Standing-seams roofs are made up of many shingles or panels that interlock on the vertical axis, running from the roofs edge to its eaves. The point where two panels interlock (the seam) is raised a little off the flat roof surface, which allows water to run off the roof without any seeping between panels. Based on seemingly simple structural principles, the complexities of installing a standing-seam roof are not to be underestimated, the reason that DIY standing-seam roof installation will seem like a risky proposition to anyone in the know.

And indeed, while getting hold of the roof components might be a bit expensive, the installation is the exact opposite. Indeed, metal roofing panels of the standing seam variety are very light ” often no more than a pound ” and as such your contractors not going to charge you anything near the rates he would installing heavy traditional materials. If he does, well, hes trying to stiff you, and you need to shop around for a new contractor. When you dont even need to remove the old roofing materials to install a new layer, there can be no cause for amplified up costs beyond the belief that youre dealing with affluent, gullible customers.

This is why, if youve already got your roofing materials, that trying to do a DIY standing-seam roof installation is going to be so much more trouble than its really worth. If this sounds like a load of codswallop to you, and you intend to forge on no matter what the challenges, then heres a couple of metal roof installation tips. First off, after everythings been covered with a protective plastic membrane to prevent unexpected water seepage from entering the house, you should put down some roofing paper. Scratch that ” lots of roofing paper. In fact, it needs to fill just about every bit of roofscape you can find, including the roof valleys (these are the spaces in between roof surfaces, which often resemble gutters). On top of that youll need to lay a ridge cap, a preformed cover that fits over the roofs peak. The edges of this will be covered by your shingle, but it rounded apex will still peak out from the shingles, giving the roof it its essential character.

Now that thats all done, youre ready to start worrying about the shingles, or roof paneling. Ask around at the construction outlet or hardware store where you first procured your shingles and find someone that can demonstrate the manner in which the shingles need to be fitted together. If you havent bought the materials yet, you should know that there are a bunch of companies that make panel solutions that are really easy to clip into place, designed for DIY standing-seam roof installation and requiring nothing but your hands and perhaps the most rudimentary assortment of tools. Check out the website of Permanent Roofing Systems (permanentroofing.com), where youll find a PDF full of DIY metal roof installation tips available for download and instant reference.

If your roof is irregularly constructed – with features like skylights, dormers or chimneys – then you need to reconsider what your goal is in doing this job on your own. In such cases, pre-made shingles just arent going to be enough to cover the entire roof surface. The irregular areas are going to require custom-cut shingles, and working with a saw and some chalk just isnt going to be enough. Whats needed is hydraulic shear called a break, a portable device used by professionals to shape standing-seam panels on-site, a feat that would take a human ten times as long to replicate.

So maybe, on just this one occasion, its the time to loosen those fists and hand over the cash for a skilled roofers work. Indeed, if your worker as recommended by the manufacturer, or at least is recognized as qualified to install standing seam roof panels, itll mean that your roof is subject to warranty ” and that you can look forward to fifty or more years of being secure in the knowledge that youve a strong roof over your head.

For more interesting articles on DIY Standing-Seam Roof Installation check out www.DurableMetalRoofs.com