Is the entire drainage plane supported by polyolefin sheathing?

That might be true, however this building is located in Dungeness (United Kingdom).

Here in the desert, all competent buildings have gutters

Do they make full body suit prophylactic now?

Why, yes they do.

Problem with EPDM is that it really doesn't like punctures. Good air barriers the likes from Grace or Henry have a 'self healing' feature that claims any screws penetrating the membrane will not compromise the membrane's ability to keep water out. I am not sure why they used a sheet product on this type of assembly. I would personally use fluid applied system and only after all cladding attachments have been installed first.

It's just a matter of knowing how to detail properly. As if they had their shit together in the past or something...that Pantheon building is leaking like crazy!

The building above is not a hidden gutter building but a gutterless building. Do you see the gravel around the building? I suspect the rainwater is collected beneath.

So what's the problem again? In that case it will probably be covered in rubber like one of the pics above. Easy easy

Here a  gutterless and seamless rubber building by NL Architects: http://www.nlarchitects.nl/slideshow/52#

A gutterless rubber house by Cityförster:

Another gutterless and sprayed rubber building, by Benthem Crouwel:

Thanks for the link. I will look into the tech a little further. Hopefully, it leads to me appreciating whats actually going on. I like the idea of designing gutterless homes, however, I do want to make sure I'm not going to design a house that leaks in 5 years.

what about heat tracing the gutters?

what about heat tracing the gutters?

>Gutters are a bad solution to basic design failure.

How so?

From what I've seen, rain screens may be the single most important element to include on wood-clad buildings. They need to drain adequately, of course; to what degree depends on the cladding design. They are best ventilated at top and bottom. The small amount of water that gets through conventional cladding is not enough to rot the furring, as long as it can dry easily. What's idiotic is nailing wood siding directly to the WRB and then complaining when the wood or finish fails. Or using imitation wood cladding as a work-around.

Ground gutters are a simple way to deal with stormwater, but they have their own set of design details to consider.

WTF do you need another post over your other post

Well-played, NonSeq! (But MIle sit's a good question.)

I'm guessing you guys missed the metaphor.

Hey now, I'm with you on this, I think it's a stupid design. I was just thinking of a way make it without creating any holes in anything.

PandasAreSexy - I think most people would agree good design is simple, so I wonder why you think this is a solution? . Your proposal is to double labour and material costs for no real benefit.

I would disagree that.. inherently (which is how most architect's take it) a good design IS simple. A good design is a good design. Simplicity may or may not be involved. To broaden the comment to what may be implicit... I also disagree aesthetically and personally that a good design must APPEAR simple. I-phones look nice and have their place. I don't need every building ever made to have the sleakness, lack of buttons, knobs, etc, and "simplicity" of an I-phone.

Disagree all you want. Simplicity, utility and function are what i believe to be the core tenants of good design. That doesn't have to mean designing a shiny iPhone. All it means is removing anything from the process that is not necessary. It requires a greater understanding of how to build things and takes more thought. Something that separates a high-end designer from a mediocre one.

^Making things not leak is neither high-end or mediocre, it's minimum standard.

rich_9999 - Not sure what to make of your response... It's a solution because its a solution, bad or good? You also seem to be saying that my solution is not simple because it is not cheap?

I think its a good solution because:

- It is highly durable, metal roofing.

- Puts no holes in the shell of the house.

- Would allow for the cladding to be repaired / replaced easily without putting more holes in things.

Panda, your idea is probably better than the OP's, but otherwise the wood screening serves no function. Most building elements serve some sort of function, and those that don't (phony shutters, eg) are not considered good design, by good designers.

PandasAreSexy - I will try to elaborate a little. It's just not very elegant. There is no right or wrong if the end result leads to the same outcome. But it is a solution that fundamentally goes against everything I stand for when I go to design. I do not think the idea is net positive overall. It's the type of solution if you were doing it for profit would see you being annihilated by competition very quickly.

Non Sequitur - That point is a non sequitur and does not follow the logic of my comment. It does appear though that me establishing what makes for high end and mediocre has got your panties in a twist. Maybe I hit a nerve?

No nerve hit and also, no wearing panties here. Seems like you need a more in-depth understanding of building construction to see what we're all telling you.

Non Sequitur - You are clearly wrong. The fact that Gutterless buildings exist and that building products are available specifically show there is a use case. If you think Building Control and Insurance companies would pass them over and over again if they are known to fail then you are clearly misguided. Also, you seem to have a very limiting view of what is and is not possible. Thank god everybody is not like you, Elon Musk wouldn't exist how we know him today that for sure.

Now who has a nerve hit? Stand back and re-read the comments. A building like the example you describe would fail within on freeze-thaw cycle in my location. Sometimes you just need to consider that you're not the smartest or most informed person and others might know something you've overlooked.

@Wood Guy - I completely agree. I like how it looks but just seems like problems waiting to happen. Bad design, I was just thinking about how I could make it durably. 

 @rich_9999 - It seems pretty elegant to me. I am combining pretty simple known methods to create the effect. 

 What is not elegant about it? 

 I thought your issue was with price not elegance. 

If we’re talking about elegant solution isn’t this entire design flawed since it isn’t simple to start with? 

 Also I don’t really think this solution would be done for profit really since this isn’t a common type of design? 

 And are you sure I would be eliminated on profit? 

The standing seam roof is common construction method, my clamps can go on with unskilled labor, and you do not have to worry about damage as much when applying the cladding since its over a metal roof. Plus the durability and repairability... 

 Btw are you a keeper? Cause you seem to keep moving the goal post.

Non Sequitur - You are just a dude on the other side of the internet. I listen to all comments and do my own research and come to my own conclusions. I'm not overlooking anything you have brought up I just find it to be weak or an appeal to stick to tradition. Maybe you should re-read your own comments because you seem to be the biggest know it all here. The evidence is that gutterless building do indeed exist and that they continue to be built. Why is that? Clearly, they are not failing on mass like you claim. Also, I have great faith in the smart R & D people that design and test these products. Much more so than a person who has never looked into the technology at all but has formed an opinion based on what his professor probably told him many many years ago.

PandasAreSexy - You are using the word elegant to literally. When I say elegant in design terms I mean that it is designed and constructed in the simplest way possible. That involves looking at all aspects of the design-build process. - Am I using more material than absolutely necessary? - Is this the simplest way to achieve the desired result? - Am I overcomplicating the process for a person building the thing? Can I strip it back and make it easier? - Does it function as intended? - Is this the best use of the client's funds? I would refrain from saying the system is flawed. Some people on the thread think it is and some do not. Simply, it is not the standard and therefore it takes the effort and time to educate yourself on it. Something I am doing. I do not think to design a gutterless building is impossible. People are as we speak working out the finer details on how to colonize Mars. Designing a simple watertight gutterless building is not beyond the realms of human endeavour. Maybe beyond Non Sequiturs.

delusions are a great thing, no?

No, delusions are not productive. Denying the existance of and or it's technology because you take issue with it on a personal level for what ever reason is delusional. Non Sequitur you are delusional.

I take no issues with the style but take a comical issue with your pedestrian effort to figure things out. I think it's a simple detail and I could, if I had a few minutes, draft up with a solution that would maintain the look, keep the important parts dry, and preserve the wood decorations. This level of detail is about 75% of my day to day work anyways.

I have no doubt you would detail it wrong.

You would be wrong with that assumption.

Tell us all the wall build up? Tell us all what tapes, glues and joints you would use? Tell us all what membrane is required? Tell us all if any type of water seal is needed where screws penetrate? You're pretty quick to reply so let's see how good you actually are. If you're a qualified Architect I guarantee you don't know how to do it. Go call over your Technologist and ask him. By the way, I don't have a 'pedestrian' understanding. I pretty much know how the system works. I just don't know what the membrane used is. When I need to design it I can find out pretty easily by calling a few manufacturers and follow up on some of the links left by some of the people on the thread as a starting point. I, however, don't work in the industry anymore. retired at 30. I make money trading. I'm researching this for a self-build project I plan to carry out. In maybe 2 years time. So it's something I research in the background. Not a pressing issue.

...and you'll pay me for this information right?

Sure I'll buy you some sports leggings and a nice little crop top. You mentioned how fierce you look in clothes found in the women's aisle. Do you need some red lipstick to go with?

I prefer sans lipstick. Keeps things natural and authentic. But that aside, no, you won't be getting detailed information from me as that is the service clients pay for. There is more than enough here amid the sass for you to find your way.

I don't know what sans lipstick is. Weird you do though.

Trust me you won't be telling me anything I don't already know, that is obvious by your posts.

or is it. Funny how you keep thinking that.

Here's an interesting thing to process. If you look at NRCA's metal roof flashing standards, you'll notice that they call out .5 mil for alum gutters as a "30-year" roof minimum thickness. If you look at their 1980s standards (we have an old hard copy in the office) It called out .8 mil and required a bend for pieces longer than 8". Did aluminum magically become a better material, was the old requirement "bad design", or has the industry just gotten cheaper and crappier over time leading to watercanning and denting in my gutters and a product that won't last the stated warranty period?

Not true, understanding how the house will behave under rainy conditions and detailing accordingly would solve any accelerated decay to the exterior cladding.

... um, yes true? If you understand how wood works, and you create a mitered outside joint at the roof edge, you've created a location of accelerated decay. Google roof eave wood rot and notice how we go to great lengths to hide and cover the edge of a roof with fascia and soffit to protect the wood and to hide the wood for when it rots. Note also how we paint said fascia and soffit periodically to further maintain the detail. For all these exposed wood systems where my wall is my roof, do they go back and use a stain clear seal coat every two years?

Not true, you just don't know how to detail water build up out of your design.

I will rephrase. If you design the water to run off between the cladding slats and remove all areas for water to collect the wood will not rot or decay any more than what you would expect to naturally occur.

The problem with mitered boards is that end grain absorbs water more readily than face grain, and water is drawn into narrow spaces by capillary action. So even if the boards or slats are not sitting in water, the joint will absorb water and the wood will eventually rot, or if there is a finish, it will fail. If the miter is fully glued or otherwise sealed it would not be a problem, until the sealant fails.

"until the sealant fails" Comment of the week right there.

Two points for wood guy!

Oh, and here's another persnickity thought. Let's say you "design the water to run off" like rich is suggesting, wow, good for you, you're actually doing your job... but then they don't build it how you design, and the building leaks... How'd that happen, I "designed it right" therefore the building should never leak, no?

^ Yes. Not just gutterless, but eaveless. This affects only drainage but also shade, shadows, wear of wall finishes, and 8 other brilliantly considered aspects I can't think of right now.

Uuuuugggh I hear you JLC-1 but I looooooooove the look of eaveless pitched roofs!!! Edward Durell Stone, John Pawson....sooooooo pretty but I know they don't make sense!

Better sleeveless than eaveless =o)

I could understand eavelessness in a dry and always cloudy climate, but for 99% of the world it's not the case. Now you get the contradiction that is being an architect? cool and pretty don't work well with sustainable and comfortable. took me a while to let go.

"cool and pretty don't work well with sustainable and comfortable." Challenge accepted.

Your house?

Why are you posting about copper gutters? The context of this discussion is gutterless building and not expensive guttering materials.

Sad to say, not. The home is by zone 4 architects. It is the 'Morning star' house on their website. It is located in Aspen and the interior shots are equally attractive.

That's no high-end modern house in my book.

This is:

...and it has eaves :)

Looks like something they found when they drained one of your canals. How long had it been underwater?

That's an excellent burn, Volunteer! I like the house, but I appreciate that you used a funny insult that doesn't attack anyone personally to make your opinion known. Our OP here could learn from you.

Nice one Volunteer, although I am a fan of weathered concrete and other traces of nature in buildings, I'll be sure to pass on the message next time I see Peter Zumthor...still think that cabin with the copper roof is kitsch, could be standing next to that Zaha house for a Russian oligarch.

Should have known it was a Zumthor piece... I like both of them, but would prefer to live in the not-modern one. Copper is warm to me.

Why would I be offended? It takes a little more to make me cry. The point you are making is redundant. If the thread was asking what do you consider to be the most beautiful guttering material on the market? Maybe then the post has some merit. This thread is about gutterless building and the technology behind them. What is attractive is pure conjecture. You just said you think that building is attractive. I disagree, I think it's pretty mediocre looking with some 'gutter bling' If that what you think makes for good design then okay. I think it about striving for better and simpler solutions.

A building without gutters is not 'better' nor 'simpler'. A copper gutter and downspout assembly will last 100 years. How long do you think the mishmash setups on the 'gutterless' buildings pictured in this thread will last? Not very long. Then the owner gets to rip up the walls and roof every few years for very expensive repairs.

better and simpler is pure conjecture - the image you posted of a proper rain screen is not how they did the building on your original post, can you spot the failure and how it will turn the beautiful wood sticks into mush in 2 years?

Just one failure? Like pick our favorite? That's a hard choice to make, so many good options.

well yes, the vertical sticks are attached to a horizontal strip that's collecting water even in a drought; the first one up will fail first, but it will make all the sticks turn and moan from that point up. We just finished a "trespa" type facade on a house with vertical pattern, had to use perforated galvanized strips proprietary to the manufacturer of the panels, otherwise no warranties.

I personally like the air-bubbles in the mod-bit membrane. Good quality control there.... my contractors would have cut and redone that section instantly.

JLC-1 The battening running horizontal to the membrane is clearly incorrect. It needs to be cross battened with the vertical member being attacted to the membrane first. The point of the second picture was to show the membrane and ask if anybody knows what it is.

Often the bubbles don't show until you're done and the sun hits it. Once it offgasses the bubbles go away.

Wood guy, that makes sense. I guess I don't typically specify that type of membrane on the vertical.

I never have either, but back in my contracting days I sometimes put down EPDM roofs and on one of my first ones I came back the next day to see huge bubbles everywhere. I ripped it all off and started over. Then later learned it's more or less normal. Expensive lesson learned.

But we'd be damn sexy so it's worth the effort.

that goes without saying

Doesn't Sears sell a line of stiletto hiking boots?

Not anymore. Too many lawsuits.

.

Vindication!

That dot is for the shoes, no?

Ha, no, I was showing off a couple of eave-less Passive Houses I worked on. Not really appropriate for the direction the thread has taken. I dig the shoes, though--I'd wear them if I could pull it off.

:)

Old timer you are irrelevant. Go take your prehistoric ideas about construction to someone who cares. I'm getting bored with all this nonsense. Either add useful information to the thread about the technology or just don't say anything at all. I get it this type of architecture is threatening your lifestyle, we know you are becoming irrelevant within the space. Kit houses are taking away your income stream and it's making you bitter. If you want a shoulder to cry on go find your wife. This is not the place for it. Please, only constructive information to further the conversation regarding the technology.

and you wonder why no one is answering your questions. Did you just graduate from a 3rd tier school yesterday? It certainly shows.

Stop trolling this thread. You have nothing to add to the conversation and you are encouraging like-minded individuals to chime in with their own special brand of BS. I'm trying to steer this conversation in the right direction. People who are offended can take their offence to someone who cares. This thread is over 100 posts deep now and more than 95% is people giving their opinion. I don't care about peoples opinions I care about experienced people discussing the technology.

And we did discuss it. You’re just too stuck to see the answer.

Non Sequitur - There isn't a block button unfortunately but I did create this thread and feel you are not welcome. Be a sport and consider yourself blocked from posting. I urge you to go start your own discussion I promise I won't follow you.

Every point you made was irrelevant. The arguement that pest can build a nest under the cladding is irrelevant? The cladding is open everywhere. Why does it have to be under? I get what you're trying to say. Generally, you fix a metal guard at the bottom of a closed cladding system. In the context of this system, it is a mute point. The membrane becomes the protection. In which case the membrane has to be designed correctly. As far as the hornet's nest scenario goes. The slats are open, meaning the hornet's nest is visible. Why would you take off a whole cladding system? you wouldn't. You would remove about 6 slats to remove the nest. Pretty easy job. Not that Hornets are a huge problem in the UK anyway. Popping the fasteners? To what you are referring I do not know. If it's the membrane I'd say no. it will be some form of PVA and a contact adhesive around the perimeter. No Fasteners. If you are talking about the wood cladding. Then we are talking about a nail gun fixing. Maybe that's what you are referring. I've got cedar cladding on my outbuilding and a nail gun was used as the fixing method. No issues and it's industry standard. I don't see what your point is? I might have been a bit abrupt but you really have no valid point and it was a gradual progression of annoyance I was feeling mostly directed towards Non Sequitur who is a little weasel might I add. I will apologise for my response I shouldn't have been so abrupt with you specifically.

Sticking to the technology: if I understand you correctly, you're proposing to attach the horizontal battens to a membrane roof with gun nails? Yeah, that won't leak. 

No I'm not. That is specifically concerning how you traditionally attach the cladding to the cross batten.

Oh, gotcha. I would use screws (and have in similar situations) due to the short penetration depth but that's not the issue. It seems consistent that the biggest problem with the proposed system is how do you fasten the battens through the membrane in a way that is guaranteed to not leak. I don't think there is a way that will last long-term. I'm doing a project now with 16 stainless steel posts poking up through a low-slope EPDM room to support a rooftop deck. Even that has us nervous but our engineer assures us it will be fine. I think neoprene gaskets could work, as they do for screw-down metal roofing, but it would be hard at best to do it properly.

You’ve missed quite the party.

You got it that right.

Brilliant.

Do you mean a professional like you? I've addressed his points and I am right and he's wrong. Been as though you cannot see the error in his statements I guess you are wrong also. If I was someone who didn't understand building technology and came to you for advice I'd be paying for bad advice. How Ironic.

Richie, no where have you demonstrated anyone here “wrong”.

You really are a little weasel. I thought you were busy? You respond within minutes and you have done so all day. Are you unemployed? Go read Eric Evans first post look at his points. Then look down at where I address them. Tell me which part is wrong?

I’m rather swamped with work, but junior folks like you make worth while distractions. Reconsider your approach to this forum, like bowling alludes to, and perhaps you’ll find more helpful answers. Until you figure this out, expect some ridicule.

Do you think people like you? I know I can be disagreeable. I also know when and when not to be. You, on the other hand, have the most punchable personality I've come across in a long time. Please stop with this nonsense about being swamped. You are unemployed.

I want you to know I see what your doing, it hasn't gone unnoticed. Every time I've challenged you to back up your arguments you have refused. You are ignorant, Ignorance is bliss they say you can't be mad about the things you don't know. You are a know it all that knows nothing. You have displayed that all day. I'm not responding to you anymore. Even though I could, you know because whilst you get up at 7 am every day and make that daily commute I'm in bed doing whatever I want to.

glad you can convince yourself of that and I get up at 5:30am because of adult responsibilities.

You’re not.

Funny, my degree says otherwise.

what does your professional association and clients say?

If you knew what you were doing, you wouldn't be asking anonymous people on the internet. Case closed.

"my degree says otherwise"

Hahaha 

Classic!

Bowling Ball - I have never used this system before. That's inexperience, not a lack of not knowing what I'm doing. I understand the issues at play and was asking for advice. This is not something to be ashamed of. Maybe if you didn't have such an arrogant attitude you would feel comfortable admitting you don't know everything. This is a direct comment you made "With the right details, we can solve that issue. But be warned it's not usually a good idea, based on a collective of several hundred years experience." Yeah because modern gutterless building technology is hundreds of years old. You sound like a complete tool. Direct comment from myself Do you mean a professional like you? I've addressed his points and I am right and he's wrong. Been as though you cannot see the error in his statements I guess you are wrong also. If I was someone who didn't understand building technology and came to you for advice I'd be paying for bad advice. How Ironic. I absolutely destroyed you. Honestly, you are welcome to look at Erik's comment and look at my response and find the error. That coward Non Sequitur ran from it. You are welcome to try.

How's that hole?

Keep going, rich9999, I'm finally hard. Tell me what a nasty architect I've been! Ooooh yeahhhh

Deflect and avoid. I've mugged you right off. You and Non Sequitur are dumb beyond all comprehension.

Not feeding you answers makes us dumb? At least we know how to detail properly.

You're right. We're dumb. For having indulged you. Anyway I finally finished. Thanks for the sexy insults. Time for sleep.

You have no answers and I am aware of the answers. I've been talking about them all day. Refining my understanding is totally different to being clueless. You two wouldn't get that. I've been pointing out that every single muppet on this thread doesn't have a clue. Clearly not a popular stance to take but it's the truth. There are a few exceptions. Maybe you don't feel shame but I would suggest you both try to pick your battles. I've made you two look like a pair of unprofessional twerps. You don't know what your doing. And to think Bowling Ball you had the cheek to say I need to pay a professional.

Don't make us explain truth to you too.

Yoda: "The cup is full with this one."

Miles Jaffe - You are welcome to quote my posts and show me where I am wrong. I'm not against the idea of being proven wrong. I doubt you have the ability to argue your case. Be careful, I hold you to your words. This is where the last two plums went wrong. They couldn't back up their assertions. Have a bash, let's see how unscathed you come out the other end.

It's not that we can't, it's that we choose not to.

Serious question: If you already know what you're doing, why are you here asking for help? It makes no sense. You can't admit that you don't know what you're talking about, yet insult the people who are exposing your ignorance. But you're not really here for answers, are you?

Hey now everyone, I'm sure that degree cost a good sum of money, it's got to be worth something, no?

People are quick to jump on the bandwagon and pursue a mob like mentality against the one who sticks his neck up. It doesn't matter who is right. The only person I need to apologise to is Erik, I admit that was a moment of frustration that he ended up being on the wrong side of. Either way, I have no interest in being agreeable just for the sake of it.

Actually most here are prone to a degree of professionalism based on decades of experience that you can't even begin to imagine. Your precious degree is the equivalent of toilet paper woven with gold fiber.

I don't care about my degree. You are not hurting my feelings.

Funny, my degree says otherwise.

That's a smart man. How do you traffic huge sums of money across borders without paying tax? You wear it.

I love that he drew the line at a pinky ring. Because THAT would have been too much.

Lol good observation citizen.

Miles, as well as Chris, will run laps around you without breaking a sweat. As a more serious note, is EPDM common in your area? I believe I've only ever use it in one project and not a single sales rep, or GC, tries to sneak it in.

Yo - Einstein.

You "refuted" the sagging roof issue with "40 and sometimes up to 50-year warranties on EPDM".

Classic Straw Man. LOL, maybe you should Google that, too.

FYI, a sagging roof isn't "a maintenance issue", it's a structural issue. Are you sure you have an architectural degree? Because if you do it isn't worth a shit.

TPO is less costly and seems to last longer. EPDM priced itself out?? Like a decade back, we were doing some 30-year TPO jobs where due to acute bends, the roofing manufacturer stated we couldn't install the 80-mil product in that area. He recommended EPDM... but at a 15-year warranty. We ended up going with 60-mil for those areas and got the 30 year warranty anyway. It's not like the warranty ever holds up in court or gets your problem fixed years down the road. I've noticed reps are really pushing the permaflash/ultraflash/insert branding here liquid flashing single sleave systems in TPO recently. We're showing conduit and gas pipe penetrations with the permaflash details in lieu of creating sheet metal vaults or goosenecks. It's definitely cheaper, and I hope the schools don't have problems within 20 years, because the schools will let those roofs leak until they get the federal money to replace the roofs at the 20 year mark.

We still have some school counties where modified ends up cheaper than TPO, usually rural.

Ah yes, classic. Peeps keep the bottom rung of the staff pool filled.

"Keep misquoting me"

"However, maintenance of a building is normal. Removing the cladding and putting a new membrane every 30 years is no different to having a sagging roof from heavy roof tiles for instance. All buildings need maintenance."

"A sagging roof is a maintenance issue."

No misquotes here.

​If you think tiles cannot cause a roof to sag. https://roofity.com/2015/07/21/is-your-roof-sagging-here-are-some-possible-causes/ ... Go hang your head in shame. You just called me stupid for saying a fact. Hahahahahahahah​

Straw Man. [yawn]

Overloading a structure will cause structural failure. This is not a maintenance issue.

The question is not 'are you are stupid': you've proven that repeatedly.

Steel man 'Your joist and rafters can lose structural strength over time. The weight that comes from items like heavy shingles .... Eventually, the weight becomes too much for the roof to bear.'  Turns out you can't even read a simple paragraph without misunderstanding it. Concrete tiles are heavier than shingles. Thus tiles can cause a roof to sag. I win you lose.

From your own link: "A sagging roof is a sure sign that something needs repairing fast." Notice that it doesn't say 'maintenance' but 'repair'. Also note that the website is a roofing contractor in Texas, not a building or professional institute. This doesn't support your infantile position any more than cursing out every person who disagrees with you or even posts in this thread, which in both fact and effect only works to make you look even more foolish, egocentric, and mentally unbalanced than your ignorance of the basic meaning of simple words that a grade school student should know the difference between. You are at best sadly amusing as self-styled internet authority on matters that you know nothing of and I pity both you and those who must endure you on a regular basis.

You are next level pathetic. You are wrong, not even Non Sequitur has backed you up on this. That guy has little to no shame and he's quite. Well since I pointed out what an idiot you are. I didn't have to look long for that website it was literally the first search. I'm not interested in scouring the internet to appease a shit for brain like you. Egocentric maybe, however, I have challenged you to look through all my posts today and find a FACT I have said that is wrong. You have declined. We can then conclude you are arguing from a basis of pure emotion. There aren't many things more egocentric than arguing when you are wrong and unlike you, I'm not to shy to point out all the errors your clang of losers have made. To which there are too many to count at this point.

No judge I didn't cut my murder victim up with the kitchen knife I used the family cleaver. Do you see how dumb that sound? Using that as a defence wouldn't hold water. That's about as viable an argument as your repair/maintain defence. Just gross! You slimy little rat.

Since you're acting the way you are, this will probably help little. But..... Clay tile roofing is somewhere in the 12-19 psf range. Concrete tile is in the 12 psf range. Lightweight clay tile is 6psf. But, if we're looking at a roof design for shingles, they're more in the 3 psf range. Metal will be in the 2-3 psf range. So, if some underinformed designer slaps tile on a roof designed for shingles, it's going to sag. The load aren't at all comparable. The resultant sagging is not a maintenance issue. It is a design failure and structural failure. Sagging causes other members to deform, can cause joints to open up, and can cause fastener failure. You'd see wrinkles, waviness, or inconsistencies in any rainscreen applied over a surface that sags.

I haven't gotten to use the "plastic slate" tiles that are out yet. They look really nice and are light, but the only clients we have that use slate (higher-ed) like to throw their money at slate. *shrug*

Or maybe use gutters to collect rainwater....but style over substance I guess....

Funny how not-minimal it sometimes is to get the appearance of minimal.

Only time I would like this look is if the House was monolithic. I’ve seen some concrete ones that are cool...

mightyaa- I can't wait for rich_9999 to call you a f'in a-hole to prove that he's right. But I suspect his time here has passed.

"EPDM is a terrible choice if you are using mechanical fasteners through it. It will leak and leak and leak. Pay a lot of attention to your connection details. I'd do a fluid applied, preferably with a perm rating." I said the exact same thing upthread, but this thread is not really about building shit. It's more about meaning of life and being grateful for internet snapping turtles going at each other. No technical or construction knowledge necessary.

Hey, who you calling turtle? Can I at least be Raphael?

Which turtle does really gross things to pizza? You are that one.

Pineapple? That shit's delicious.

Does that make me Splinter?

That About Us really is precious. I tried to double-click copy the phrase "Subject Matter Experts", and it pops up an alert saying, "Subject matter is protected." ...I guess they really are Subject Matter Experts!

hmm.. but this isn't gutterless, so the OP won't allow it.

Guaranteed to fail spectacularly.

That "gutter" would work a lot better if the upper leg went UNDER the metal roofing, not over it.

So many questions.

Why the thumbs down, Dinkaroo? If you are assuming that your image shows a built-in gutter, and obviously the wood "roofing" won't keep rain out, the corrugated metal panels are doing the real roofing work, and would need to dump into a gutter. Perhaps the piece shown is over-flashing, hiding the real gutter?

Be like water, my friend. -- Bruce Lee

Does not appear like you know much about the detail either. Got a section to show? WG is not incorrect in his observations.

Have much experience with enclosure detailing and/or construction administration, do you, dinkoorao?

Looks like that section of roof without wood boards eventually served as a base for solar panels so it's likely that the steel sheathing was not intended to be a drainage plane... hence the incorrect metal flashing sequencing we see.

Wow, go off the deep end much, dinkaroo? I didn't say anything about knowing the project or designer or thinking that the people involved are idiots. I'm just making an observation based on the image you shared as a supposed example of a hidden gutter. If the vertical leg is part of the gutter system, it clearly won't work--hopefully that is obvious. If there is indeed a hidden gutter system, which may or may not be true based on the information presented, for it to work the visible flashing must be decorative only.

I, for one, would love to see a section detail of that assembly. Why get angry when you can just post the receipts?

5 posts up. Methinks dinky is related to this detail.

Maybe Richie reincarnated? I just re-read this thread, what a ride!

I think that piece is just there to cover up the edge. Maybe also serve as the fastening piece for the wood batten support. Don't want to screw down to the metal panel roof I guess. The real gutter is tucked under the metal panel roof. I mean there is a 3' splice. The gutter should be a continuous piece. The designer clearly cares about detailing and got the money. Anyway, just speculation. I am more interested in how the front rain screen wall is detailed. Did the designer put AVB behind the gutter. So even if gutter fails, it drains down like typical rain screen.

I'm not sure Jay. I'm trying to figure out how the flashing would work if the piece in question was just to cover the edge. It would have to be perforated in some fashion to allow drainage. Probably something like 'B'?

I think the water is supposed to flow between the rib voids under that piece. The roof extends over the gutter and turn down. Like your B. Except the roof extend further out and down for drain. With the batten blocking, I am not expecting huge volume run downs. So the space should be ok. No way the water flows over that piece. Water does not jump up from the rib void. Unless there is another layer over this not install yet.

It's probably something more like "B" except that the roofing extends further (or the gutter is wider) and there is a 1-2" gap between the vertical leg of the flashing going into the gutter and the vertical leg of the gutter adjacent to the roof.

folks, click on the link in dankarooooos' first post. There are solar panels installed in that gap... so it may very well be an unfinished installation picture.  My bet is that another sheathing product was installed + waterproof layer laped into the gutter... then solar panels.

if the flashing is cosmetic at best, why even bother if it's ultimately covered anyway?

is it a color background so that there aren't shiners behind the solar panels?

NS is probably correct. I just don't see this detail working well without additional sheathing and waterproofing layer. If not it would maybe look something like this . . .  Maybe? 

maybe it just keeps the water from splashing beyond the gutter line?

Chad, that's basically what I was envisioning. I'm not sure what it gets you though aside from maybe some splash redirection. Don't know if that benefit would be worth the effort though. Maybe there's something I'm not considering.

Still a problematic detail if you ask me though.

Looking at Dinky's link, it appears that they may have sheet metal covering the corrugated roofing where there aren't PV panels, though it's hard to tell. I'm so used to designing for snow and ice that this is not a detail I'd consider, but maybe it works in warmer climates.

WG, note there is snow on the roof of the building in the background from the original image. Not much, but it does apparently snow there.

So there is. What a puzzle. Maybe Dinky will share more details, if they have them.

Lovely sketches, Chad, and more or less what I was imagining.

Also your penmanship on "MTL" kinda reads like "MR", which gave me a chuckle. Mr. Flashing, Mr. Gutter...

Chad, your last sketch would be possible but, like NS, I don't see any good reason to do it that way - unnecessary complexity is just adding more opportunities for failure.

The OP's detail really only makes any sense at all, as others have said, if what we're seeing is the structural deck, not the roof covering.

I agree AN.

tduds - you've never heard of MR ROOF? I use it all the time! As long as you're polite and address it properly it NEVER leaks!

That ain't the roof deck

Yeah, that is the roofing. It's a weird hodge-poge of systems and metal flashing. Super complex.

i always hate these Detail diagrams because they ultimately pose unnecessary questions instead of clarifying the system...it'd be better to see the architect's dwg -- either way, it seems like an overly complex assembly without the commentary to indicate the purpose. Certainly the L-metal in the photo is conspicuously absent in the detail. And a shingled flashing from primary waterpoofing to gutter is also missing in the detail. I'm still going with it being a cosmetic addition where the PV's expose the supporting systems below...

Chad - 

if you're ever up in Oregon be sure to get a Mr. Plywood bumper sticker. Big deal around here.

proto, I don't think the section from Detail and the image from dinkoorao are the same building.

EA - I'm not sure, it looks like it very well could be of the portion with the wood cladding on the roof - if not the same building, then a very similar one.

Similar building, yes, but definitely not the same building (click through and you'll see the design is different, location is different, architects are different, etc.). Even for similar cladding, the detailing does appear to be different enough that trying to make any comparisons between them to determine how the one in the photograph is put together is misguided, IMO. Especially from a section from DETAIL which tend to be so simplified and non-descriptive anyway.

Damn, Chad. Lovely sketches.

There is no question that there is another layer of something between the corrugated metal from the in-progress pic and the solar panels, which is good, but we'll have to take it on faith that whatever that layer is is a suitable roof covering to keep rainwater and snowmelt from getting into the corrugations of the metal panel, because if there is ever more than very minor incidental moisture there, it's just not going to end up anyplace good.

Any bets on whether that gap was just photoshopped to cover up the conduit needed for the PV for the final photographs?

They likely know what they are doing but don’t think dingo up there does. Still fun to piece apart a odd detail from an in progress pic.

Rando - if they're Austrian then the building will certainty leak. ;P

All joking aside.  It's an interesting assembly.  The detail seems overly complex and prone to failure though.  I'm probably being overly cautious though.   It must be my decades of designing in areas with high amounts of rain, snow, and freezing rain that makes me concerned.  Clearly the architect wouldn't keep doing this type of assembly if it didn't work.   

I'll stop yelling at clouds now. 

I was never in doubt that it could work ... I just think there is probably a better way. It would be interesting if anyone could produce the architect's detail so we know what it's supposed to look like. But like NS said, it's still fun to try and figure it out.

The unfinished assembly is mainly interesting because it is at the point where the PV panels or hybrid PV/water heating are supposed to go, I can see you all enjoying the puzzle...I just didn’t realise it was a puzzle that requires solving ;)

#allcloudsmatter.

Looks like the exterior wall is a rain screen so the extra thickness is good for that type of system.

Thick walls just look normal to me now--I honestly didn't even notice it. When I see a code-minimum garbage wall only 6" thick--that I do notice.

Yup. To meet most energy codes you need exterior insulation and a rain screen. Even if you don't it's still a good idea to do it.

said the artist

Are you disputing the point or just being an ass?

I think good architecture strikes a balance between all of these concerns, acknowledging that different factors hold different weights in different projects, to deliver something in line with our clients' expectations. Your comment seemed unnecessarily snide so I replied in kind ;)

The road to hell is paved with client's expectations.

We're buildin' the road, they're just the pavement. Up to us where it ends up.

Sounds like they worship the ground you walk above.

Sometimes I enjoy your cynicism. This is not one of those times.

That wasn't cynicism, it was sarcasm.

#AllConsiderationsMatter

Miles - I don't know where you've been practicing architecture but I've never had a project where function and economic considerations aren't the driving factor.

Now excuse me, I have to go try and hover above the ground using only twine, duct tape, and one inexperienced owners rep.