If your old gutters are not what they use to be or you just feel enterprising, you can make your own gutters. Here we will describe the steps and things you need to make gutters for your home. You will need a measuring tape, metal shears, gutter pieces, ladder, saw and downspouts.



1) You will need to make sure where it is you want your gutters to go. If you let water run freely off the roof it can eventually wear away at the foundation of your house. Gutters are a way to prevent this problem. Choose a location where you know you can place a downspout at the corner to catch the rain from the gutters and channel it to a safe place.




2) What type of material will you be using ? This is the next step in making your own gutters. A elegant option is to use copper. Most are made of some type of metal, either steel or aluminum. If you have vinyl siding, vinyl gutters are a natural choice. Pick what is best for your wallet and for the appearance of your house.



3) Next is measure the length of the board where you are installing the gutter. Buy enough gutter material to include three or four inches to overlap on each piece of gutter. Include an extra inch for the piece beyond the board where you are mounting the gutter for the water coming off the shingles. Lining up the gutter exactly with the line of the end of the shingles is not good enough. You need the extra inch for "splash protection". The downspout section of the gutter will need to reach to the ground from the gutter and then bend to throw the water out towards a safe place or route the water to a concrete pad.



4) Assemble your gutter on the ground and then install it on the house. It is easier this way. Overlap the gutters by three or four inches. If you chose metal material for your gutters, seal them with the appropriate material. The ugly edge goes under the shingles and the nicer edge is to be shown outside.



5) Measure from the corner of your home for the downspout. Assemble the end piece for the downspout and cut the hole in the gutter for the water to leave using the downspout. Seal up this section from obvious leaks and connect this section to the installed sections already on the house. Take a look at your gutter creation the next time it is raining to see if there are any leaks left to seal. You are done.