I’m going to install a gutter on the side of our pole barn. It is 64′ long and 24′ wide. The roof is steel and the slope is about 4′ rise in the 12′ from wall to peak. We have an additional shed roof that runs the entire length of the barn, 12′ wide, which has about a 2′ rise over the 12′. I’ll install the gutter along this shed roof. The local home center sells gutters that are bigger than those on my house. I don’t know how they size these things, but if my house has 4″ gutters, I’d say the ones at the HC are 6″. I figure I’ll need the bigger size. My question is: How many downspouts do I need? Or, another way, how many square feet of roof can a downspout handle? I think they sell 4″x3″ downspouts at the HC. I live near St. Louis and in the summer times we can get some real down pours. But, since it is a barn, it wouldn’t bother me if the downspout capacity was exceeded once or twice a year, but I don’t want water sloshing over the gutters routinely. Thanks for any help.
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There are guidelines for the number of downspouts needed depending on roof area, but I don't know them off the top of my head. As I understand your post, you have a total roof area of 64' x 36'. I'll hazard a guess and say you need at least four downspouts. This also probably should be influenced by the intensity of storms you are likely to get.
The main reason for my reply is to suggest that you call a seamless gutter supplier. They can make you one long gutter for the whole barn on-site and the quality will be better than anything you can cobble together from the home center. When comparing prices, don't forget to factor in the labor involved in putting together 10' sections of gutter.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
FHB had a short article regarding gutters a few isues back:
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/pages/h00046.asp
Here's a nation supply house, they'll have all the downspouts, etc They have branches everywhere. http://www.abccatalog.com/store/index.asp
Also, like another post said. You should be able to find seamless gutter companies that will come to the site and make and drop all the lengths of gutter you need. All you are paying for is the gutter, you'll install so the price is very reasonable. They'll also know what you'll need for your job. You definitely want it made for the building though, the home center will only carry lengths and you'll need to seam them together, that will look like s**t. Seamless won't leak and will look much better.