How to Make Your Own Gutter Guards
Gutter guards are an excellent way to make sure that your rain gutters never clog at the wrong time. We all hate dragging out the ladder when it’s raining to clear the gutters of leaves and detritus that are causing them to overflow. The following steps will help you install gutter guards without the expense of hiring the job out.
Wire mesh is often sold in 100-foot aluminum rolls that are 8 inches wide. These can be cut into 4-inch wide rolls with the hacksaw. You can spray-paint this mesh to match your exterior paint. Mesh is also available in 4 by 8-foot sheets. In either case, the mesh will need to be cut into 4-inch wide strips. To determine how much wire mesh to buy, make a mark on your gutter that won’t wash off easily and measure all the way around. Each 100-foot roll will cover 200 feet of the gutter after being cut in half. So, if you come up with 375 lineal feet of gutter measuring all the way around your house, you will need 2 rolls. If you buy sheets, remember that one sheet will cover approximately 96 linear feet. Each sheet can be cut into 12 4-inch wide strips that are 8 feet long. You will need the tin snips to cut sheet mesh.
Making Your Gutter Guard
Using the hacksaw, cut the roll(s) of mesh in half, making 2 rolls 4 inches wide.
Spray paint the mesh to provide enhanced rust/oxidation protection. The mesh won’t really need it since it will either be aluminum or galvanized.
Cut the rolls of the mesh into shorter lengths to make them easier to handle, unless you have someone to help you unroll it as you work around the house.
Use nails and washers to secure the mesh to the roof of the house. Use the self-drilling screws and the electric drill or screwdriver to attach the other edge to the outer edge of the gutter. Place nails and screws approximately every 18 inches to make sure it stays secure.
When gutter stiffeners are encountered, use a self-drilling screw to attach the mesh to the stiffener for added strength.
When the end of a piece or a roll is encountered, overlap the pieces by 1 to 2 inches to make sure that no leaves or detritus is able to get into the gutters.
Having read this article, you will know what you need to save money by installing your own homemade gutter guards.
