Hello to all.
My first time on this site.
I live in South Portland, Maine. I am considering a standing seam roof for my home. Roof is 10 pitch, 5/8″ OSB on 2′ center trusses, about 18′ on each side. Layout is simple gable to gable. I’ve been in residential construction for over ten years but have never tried standing seam. I understand there are different types. I’d appreciate recomendations; i.e. easiest to install, good appearance, manufacturers or suppliers, etc. I plan to do it myself.
Thanks very much for your help.
Dan_r
Replies
welcome dan - the site is enduring a bit of a challenge from vandals right now, I encourage you to hang around - it'll clear up -
I have a little experience with S-Seam roofing - this last season we applied a few squares of galvalume to the weigh shed of a water powered mill - it is/was modern style - lay a sheet and screw on the short side of the 'stand', snap the next sheet over the 'stand' and repeat - very easy, just get started on the right line -
my house has S-Seam that dates from 85 years ago - the seam was formed in place, a 1"X3" 'L' shaped 'tab' was secured next to the 'stand', nailed to the lath, - - the next sheet placed with its 'stand' butted to the previous - and the seam and tabs were soldered, then folded over - a very tight roof and superiour to the modern commercial style -
I'm sure there is more experience that will post - see ya round - DOUD
David,
Thanks for your response; good information.
dan
Just to be clear - are you talking real standing seam? or the ranch panel type with exposed fasteners that a lot of people confuse for SS lately?
Excellence is its own reward!
Dan,
Last one I worked on was custom fabricated copper. Standing seam on one edge, and recieving seam on the other. The metal was held down by small copper clips, that snap over the seam, and are nailed to the roof. The next piece covers the clips. Then the seams were squeezed together, some may call this "swedging". Once tight, a few button locks were crimped into the seams. Button locking is basically a small round dimple, that is punched into the seams. We also did some fold down and solder on the same roof. Mostly at flashing joints to walls, and skylights. It's a nice look, if done well. I think most metal roof panel suppliers offer standing seam, in a couple of widths, and many colors. Good luck!
Brudoggie
Hi Dan,
I've done a couple of small pieces of roof with double-lock seams. You nail a drip edge (not a stock drip edge...one that matches the system) on the rake and eave to crimpt the edges to. Then you put clips down the other edge of the panel, then cover the cliped edge with the next pre-formed panel, then roll the seam with a motorized seam roller. You can crimp by hand with a special tool, but you would have to be a masochist not to use the electric roller.
You have to roll each seam as you go because the act of criping the seam pulls the panel in a little bit, and if you don't do each as it's applied, you will get too much panel creep. If you go back to roll them all at once, you'll be sorry...
The last one I did I used heavier of the two guages they offered. Great for the customer, not so great for me. The hand work is very tiresome on heavier stock (.22 ga. rather than .28 if I recall).
Another thing: the deck has to be pretty flat. I had to strap and shim this one. It was 3" low in the middle.
Let's see if I can find a picture of the one I did most recently...
Steve
Edited 7/9/2003 9:23:15 AM ET by STEVENZERBY
> You can crimp by hand with a special tool, but you would have to be a masochist not to use the electric roller.
Do you have a make, model, and source for the electric roller? I'm going to be doing 3 squares of 16 oz. copper, and was figuring on doing it by hand because of the cost of the machine.
-- J.S.
John,
I fabricate and install 200-300 squares a year of standing seam and we don't use any power tools for fabrication or installation. The electric seamers are for continuous seams. I saw a worn out one go for $750 on ebay not long ago. You don't need one for 3 squares anyway. Spend $180 on a Rau tool.
Thanks, I'll get the Rau....
-- J.S.
Copper forms quite a bit easier than the steel products that are being mentioned in this thread.
John,
Sorry I don't remember the make. I rented it from the supplier of the pans for 50 bucks/day. Worth every penny, even for a a square and a half, in my opinion. The things was very heavy. You clamp it on, hit the switch and it runs itself up (or down) the seam. There are warnings on it not to "ride" it, but you can't help but let it pull you along with it a little bit. It has a rope attached to it. One guy sits at the top and the other at the bottom. Guy at the starting end holds the rope in case the machine gets away from ya...
Steve
Steven,
How long does it take the machine to do a seam, say 20 foot long? And by heavy, how much do you mean? Can one guy move it around fairly easily?
I would prefer sealed seam to snap lock because it seams that it would be better for strength and waterproofing - but I've no experience with metal.
Thanks,
Clampman
I put a metal roof on my house 16 years ago, with almost standing seams. I say almost, because the seam is more of an 'M' shape than a true standing seam. Between the seams, the metal is completely flat.
The difference in cost between the two seam treatments was incredible. A true standing seam roof is quite expensive and, depending on material and contractor, exceeded cost of a clay tile roof. The 'M' seam is used in commerical enterprises, like barns and industrial buildings, so you can get it much cheaper, though not in designer colors.
You can get the metal cut to length up to 40 feet, and with no horizontal seams, the final roof is rain and fire proof. My roof cost about the same as an asphalt shingle roof. Every year I have visitors pull off the road to ask me where they can get such a roof. They never ask the neighbors about their asphalt shingles.
Finally, I should mention that rain noise is pretty non-existant, because the metal is quite thick and heavy, the attic is insulated. So have fun and get a metal roof. ---geoff
Geoff,
Does your roof have exposed fasteners?
Steve
Yes, it has exposed fasteners, maybe that's why it was so much less in cost. We have never had a problem with the fastners leaking, being gasketed rubber or neoprene. THe manufactuturer of the roofing sells the color-coded screws. Also they sell a larger size for replacement screws since its possible that over many years, some of the screws will work loose.
Really, if I had had the money, I would have gone for the true standing seam roof, but I've been very happy with what we got, and felt clever that it cost so little. As I recall, and its been a long time, we spent about $2,500 for the metal roof installed, and the standing seam type quotations were coming in at around $10,000. Our orginal house had about 2,000 sq. ft. floor plan. I have no idea what current prices are. ---geoff
PS OVer the years, I've done the outbuilding on our property with the same metal roofing...and my experience is that you will cut yourself working with metal. The contractor who did our roof, swore that this was the last metal roof he would ever do for the same reason.
So all you other metal roof fans, how do you keep from cutting yourself? ---geoff
Scar tissue is tougher than original skin.
Kevlar gloves!!!!! I do almost all tin roofs on my houses and swear by these things.Cheap from Gemplers -$7. Saves ur hands and gives u confidence.
Ive used "neo standing seam" on several historic restoration jobs and its good cost effective substitute.One side has a flange you screw down with flat head screws and the other side snaps down on the last peice. No exposed fasterners and Id hate to try to get them apart again.They call for solid sheathing /30lb felt and want u to dab the felt nails with caulk. The one company had slight ridges in the pans to reduce " oil caning" but when i signed a waiver I got regular flat sheets.We figured itd look older if it did "Oil can" (wrinkle) a lil bit. Comes in 16"/24" pans -called something like SL-16
We use the regular painted tin too.But damn screwing thru the flat of the pans and relying on that neoprene washer..hmm.Good old 5V tin u screwed thru the ridge.
Tree, who's the manufacturer of the Neo/fake/standing seam? Does it really look like the real thing? Meaning hand formed type seams?
I've looked at a zillion & none look like an old roof, mostly they look like something that would be at home on a McDonalds.
Joe H
Yeah, I've got the gloves, but I prefer to work barehanded (especially in the summer).
The objection I hear about the neo-standing seam from the histerical police is the big fat hip and ridge cover. I do the old style seamed hip and ridge. The job I'm starting tomorrow had to have a slew of shop drawings submitted before the home owner could get approval.
latex dipped cotton gloves
Folks,
Just signed in a moment ago.. Many thanks to everyone for the excellent information.
dan_r
I will be putting up a metal building in the Bangor Area myself this fall Dan, and will be using standing seam metal as well. Mine will have no roof sheathing beneath since it will be a shop. Here is a link to some pretty good information.
http://www.steelroofing.com/trade_prepaint_fasteners.htm
A .308's not a bad Gunn. Did you use a seam roller for the jobs you did in the Bangor Area. Or were they the snap lock type?
Regards,
Clampman
snaplock, ayuh I like em to stay down don't waste time trackin.You gonna be to busy to chase those four legged critters this fall?
Gunn,
I hope not, but probably will be. My shop lease runs out end of October- got to have everything out before then. Am hoping to have a building up for my stuff by then, but probably won't happen. Still have a bunch of work to get out before I can even get away.
Clampman
where is your shop? where are you putting up new one?
I've used American Building products standing seam roof on 3 jobs they will cut lenghts to the closest inch color selection is good and installation is easy,roofing + accessories was around $175 /sq. I think last one I did was 2 yrs ago.bitch whole roof first then apply. Delivery lead time in Bangor is three weeks
I did my garage / shop with modern standing seam. Uses clips held in place with two screws every 18" along the seam. Each clip has 2 tabs. Picture a 2 inch section of thin galvanized angle with one leg being 1" and the other being 2". The 1" section is screwed down, the 2" section is cut into two tabs. One tab is bent over the roof panel already in place, the other tab is bent over the next peice that goes down. The seam and clips are then covered by a snap on cap.