Replacing gutters, or letting the children starve?

[jess marley]

As the rain lashes down outside and the lightening flashes, lo, a casual observer might see my face at the window, pale as a ghost in a gothic novel, stricken with the realization of how much sodding gutters and hoppers cost a la Tuscan Foundry... surely it's not too hard to salvage yard these?
Any pointers folks, regarding cleaning/joining and otherwise installing seconds? Or are the kids about to get decidedly more eighteenth century looking?

 

[NT]

Corroded broken or split metal can be repaired...

NT

 

[Mark]

There are still brambles in our hedges. Not many rabbits about but the pheasants are out.

 

[jess marley]

Mark, the kid's have pet rabbits which are fattening up nicely.

N.T- most of our guttering is plastic but the c.o has specified cast iron for the replacements, we did some welding at college, but I didn't have much call for it being a print-maker not a sculptor. Can I use car body filler to make repairs to salvaged guttering? Or what..
Thanks.

 

[Maris]

There's a reclamation yard at Carludden, near St Austell, that has lots of cast iron guttering and also a workshop. The chap there has been known to do some good deals for cash. Could be cheaper than the Tuscans. I think its called Eden Reclamation, what with being near the Eden Centre.

 

[Roger H]

Hi.

It's a bit of a trek but for comparison Mike Fenby near Whitby on the North York Moors has a yard with 6ft lengths of half round for about a fiver each, downpipe similar. Took a bit of time to scrape the loose paint off but replaced all plastic on previous cottage for less than a hundred quid, plus hammerite.

My current new cast guttering cost £15 per length, primed only. £15 for new drive-in brackets.

Best wishes,

Roger

 

[jess marley]

Maris and Roger, thanks both.

 

[NT]

Iron guttering can be repaired with car body repair materials and methods.

Do you have to replace the guttering all now?

Out of interest, if youre a welder, making sheet steel gutter should not be hard. Last time I did something vaguely like this I made a big wooden sheet bender with heavy duty hinges and bent sheet to the required profile. But buying iron gutter sounds a far better option.


NT

 

[jess marley]

Would like to replace all now, but may just make do and mend the least important bits for now. Making my own may be a bridge too far at the mo' seeing as I'm currently stuckjust on trying to make a dressing up costume for the eldest.

 

[R King]

Was the plastic guttering put in prior to listing? If so you can replace like with like ie more plastic. We did this in our farmhouse as we just couldn't afford cast when we first moved in. We thought it better to protect the house from damp and put in cast later. We are reinstating the cast next year, 5 years after first buying our wreck. I know this is not ideal but our house has dried out nicely because of the decision we took.

 

[Lime]

Any pointers folks, regarding cleaning/joining and otherwise installing seconds? Or are the kids about to get decidedly more eighteenth century looking?

My experience with old metal guttering is that the screws and nuts should be stainless steel (Screwfix Direct and others supply stainless).
Also the sealant used to join the parts together should not set.
I have used several different materials, one of the most successful was plastic padding (or similar) without the hardener added.

 

[Nemesis]

The 'like for like' bit isn't as simple as that - and especailly if the local authority has other adopted policies, particularly also if the building is in a Conservation Area.

Much of the cost of doing guttering is labour and scaffolding, so may as well do it properly at the outset if possible.

We bought new to replace really rusted stuff - we were fortunate to get a special offer at half price from a local firm, tenner a length, and re-used as many of the spikes as possible.

We have found the traditional lime putty jointing to work as well as anything - most things dry and go brittle through time. Much of the ancient putty is still doing its job on ours.

 

[biffvernon]

I was talking to someone the other day who needed their wooden gutters repairing. They were 80 years old. Anyone seen an 80 year old plastic gutter?

 

[Penners]

Anyone seen an 80 year old plastic gutter?

I might have done, without realising it. How does one tell...?

 

[NT]

If theyre made of parkesine or ebonite.... 1926 is a bit before bakelite mas production.


NT