History Of The K Style Gutter

Cast iron 1820s 1870s.

History of the k style gutter. These rolled metal gutters however have only been available in mass produced form since the industrial revolution of the 19th century. Why it s named k style. Believe it or not gutters have a long and storied existence that spans several millennia. Half round gutters 1900s 1960s.

Types of gutters k style gutters 1950s present. Some sources say that it s because of its shape which resembles the letter k while others believe that it s because it falls at the 11th spot in the list of the most popular types of rectangular gutters which when converted into alphabetical equivalents yields the letter k. According to do it yourself k style gutters mimic the colonial style crown molding and fit well into modern homes they work well on angled roofs and these roofs are popular in modern us homes. Resembling the letter k these gutters curve out on both the top and bottom rather than being perfectly round like more traditional gutters.

This method of creating gutters without seams makes the gutters stronger and leak proof. K style gutters have a flat bottom on the back for enhanced installation and aesthetics. When viewed from the side the k style gutter is a mix of straight and angular lines that mildly resemble the letter k. The term k style gutters is derived from the profile of this type of guttering when viewed from the side.

K style gutters were invented in the mid 1940s and soon after became the predominate. Half round gutters were popularized in the early 1900s when metal roll machines came. Since you are interested in keeping your gutters clean of debris it s possible that you may be wondering how gutters came to be in the first place. This is the reason why the majority of us homes have k style gutters.

So unless you already learned all about the history of gutters in your junior high history class here is a timeline which depicts the formation. The outer shape of the gutter is supposed to very vaguely represent the letter k as opposed to a perfectly rounded half circle shaped gutter. Gutter history the most common gutter style in america today is the aluminum k style gutter which is formed to fit flush against the eaves with a contoured profile turned to the outside of the building. There are no actual explanations as to how the name k style came to be.

This type of gutter is named k style because of the shape it makes when looked at from a side profile.