about #4 or 3/16 diameter, that would be perfect--haven't yet, so I guess nails will do.

Steve:
Sadly, I am no longer allowed to go to TSC without a Jane escort, unless I leave the debit card & checkbook at home and take only enough cash to buy exactly what I went after.

As long as the spike is long enough to go through the hardy plank and into the truss tails, sounds fine to me. If you REALLY wanted to you could get spikes for a 6" gutter, effectively being 1" longer. Another thought would be to use your spikes and ferrules evenly spaced, every other truss tail and in between use a long wood screw from inside the gutter just through the back side of it into the hardy plank/truss tail. The spikes and ferrules would provide more than enough support for the gutter itself and the screws would ensure they never fall off.

BTW, I know I have talked to you about hurricane shutters before, but Salernos Aluminum LLC does gutters and soffit & fascia as well. I started the business in '05 and tried to name it "well hung shutters" or "well hung gutters" but the lady behind the desk was not amused.

-Joe

quote Originally posted by maryjane: 8" lag bolt has too large of a diameter. IF I could find a 7-8" Phillips head or torx screw about #4 or 3/16 diameter, that would be perfect--haven't yet, so I guess nails will do. Steve: Sadly, I am no longer allowed to go to TSC without a Jane escort, unless I leave the debit card & checkbook at home and take only enough cash to buy exactly what I went after.

LOL
been there

they make those to Don, just ask, well in your case now call for prices at a TSC. Some hardware store carry longer torx screws as well.

Steve

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

Driving nails into the end grain of the rafters won't hold. I had that arrangement on my house in upstate NY. The nails worked themselves out after a couple of years. I ended up installing straps that looped around the gutter and was nailed into the roof, then covered with silicon caulk.

There were issues in that climate with leaves collecting in the gutters and stressing the gutter nails causing them to pull out due to weight of wet leaves, plus the winter freeze adding to the weight.

Not much frozen percip here. My yard is 50,365 sq ft, and zero trees in it--thus no leaves. There will never be a tree in my yard either--they:
1. fall on your house.
2. fall on our head.
3. fall on your car.
4. fall on your utility lines.
5. obscure the view.
6. drop leaves all over.
7. kill grass.
8. prevent you from achieving a clear field of fire.
9. allow zombies a safe area to stage and hide.
10. Harbor a multitude of evil spirits--I mean insects.
11. CROWS hide in them--caw caw cawwing at dawn's early light every dam day.

don't hand me that old "they provide shade and oxygen". I have plenty of trees elsewhere and I spent a buttload of money on building a house for shade.

My gutters have the long nails and sleeves. Their trash. Everyone knows nails pull out when exposed to rain. Every time weve had a hard driving rain, parts of it were pulled out and sagging. I got tire of pounding them in again, sometime in a different spot. I tried the metal straps that go around the gutter and nail into the roof shingles, and they just pulled out too. I finally cured it by just running galavanzed dry wall type screws thru the inside of the gutter and into the wood faceboard. I havent had a single piece of gutter come loose again even when weve had a 2 or 3 inch rain. It fills the gutter up to the top with water but the screws hold, Ive got them about every foot. They dont pull out. Hooters keeps rebuilding their deck every few years and they keep using nails. After a year or so they all start to warp and pull themselves out. They didnt listen last summer when I told them to use screws and its all coming back up already again.