Guide to K-Style Gutters

When choosing gutters for your new home or upgrading your existing ones, it can get overwhelming with the various style of gutters available to you. There are three main types to consider: K-style, half-round, and box-style gutters. So, what are K-style gutters, and how are they different from half-round and box-style gutters?

K-style rain gutters use their unique shape to increase strength and durability and maximize volume while reducing weight.

Let’s take a deeper look at K-style gutters, the benefits the design offers, and why K-style gutters might be an excellent fit for your home. We’ll discuss the materials and processes used to form K-style gutters and describe the various attachment methods.

What Are K-Style Gutters?

The K-style gutter profile resembles the letter K when looking at the gutter from the end, hence the name. K-style gutters are shaped specifically to provide strength, rigidity, and maximum water flow while adding minimal weight to the roofing system.

Box gutters are often used for their durability, although their appearance is somewhat plain and dull.

Half-round or trough-style gutters are usually installed for visual appeal and less for functionality and durability.

The curved shape of K-style gutters provides a bit of style while maintaining excellent resistance to physical damage.

The gentle curves formed into K-style gutters reduce the hard bends required, which can fatigue over time and leak. K-style gutters also have a flat back, which allows them to fit snugly under the roof overhang and catch the most runoff.

For DIYers, K-style gutters are available as “sticks” from home improvement stores. K-style gutters are usually available in lengths of 10’ to 16’ and joined with unions or corners. Downspouts are also available in precut sections and attached with pop rivets.

Features and Benefits of K-style Gutters

As previously mentioned, K-style gutters were designed for performance, function, and visual appeal.

Here are a few of the features of K-style gutters and the benefits they offer:

Conducive to aluminum application. Aluminum is abundant and 100% recyclable, making it an ideal building material. K-style gutters mold very easily using a soft metal like aluminum, so together, these features keep K-style gutter pricing stable.
No wasted space. Every bend in a K-style gutter, from the crimps to the 90-degree angles, has a purpose. The upper front lip is designed to easily allow gutter guards, while the opposing convex and concave curves prevent the gutter from twisting.
Increased strength with low-weight materials. Aluminum is actually not very strong in the form of a thin, flat sheet. However, the gutter molding machine forms bends and curves at just the right angle, providing rigidity.
Easy to install. K-style gutters are the easiest gutter type to install because both the front lip and the back are both flat. This allows the gutter to lie flat against the fascia board and accept a fastener on the front, such as a spike, screw, or hidden hanger.
Easy to adjust. If the installer uses hidden hangers, the gutters are adjustable in slope. If spikes or screws are used, K-style gutters can still be reset, but the process is more involved.
Durable. K-style gutters are remarkably resistant to cracks and impact damage, such as from a falling tree limb. K-style gutters are also easily replaceable and repairable.
Continuous gutters. K-style gutters can also be custom-made for your home. Known as continuous or seamless, these gutters are formed from a truck parked in front of the house. The crew takes very accurate measurements and forms each gutter to fit.
Relatively inexpensive. K-style gutters are readily available. The economy of scale created produces a competitive K-style gutter market and keeps the cost manageable.

Comparing K-style Gutters with Other Types of Gutters

Box gutters and half-round gutters were more commonly used in older, historic, or high-end homes.

Most homeowners have transitioned to K-style gutters because of their many benefits, but other gutter materials are also commonly used.

Here’s a list of other common gutter styles and some of their characteristics:

Style	Cost	Benefit	Drawback
Half Round	High	Traditional look, often made from copper	Do not hold as much water volume as K-style
Box	Moderate to high	Very durable	It is not as visually attractive as K-style
Custom	High	Custom-made for the home	If not formed in the K-style, it can get extremely expensive
K-Style	Low to Moderate	Can be custom-made or preformed	So commonly used, they offer little uniqueness

Tips for Choosing K-style Gutters

K-style gutters are available in multiple sizes, and the metal used is available in a few different colors. This makes K-style suitable for most residences, commercial buildings, and public spaces.

Here are a few tips for choosing which K-style gutters to install on your home, depending on the situation:

If durability and leak prevention are high priorities, avoid vinyl K-style gutters and opt for seamless aluminum gutters.
If you have deciduous trees near the roof, consider adding gutter guards to your K-style gutters. You can use foam, brush, mesh, screen, and reverse curve gutter guards.
If your roof design or shape causes runoff to flow past the edge of your gutters in heavy rain, consider upgrading 5” K-style gutters to the 6” or 7” size. The additional width helps the gutters contain and control the water, preventing erosion of the ground below.
If you’ve upgraded your K-style gutters and they still clog up from falling debris, enlarge the downspout. Most residential-size downspouts are 2” x 3”, so upgrade to 3” x 4” to allow large leaves and cones to pass through the gutter and the downspout.
If you’re replacing old aluminum guttering, recycle the material instead of throwing it away. Many local recyclers will pay you for the old aluminum, helping offset the cost of the new gutters.
Choose a color that augments your home’s exterior instead of the standard white. Gutter coil, the aluminum sheet K-style gutters are made from, is available in earth tones and can even be painted to match the trim.
If your home’s fascia boards are not perpendicular to the ground, such as with an A-frame, you can purchase a spacer for K-style gutters to adjust the gutter angle to match the roof.

Contact All Star Home for Professional K-Style Gutter Installation

Now that you know what K-style gutters are, you can decide if they’re right for your home. Hopefully, our guide has helped you understand the different gutter types and how they compare to K-style. If you’ve got the basics of K-style gutters under your belt, you can shop with more confidence.

Remember that box and half-round gutters offer enhanced performance and a unique look, but K-style gutters will likely offer the most color and size options as well as durability.

Contact our local gutter pros for your gutter needs and a free estimate. We’ll be happy to assess your roof and make suggestions based on its design and size.

FAQs

Are K-style gutters better?

K-style gutters are often the best choice if cost, performance, and durability are essential. However, K-style gutters are common, so some homeowners opt for half-round or box style if the home design requires a specific function or look.

What are the different materials of K-style gutters?

K-style gutters can be formed from several materials, such as aluminum, galvanized steel, and copper. The same materials are common when forming box and half-round style gutters.

What sizes do K-style rain gutters come in?

By far, the most common K-style gutter size is 5”. This is the width of the top opening, which is considered residential size. K-style gutters are also available in 6”, 7”, and 8” and primarily used on large roofs and commercial buildings.

Are Ogee and K-style gutters the same?

K-style gutters are sometimes called ogee style due to the convex/concave shape popular in Roman architecture. Technically, ogee-style gutters are not required to have a flat back, so a K-style gutter is a type of ogee, but not all ogees are K-style.