Box Style Gutters

This is a catch all type of gutter found when only the largest water handling needs will suffice.  While the basic definition of BOX style gutter is simply straight bends that create a box they have turned into much more.  Essentially if you have a metal break strong enough, you can bend almost any design into a box gutter. Given the thick metal stock they are usually made out of, most box gutters are made at sheet metal or metal fabrication shops.

Pricing for commercial box style gutters

The cost related with box gutters is all over the place.  Reason being is box gutters can be made to almost any specification.  The more expensive the raw material the more it will be. Steel is the most common metal for commercial style box gutters but also think aluminum, and copper.

Starting at around 7″ and going to 10″+ range you’re looking at $6-$45 a foot for material purchases only.  The most expensive being Copper followed by KYNAR (or similar) coated galvanized steel at around $12-$15 at foot being more normal.

The installation of box gutters

There are a great deal of installation methods associated with box style gutters.  Indeed, we see a huge variety of custom brackets and hanging systems to accompany the sometimes unique systems installed on commercial buildings.  One common way is a specialized bracket that mounts to the “rib” of a standing seam roof and then attached to the lip of the eavestrough.  Another is a standard adjustable rod and nut system we see on half round gutters.

Metal straps; this is a fallback method if you don’t have specialized hardware available for installation. You’ll need some metal straps to bend around and in the gutter than hang onto the roofing surface.

One caveat of most commercial style box gutters is that your installer must be a pro.  This is because they can only come as long as your metal shop can make them. Most commonly this is 10ft. sections, so appropriate seaming with rivets and sealant is a must.

Seamless Box gutter machines are now on the market so if possible this is a more professional install.

Pre-engineered Steel Buildings with Box gutters

Most of the top pre-engineered steel building manufacturers also have made their own line of box gutters to accompany the building design.  You can be assured if it is spec’d in their plans the gutter system is meant to withstand the maximum amount of water that can come of the roof.  Often we will see that although they are not directly providing the gutter system, the manufacturer is supplying a guideline for your local metal shop to follow.