How to Replace Gutters on a Victorian House

Remove the old gutters. Depending on the house, these will either be Yankee gutters or gutter boxes -- a similarly-positioned style of gutter with a vertical edge. Removal for both is very similar. Standing on a stable ladder, pull out the nails in the gutter with a claw hammer to remove the flashing, lining and wooden sidewall. Tear out the cant strip and any triangular blocks forming the base of the gutter the same way. Remove any roof cement with a sharp metal scraper.

Position a 2-by-6 board so the narrow edge is parallel to the edge of the roof, in the same position as the edge of the old gutter, and the width of the board is sticking up perpendicular to the roof surface. Secure it in place, sinking a nail from both sides every 6 inches. Repeat with subsequent boards along the entire length of the intended gutter.

Cut scrap lumber using a circular saw to make a cant strip -- a long, narrow strip of wood that tapers at one end. It should be as long as the entire gutter, 4 inches thick at one end and 1/4 inch at the other. Use multiple pieces of lumber, if necessary, to reach the length of the gutter, adjusting the taper so the end of each piece matches the one next to it.

Place the strip horizontally along the inside angle between the 2-by-6 and the roof surface, with the narrower end pointing toward the desired drain location. The cant strip should fit snugly into the angle, giving a diagonal slope to the base of the gutter. Nail through it, into the roof, every 12 inches. Seal the edges of the strip and the gaps between boards with butyl tape.

Cut small blocks of wood with dimensions of 4-by-2-by-1 inch and place them upright against the outside angle of the 2-by-6 gutter base, every 2 feet along its length, and nail them to both the gutter and the roof for added support.

Check the weather to ensure dry conditions will be dry for at least 24 hours.

Stir a gallon of liquid rubber solution with an electric drill and a 2 1/2-inch mixing bit until the solution begins to form a vortex. Then add 6 ounces of catalyst and continue stirring for three more minutes to thoroughly activate the solution.

Use a broad paintbrush to coat the entire surface of the gutter with a 1/4-inch layer of the rubber solution. Extend the coating 6 inches above the inside edge of the gutter and 1 inch below the outside.