DIY How to: Residential Metal Roofing

Preparation

• 1

  To make sure that your flashing fits the panels on both sides of the roof, lay out a section of the roof on the ground so you'll know how much to cut from the panel edges. This will also help you plan for vent openings. Vent pipes should land between the ribs.

• 2

  Place underlayment on the roof. Asphalt saturated underlayment usually comes in 3-foot or 4 1/2-foot rolls. Wider rolls are faster to install. Overlap the rolls beginning at the bottom of the roof. Attach them with 1 1/2-inch plastic cap nails.

• 3

  Replace and reinstall any rotten boards or plywood along the eaves or horizontal edges of the roof. Install metal drip edges at the top of the eaves. The bottoms of the roofing panels will curve over these edges and help secure the panels in place. Drip edges are 1 or 2 inches wide. Space nails or screws 8 to 12 inches apart and overlap the drip edge sections by 2 inches.

Installing Panels

• 4

  Use your seamer to bend a 1- to 1 ¼-inch lip on the lower edge of the bottom panels. This lip turns downward to hook over the drip edge.

• 5

  Hook the first panel into the drip edge at the bottom of the roof. Make sure the panel is flush to the rake board, the vertical edge of the roof. Secure it with roofing clips spaced 10 to 12 inches apart. If you live in a high wind area put two screws in each clip or space the clips 6 to 8 inches apart. Use two screws only if you have plywood decking. Two screws may split lumber.

• 6

  Hook the next panel into the drip edge. Use the rubber handle of your hammer to tap the vertical seam locks into place. Secure it with roofing clips. Continue installing panels across the roof.

Installing Flashing

• 7

  Cut a hole ½ to ¾ inch wider than the vent pipes. Apply caulking. Screw the flashing into place with hex-head rubber gasket screws spaced 1 to 1½ inches apart.

• 8

  Cut z-bar flashing for ridge and soffit vents ¼ inch less than the width of your panels so you have room to fit the next panel in place. Apply caulking then the z-bar. Screw the z-bar into place. Apply more caulking around the edges.

• 9

  Install the roof cap, also called peak flashing, on the ridge of the roof by applying butyl tape sealant, then the flashing. Screw it into place at the ridges of the panels, then caulk the edges.