DETAILING VALLEY GUTTERS AT THE POINT WHERE THEY INTERSECT WITH THE FASCIA BOARD
DESIGN
RIGHT Valley gutters
Detailing around the intersection of a valley gutter and a fascia board can be a
little tricky. Here are a few pointers.
BY ALIDE ELKINK,
FREELANCE TECHNICAL
WRITER, WELLINGTON
CROSS-SECTIONAL DETAILS for valley gutters are The valley gutter, however, is at a lower ●● They must be a minimum of 250 mm wide if
given in both Acceptable Solution E2/AS1 and level than the roofing and therefore also at a receiving run-off from a spreader.
the NZ Metal Roof and Wall Cladding Code of lower level than the top of the fascia board.
Practice. However, neither document shows The usual way of dealing with this situation is Maximum catchment area
what happens at the fascia board/valley gutter to cut down the fascia board where the valley Maximum catchment areas for valley gutters are
intersection. gutter intersects with it (see Figure 2), but the given in Table 8 of E2/AS1 for minimum roof pitch
eaves spouting must not be cut down as this and gutter widths.
Current practice will compromise its capacity. Where the roof pitch is between 8–12.5°, the:
Roof cladding is generally installed over purlins ●● catchment area must be no more than
or battens, the top faces of which are generally Requirements for valley gutters 25 m²
aligned with the top of the fascia board (see Valley gutter requirements are set out in E2/AS1: ●● gutter must be at least 250 mm wide.
Figure 1). This means that the roof cladding can ●● They may only be installed where the roof Where the roof pitch is 12.5° or greater, the:
be carried over the top of the fascia board to pitch is greater than 8°. ●● gutter catchment area must be no more than
overhang and discharge into the spouting fixed ●● They must have a minimum depth at the 16 m²
to the fascia board. centre of 50 mm. ●● gutter may be a minimum of 160 mm wide.
corrugated metal roofing
50 mm minimum roof overhang for 10–30° pitch over roofing underlay
(40 mm minimum for pitch over 30°)
purlin
rafter
spouting
50 mm maximum underside of
roofing to back of spouting
underlay with 20 mm maximum
overhang to spouting
fascia board
Figure 1 Section A – section through eaves.
36 — April/May 2016 — Build 153
corrugated metal roofing
250 mm minimum overall valley gutter width
80 mm overhang to valley gutter
20 mm cut-out to fascia
20 mm minimum valley
metal valley gutter (half
gutter upstand
of gutter shown dotted)
continuous solid support
for valley gutter
50 mm minimum depth
of valley gutter
spouting valley rafter
fascia board cut down for valley gutter overhang
Figure 2 Section B – longitudinal section through the gutter.
50 mm minimum (E2/AS1) but 100 mm recommended
80 mm minimum roof overhangs
roofing underlay with 20 mm
corrugated metal roofing
maximum overhang
purlin for roof fixing
80 mm minimum roof overhangs
extend up beyond purlin
purlin
50 mm minimum valley
gutter depth
rafter
20 mm minimum upstand to valley gutter
continuous solid support for valley gutter metal valley gutter folded over purlins both
sides (laid over continuous roofing underlay if
copper-based treatment is used)
valley rafter
Figure 3 Section C – cross-section through alternative valley gutter detail to E2/AS1.
Build 153 — April/May 2016 — 37
Minimum roof overhangs
The roof overhangs to valley gutters vary accord-
Table 1
ing to the type of roof cladding (see Table 1), but
E2/AS1 requires a minimum clearance of 50 mm
ROOF OVERHANGS TO
between the overhangs to be maintained.
Where a valley gutter is less than 250 mm
VALLEY GUTTERS IN E2/AS1
wide, for profiled metal and masonry tile roofing,
E2/AS1 allows the roof overhangs to be reduced TYPE OF ROOF CLADDING MINIMUM ROOF OVERHANG TO VALLEY GUTTER
to 60 mm to give a 40 mm clearance between
overhangs. Profiled metal roofing 80 mm
However, a valley gutter with a minimum
Masonry tile roofing 100 mm
clearance of 100 mm allows the gutter to be
accessed more easily for cleaning (see Figure 3). Pressed metal roofing 50 mm
The NZ Metal Roof and Wall Cladding Code
of Practice also recommends increasing the
minimum depth of the valley gutter to 75 mm
where the roof pitch is between 8–12°.
Downpipe for catchment over 50 m² 50 mm minimum (E2/AS1) but
100 mm recommended
Where a valley gutter discharges into an eaves
spouting that has a total catchment area greater corrugated metal roofing
than 50 m², a downpipe must be installed within
2 m of the valley (see Figure 4).
Gutters and upstands
Valley gutters should be fully supported and fixed
valley gutter
at the upper end only to allow for thermal expan-
C
sion and contraction.
downpipe
Upstands should be on both sides of the valley
gutter and extend full height to the underside of
the roofing (see Figure 2). The upstands should spouting
A B
be terminated with a hook and must not be fixed
under the roofing.
Spreaders 2.0 m maximum if
catchment roof area
Spreaders may not discharge directly into valley
greater than 50 m²
gutters.
Where a valley gutter receives run-off from a
spreader, the gutter must be at least 250 mm
wide.
Figure 4 Plan of valley gutter.
38 — April/May 2016 — Build 153
