# Sunday, August 15, 2010
Dress up ordinary gutters and downspouts with decorative gutter brackets and decorative downspout brackets. Stamped or hidden gutter hangers and standard downspout straps or bands will do the job and yet decorative gutter and downspout brackets will enhance your seamless rain gutter system giving it a more elegant, appealing and distinctive look. Your gutter system can become one of the more attractive architectural features of your home.

copper gutter with decorative seahorse gutter hangers pictured here
Copper Gutter with Decorative Seahorse Gutter Brackets

gutter brackets - decorative gutter hangers with acanthus design pictured heregutter brackets - decorative gutter hangers with rope design pictured here
Gutter Bracket Acanthus - - - - Gutter Bracket Rope Design

gutter brackets - decorative gutter hangers with seahorse design pictured heregutter brackets - decorative gutter hangers with scroll design pictured here
Gutter Bracket Seahorse - - - Gutter Bracket Scroll Design
copper gutter with acanthus style decorative gutter brackets - copper gutter hangers pictured
Copper Gutter with Acanthus Style Gutter Brackets

downspout bracket - downspout pipe strap with seashell design pictureddownspout bracket - downspout pipe strap with lion head design pictured
Downspout Bracket Seashell Design - Downspout Bracket Lion Head

downspout bracket - downspout pipe strap with pineapple design pictureddownspout bracket - downspout pipe strap with fleur de lis design pictured
Downspout Bracket Pineapple Design - Downspout Bracket Fleur de Lis

downspout bracket - downspout pipe strap with maple leaf design pictureddownspout bracket - downspout pipe strap with clover design pictured
Downspout Bracket Maple Leaf - Downspout Bracket Clover Design

The decorative gutter brackets, gutter hangers, downspout brackets and downspout pipe strap designs shown above are available in pure heavyweight cast copper and either mill finish (unfinished) or powder coated cast aluminum. The decorative downspout brackets shown above are available for 3" to 6" round downspouts or 3" x 4" square rectangular downspouts. Most of the  decorative gutter hangers shown above are designed for 6" to 7" half round gutters except for the scroll design which is available in sizes for 5" to 10" wide half round gutters. Rutland has pineapple and lion head leader head designs to coordinate with the pineapple and lion head downspout bracket designs. Further information is available from Rutland's Gutter Supplies page.
  downspout bracket decorative Florence scroll design downspout pipe strap front view pictured heredownspout bracket decorative downspout pipe strap Florence scroll design side view pictured here
Downspout Bracket - Florence Scroll Design Downspout Pipe Straps

gutter brackets - decorative gutter hangers combo design pictured heregutter brackets - decorative gutter hangers with traditional gutter bead design pictured here
Gutter Hanger Combo - Traditional Bead Stamped Hanger Design

copper downspout with pineapple leader head and downspout bracket design pictured
Pineapple Downspout Brackets and Leader Head
8/15/2010 8:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time  #    Disclaimer  |   |  Trackback
# Thursday, June 18, 2009
Rutland Gutter Supply has now added nine additional leader heads to their large growing selection of leader head. Rutland has 64 decorative leaderheads in stock to upgrade the finest aluminum and copper gutter systems and enhance the architectural features of your home or commercial building. Leader heads are also sometimes referred to as conductor head, rainhead, hopper head, scupper box or as a rain collector box. Leader head are installed inline on the downspouts or downpipes of guttering or eavestroughs - see second picture below for example. Leader heads collect and disperse the water from rain gutters through one or more downspouts. Functionally, leader head assist in draining large volumes of water and aesthetically they truly dress up a home's exterior. Leader head installed with attractive guttering and downspouts and often in conjunction with decorative gutter hangers and decorative downspout brackets too have been described as jewelry for the home or "bling".  See the first picture below of a home with lovely half round copper gutters, decorative gutter hangers, round copper downspout pipe and decorative downspout brackets. The second picture below shows a similarly outfitted round copper gutter system but with a copper leader head also installed on the copper downspout, enhancing the beauty of the home's architectural copper work even still more. The best quality leader heads use thicker metals and have TIG welded, polished invisible seams for the longest lasting beauty.

Copper Gutter System Installed with decorative gutter and downspout brackets
Copper Gutters - Copper Downspouts - Decorative Brackets

copper gutters with copper leader head and copper downspout installed
Copper Gutter System with Copper Leader Head Installed

Rutland also is involved frequently with restoration work of historic buildings and will re-create original leader head with new copper leader head preserving the original design. See picture below showing a very old original leader head design taken from a building with the new restored leader head replacement right along side of it. Rutland can also craft custom leader heads for you from your own design and specifications, fabricated with your metal of choice. You may view fifty-five leader head - conductor head designs on the web page at Rutland Leader Heads and additionally you may also view Rutland's nine new leader head designs below.

leader head restoration showing old and new leader heads
Old Historic Leaderhead - New Restored Leader Head

leader head designs by Rutland Gutter Supply
new leader heads available
New Rutland Leader Head Additions


Leader Head shown with Copper Gutter System and Copper Roof

There is also a YouTube Video featuring Leader Head LH057 available on Rutland's earlier blog Copper Leader Head Restoration Project

6/18/2009 10:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time  #    Disclaimer  |   |  Trackback
# Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Gutter gardens are receiving much buzz over the internet and are a good approach to generating fresh produce or a colorful display of flowers around your home. A gutter garden is especially ideal when space is at a premium or if you wish to have a tidy and more ergonomic gardening setup. Nothing is better tasting and more satisfying than freshly picked produce for that awesome salad, fresh salsa and a plethora of other healthy vegetable dishes. Gutter gardens are essentially akin to planters that hang from your house at a convenient height and are typically fashioned using some form of home guttering to serve as your planter. This article discusses and compares several types of commercially available gutters that are good options for use in a gutter garden. Then we will explain exactly which components you will need and how to assemble your very own gutter garden. I do not know who first came up with the idea for a gutter garden, probably someone a long time ago and it was never publicized. Now with power of the Internet word gets around. I did find an article from Martha Stewart Living dating March 2006 that called them "Garden Pots" and they used copper gutters stacked in several tiers to form their gutter garden. They were growing hanging ivy in them to form a living screen off of a porch, but could just as easily be growing flowers or produce in them. Hanging your gutter garden as they did with chains is another option to mounting on a wall, just make sure your chains, anchors and supports are all robust and secure.
 

From Martha Stewart Living - March 2006
"Surprising Garden Pots: Copper Gutters"

Re-using old guttering or buying cheap aluminum or plastic guttering are tempting options but may perhaps not be the best option. It is recommended you stay away from any kind of painted, rusted guttering or lead coated guttering for obvious health reasons if you are growing produce. Many plastics have unhealthy emissions and plastic gutters can also break down from the weight, UV sunlight and trowel work. It is best to use a gutter made from a pure metal that does not have any chemicals or paint applied, does not corrode or rust over time, is durable, long lasting, naturally weathers well, is aesthetically pleasing and is a genuinely attractive feature of your home. Steel and aluminum are relatively low priced but most varieties require some type of coating to resist rust and corrosion and coatings oxidize, scratch, are not durable, long lasting and mostly unhealthy too for a gutter garden. Galvalume is a zinc-aluminum coated steel that is a better candidate than either steel or aluminum alone, combining the corrosion and rust resistance of zinc and aluminum with the strength of steel but with an industrial looking gray metallic appearance and you would probably be tempted to paint this material. Three even better choices for your gutter garden are zinc, stainless steel and copper. Everyone is familiar with the appearance and attributes of stainless steel and it is a viable option. Stainless steel does not rust providing it's surface is not damaged and it is generally considered a healthy, sanitary material. Stainless steel's shiny appearance may be attractive or it may not blend in or complement your home's exterior. Pure zinc is a viable, healthy option that is durable, weathers well and zinc develops an attractive protective, grey patina that is somewhat pewter like though zinc is priced higher than galvalume and stainless steel. Then we have pure copper which may be the best choice for a multitude of reasons: copper has proven itself for centuries to be the most durable and longest lasting metal; copper weathers extremely well, forming a protective attractive patina; requires little to no maintenance; copper is attractive, aesthetically pleasing, elegant and complements most home decor well; copper is EPA approved antimicrobial, germicidal, antibacterial and fungicidal; copper is a key nutrient for plant life; copper is considered eco-friendly and is a green building material. These are all attractive and most desirable traits for use in your gutter garden. Copper although being our highest rated choice also has the highest initial cost of all the metals and metal alloys mentioned above. Copper's many and unique advantages, help justify it's premium cost, especially considering the relatively short lengths required for most gutter gardens, which put copper gutters' premium price within reach and affordability.

copper gutter system installed with copper downspouts
Copper Gutter System Installed

Once you have decided on the material for your gutter, you will then likely choose between three common styles of gutter: K-style gutter, half-round gutter and box gutter. A box gutter will give you the most volume with which to garden with, and as it's name suggests, it has a rectangular box appearance or if you like a plain box planter. K-style gutters are probably the most common residential gutters used in the U.S. and are somewhat boxy as well, though with a angled stepped front for a little more pizzazz. Half round gutters do look just like they sound, like half of a round cylinder or pipe and half-round gutters also have the most elegant appearance of all the various gutter types. There are also quarter round gutters which also are very attractive with their curved front. Quarter round and K-style gutters are generally available from 5 inches to 8 inches wide, half round gutters usually from 5 inches to 10 inches wide and box gutters are usually manufactured to size. Custom widths are also available through Rutland Gutter Supply.  Compare the different appearances of K-style, box gutters, half-round, quarter round and embossed gutters, all pictured below.

K-style gutters - Ogee Gutter
K-Style Gutters

box guttersbeveled box gutter
Box Gutter & Beveled Box Gutter

half round copper gutters
Half Round Gutters

quarter round copper guttercustom 1/4 round copper gutter
Quarter Round Gutter & Custom 1/4 Round Gutter

Embossed K-style copper gutter
Embossed K-Style Gutter & Half Round Embossed Gutter

In addition to choosing the material and style of gutter for your gutter garden, you will also choose the type of gutter hangers you will use to hang your gutter garden and the end caps used to cap off and finish the two ends of your gutter garden. There are several styles or types of gutter hangers available. So-called hidden gutter hangers are very commonly used and are called hidden because they are mostly not seen from the ground in a roof gutter system. Hidden hangers may not be the best choice for your gutter garden since they are positioned across the top of your gutter, they may obstruct or at least inconvenience your gardening work. A fascia mounting, squared-off gutter hanger with a front lip as pictured below may be better for box and K-style gutters while one of the decorative gutter hangers pictured below would prove ideal for the rounded gutters. A gutter spring clip holds the gutter in place when resting on a decorative gutter hanger and works well should you wish to remove the gutter easily for any kind of maintenance in another spot. You would use a gutter hanger every few feet to hold up the weight of your gutter garden, generally every three feet at least or every 2 feet if you also happen to live in the snow belt. You will also need to use so-called gutter hanger wedges, if your home's walls have an angled slope, to keep the gutter garden aligned perpendicular. Gutter hanger wedges are available in several sizes to address a variety of slopes in your home's siding or fascia. Installers typically use nails or screws to fasten gutter hangers and gutters to your home's wall or fascia. I would recommend a screw's added holding power recognizing a gutter garden's weight. Your choice of gutter end caps include flat end caps for all the various styles of gutters or also available for the half round guttering are radius end caps, which give your gutter garden ends an attractive and graceful rounded appearance. The gutter end caps are attached by both riveting and soldering them to the gutter. If choosing copper guttering for your gutter garden, it is recommended you use all copper materials for the guttering, gutter end caps, copper rivets, gutter hangers, hanger wedges and bronze or stainless steel screws. This is to maintain a uniform matching appearance and avoid corrosive effect of dissimilar metals. Below are pictures of various types of gutter hangers, gutter end caps, gutter spring clips and gutter hanger wedges.

k-style gutter end caphalf round gutter end cap
K-Style Gutter Flat End Cap & 1/2 Round Gutter Flat End Cap

copper radius end cap
Gutter Radius End Cap

hidden copper gutter hangerhidden gutter hanger
K-Style & Half-round Hidden Gutter Hangers

decorative scroll gutter hanger
Decorative Scroll Gutter Hangers

seahorse copper gutter hangerdecorative gutter hanger
Decorative Seahorse & Rope Gutter Hangers

fascia mounted gutter hanger
Squared-off Fascia-Mounting
Gutter Hanger w/Front Lip

gutter hanger wedges
 Gutter Hanger Wedges

gutter hanger spring clipsgutter copper rivets
Gutter Hanger Spring Clips   &   Copper Rivet


 Hanging Copper Rain Chains - Single & Double Loop

After you have decided on the exact style and material for your gutter garden components, measure the exact lengths of guttering you need and keep in mind that you can go with a double or triple decker design if you desire. Your gutter garden should be in a location where it will receive the amount of sunshine recommended for what ever you are planning to grow. After the components have been ordered and they have been delivered, you are ready to attach the guttering for your gutter garden to your house. Measure and mark off the locations for your gutter hangers, to keep them evenly spaced and horizontally level. If using hidden hangers place them evenly spaced across the top of the guttering and attach to the wall with screws and use wedges if necessary. If using a squared-off box hanger or the decorative rounded hangers, attach the gutter hangers to the house siding with screws using appropriate sloped wedges if necessary, lay your gutter on the hangers and attach the hanger spring clips between the gutter hanger and guttering. Now you are done and can fill up your gutter garden with gardening soil or some composite mixture of garden soil, peat moss, manure, fertilizer and moisture retaining granules. Plant your seeds, seedlings or plants, water and enjoy your garden!

Additional Tips:
 Avoid applying any chemicals or paint to the inside of your gutter garden for healthier plants and produce.  If you absolutely must paint to achieve a desired color match, then do so only on the outside surface. Stainless steel will need to be cleaned and polished occasionally to keep it's appearance while zinc and copper weather naturally and keep their beautiful, elegant appearance throughout their lifespan. Copper can be waxed regularly or even coated with a clearcoat or lacquer if you wish to keep the shiny new copper appearance but again do not apply any coating to the inside to avoid chemicals and to take full advantage of copper's natural germicidal, antimicrobial and fungicidal properties. Also any wax or coating is temporary and needs to be re-applied. The natural copper patina however needs little to no maintenance When copper weathers there is a natural patina that forms on it's surface which serves as a protective coating and the patina does not affect copper's antibacterial properties. The copper patina changes color with age, progressing from a shiny salmon color, to reddish shades of brown, brown, greenish brown and finally a light green pastel color. The outside patination process can also be accelerated if desired by applying selective accelerants. Copper is revered and prized for it's graceful, elegant appearance and gradually changing color throughout it's very long lifespan. Approximate copper weathering color chart is illustrated below. If you desire drainage for your gutter garden, you may either choose to drill a few small holes sparsely across the entire length or have your guttering fabricated with rain chain style taps every few feet along the length.

copper weathering color chart
Resource:
All types, styles and sizes of gutters and gutter materials discussed above can be obtained from Rutland Gutter Supply as well as all of the associated gutter parts and gutter accessories you will need for your gutter garden. Rutland carries the largest selection of gutter supplies in the USA with all the gutter accessories to match. Rutland also does custom metal fabrication and architectural copper work and ships all of it's products globally all over the world. If you like the general idea of a gutter garden but would prefer to have a custom sized planter made for you, Rutland can custom fabricate virtually any size and style copper planter you desire.

gutter garden - multiple tiers
Wall Gutter Garden Pictured by Suzanne Forsling, Juno, AK
6/2/2009 1:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time  #    Disclaimer  |   |  Trackback
# Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Rutland Gutter Supply is family owned and operated. Their manufacturing facility is located in beautiful Orlando, Florida. They have over 40 years of experience in the construction and sheet metal fabrication business. Rutland operates some of the most modern CNC machinery available, from computerized roll forming machines to a fully automated 4" round seamless, welded pipe machine. They have many customers globally and have installed copper gutters and architectural copperwork spanning Florida and the Caribbean.  Rutland Gutter Supply’s products are marketed and sold throughout the United States, Canada and Internationally.

Rutland’s products can be fabricated in Mill Finish Aluminum, Zinc, Lead Coated Copper, Stainless Steel, Copper, Galvanized Steel and Galvalume. They stock the largest selection of custom gutter supply components including decorative hangers, decorative brackets and pipe straps, flat and radius end caps, box mitres, elbows, rain chains, copper pipe and custom leader heads with copper castings.

Rutland’s latest line of products include fully welded, hand made 48 oz custom kitchen hoods, island range hoods, fireplace hoods and copper billiard hoods, most incorporating hand finished designs. Rutland is able to hand craft any view or scene of your choice into them as these are truly custom design hoods. Additional items available for your copper kitchen are copper pot racks, copper bowl, copper sink, copper basin, hammered copper range hoods and copper fireplace hoods.  All Rutland's copper hoods and sinks are available as custom copper hammered  designs created by artisans who can create the truly personal design touch for your "copper kitchen".

Rutland also fabricates both stock and custom copper chimney caps, copper cupolas, copper stove pipe and roof vents, copper gable vents, copper dormers, copper roof tiles, copper seam roofs, copper dome roofs, copper chimney turbines, copper roof scuppers or rain spouts, copper finials, copper spires, copper steeples, copper balustrades, copper pineapples, copper balls, copper spheres, copper dock lights, copper fish elbow downspouts and copper dragons, etc. Virtually every architectural copper work and metal fabrication has been or can be accomplished by Rutland.

 

Gutter Hangers, Gutter Hangers, Gutter Hangers . .

Rutland stocks the largest selection of gutter hangers in the country.  Rutland offers decorative gutter hangers such as their seahorse, rope, scroll, combo and acanthus gutter hangers available in cast copper and also in powder coated finished or mill finish cast aluminum. They are designed to fit Rutland’s seamless gutters ranging in half round gutter sizes from 5” to 10”.  Various size wedges from 1” to 2.5” are available in both cast copper and aluminum to properly align the gutter system to various fascia angles.

 

Rutland also stocks many different types of stamped and hidden gutter hangers, all available in a wide selection of materials and sizes. Hidden hangers are available for half round, K-style, quarter round and box gutters in a wide variety of sizes and materials including copper, aluminum and stainless steel. Rutland also stocks many roof mounted, rafter tail mounted and fascia mounted gutter hangers for both half round and K-style gutters including copper, aluminum and stainless steel. Many different sizes of these are stocked by Rutland Gutter Supply and scroll design hangers are available for fascia, roof and rafter mounting.

 

Rutland Gutter Supply’s superior selection of in stock gutter system parts, components or accessories is immense and unmatched in the U.S.  Rutland offers next day shipping on most of Rutland’s gutter supplies as virtually all gutter system components are in stock.  In addition to having the largest selection of gutter hangers, Rutland has the largest selection of decorative downspout pipe straps, available in cast copper and aluminum, as well as custom and standard pipe straps. Rutland’s selection of leader heads (else known as conductor heads-collector heads-hopper heads) is again the largest in the U.S.A and most of them are in stock and available with or without one of Rutland’s custom decorative castings incorporated. Rutland strives to have the largest selection on hand for same day shipping. Rutland also encourages it’s customers to submit custom requests as Rutland has extensive custom fabrication experience and Rutland’s facilities and operations are conducive to custom metal work.

4/29/2009 10:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time  #    Disclaimer  |   |  Trackback
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