What lengths do gutters come in?
Short answer. Sectional gutters sold at supply stores usually come in 10-foot pieces, with some longer lengths available, and are joined with connectors or overlapping seams. Seamless gutters have no standard length; they are formed on site from a coil to the exact length of each run, which is why they have far fewer joints.
Sectional gutters
- Aluminum, steel and vinyl sections are commonly sold in 10-foot lengths, and some suppliers stock longer pieces.
- Pieces are joined with slip connectors or overlapped and sealed, which creates a joint at every section.
- Downspouts are typically sold in 10-foot lengths as well, with separate elbows.
Seamless gutters
A seamless gutter is rolled from flat coil by a machine on the installer's truck and cut to the length of each run, whether that is 8 feet or 40. The only joints are at corners, end caps and outlets. Very long runs are usually drained at both ends or split so the gutter can expand and contract without stressing its joints.
Figuring how many pieces
- Measure each run.
- Divide by the section length and round up.
- Allow extra for overlaps at each joint and for trimming at corners.
- Count end caps, corners, outlets, downspouts and elbows separately.
Width and profile matter too
Length is only part of the order. Gutters are sized by width across the top, most often 5 or 6 inches, and by profile, K-style or half-round. Fittings must match both. For a long run or a big roof, a 6-inch seamless gutter with 3 by 4 inch downspouts often outperforms anything made from short sections. See gutter sizing, seamless gutters and guards.