K-Style Gutter Buying Guide: Benefits, Materials & More
When it comes to buying new gutters, K-Style gutter systems are a popular choice among homeowners. These gutters provide a seamless finish on the exterior of the home. They feature a flat bottom with a curved edge, giving them a look similar to crown molding and allowing them to blend in with rooflines easily.
K-Style gutters are also cost-effective and easy to install, and they come in many sizes, materials, and color options. Their unique design helps the gutters direct water away from the home, preventing foundation issues and keeping moisture from getting into the structure. These gutters come in diameters ranging from 5 inches to 8 inches, with most people choosing 5-inch and 6-inch styles for residential home improvement.
Benefits of K-Style Gutters
- Improved Drainage: This type of gutter system can help improve the drainage of water from your home since it can hold more water than half-round gutters.
- Increased Curb Appeal: K-Style gutters add more curb appeal with their unique shape and installation options. The seamless gutter profile can blend in with a design or stand out to create a design focal point.
- Reduced Water Damage: With better drainage, these gutters will help reduce the risk of water damage to your home’s foundation and other areas. You will also have fewer issues with potential roof leaks with proper drainage in place.
- Increased Longevity: K-Style gutters are made from durable, high-quality materials so that they will last up to 20 years or more with proper installation and maintenance.
- Easy Maintenance: These gutters are low-maintenance and don’t require a lot of upkeep. You can add gutter guards to enhance their durability and keep them clean so that there is even less maintenance, too.
- Cost-Effective: These gutters are durable and affordable, helping to give you the best of both worlds when you need new drainage solutions.
- Easy to Install: Flat backing allows gutter hangers to screw right into the fascia board on the home’s exterior.
K-Style Gutter Materials
K-Style gutters are available in several materials, from metal to vinyl and everything in between.
Painted Aluminum K-Style Gutters – Aluminum gutters are durable and lightweight, offering a cost-effective option for light use. Painted gutters will require maintenance to ensure the paint doesn’t chip over time.
Copper K-Style Gutters – Premium copper gutters can last up to 50 years if installed properly. Copper K-Style gutters include durable copper materials for a rustic, eye-catching finish.
Galvanized Steel K-Style Gutters – Galvanized steel is among the most durable materials available. However, it is also the heaviest and may not be right for every installation.
Galvalume K-Style Gutters – These steel gutters are made of a substrate consisting of 45% zinc and 55% aluminum. It offers the highest strength of steel with some of the corrosion resistance of aluminum, with a neutral color that fits most exteriors. They are slightly more expensive than aluminum, but they offer a unique architectural look.
Copper K-Style Highback Gutters – When you want gutters and flashing built into one, Copper Highback gutters are a great choice. They are a bit more expensive to install as they are only available in 10 ft. sections, but are a great solution for buildings that do not have an overhang as they will add additional protection from ice dams.
Paint Grip Steel K-Style Gutters – If you don’t want to wait a year for your galvanized gutters to weather, paint grip K-Style gutters are a perfect choice. They’re ready to paint immediately and have a corrosion-resistant finish.
Top Products for K-Style Gutters
Gutter Guards
Gutter guards come in several styles and designs, made to fit over K-Style gutters for a perfect seal. This will keep out large debris like leaves and other items, which can keep your gutters in better shape and ensure proper drainage at all times. Gutter guards can save the hassle of cleaning the gutters, too, which reduces home maintenance for homeowners.
Gutter Hangers
Gutter hangers come in as many finishes and styles as our K-Style gutters and will provide the perfect support. The hangers that you choose will depend on the gutter system that you’ve selected, but there is corresponding hardware for every product line that we sell. Be sure to get some extra hangers so that you have them on hand just to be safe.
End Caps
You have to close off the gutters once they’re hung, which is where end caps come in handy. K-Style end caps are made to fit seamlessly into the K-Style gutters and come in aluminum, steel, vinyl, and other materials. Using end caps ensures proper drainage and keeps water from errantly running off close to the house.
Downspouts
You can’t have a gutter system without quality downspouts for drainage. The downspouts should take the water away from the home or down into the home’s main drain system, and we have several styles to fit the K-Style gutters, including round and rectangle gutters and even corrugated designs. They come in all the same materials and finishes as our gutters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are they called K-Style gutters?
The name of these gutters has nothing to do with their shape. They were named when the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) created the list of all gutter profiles. This style was 11th on the list, and since they were using a letter system to identify the gutter profiles, “K” was selected and has been the name ever since.
What is the pricing for a K-Style gutter system?
Several factors impact what you’ll spend on a K-Style gutter system. This includes the materials, the size of the gutter system that you need, and whether you choose custom designs or standard gutters off the shelf. Generally, K-Style gutters are popular because they are cheaper and still offer durability.
What products work best with a K-Style gutter system?
There is a complete line of components and accessories that are designed to work with K-Style gutter systems. End caps and gutter brackets that are specifically made for K-Style gutters will be best. Choose downspouts that match the architectural detail of this system, such as rectangular spouts instead of round.