How much does it cost to install wooden gutters?

Wooden gutters don’t just keep water away from your home, they look great. Depending on the craftsmanship of the piece, a wooden gutter can become the kind of detail that makes your home stand out. Wooden gutters are designed to help maintain period integrity of a historic home, but that doesn’t mean they are not good at getting the job done. Wooden gutters are both charming and practical.

Homeowners can expect to pay between $18 and $28 per linear foot for new wooden gutters, which averages about $4,600 for the typical home with 200 linear feet of gutter. This includes the cost of materials and labor.

Pros and cons

You may worry that wooden gutters won’t hold up to the elements, or that they will take too much work to maintain. These are all valid concerns, but there are a lot of positive aspects to installing this type of gutter system. Let’s take a quick look at both the pros and cons of installing wooden gutters on your home:

Cost factors

There are a lot of things that can impact the overall price of a wooden gutter system. While one home may cost $18 a linear foot for materials and installation, another could run $28 or more. When looking to add wooden gutters to your home, be sure to consider these cost factors:

• The location of your home. Your geographic location may play a big part in the final cost of your gutter project. If your home is easy to get to, the job will go faster and easier, and this will impact the final cost.
• The availability of supplies. Again, location plays a part here. If you live in the middle of a city, it may be difficult to find the right supplies and you will be forced to have them shipped in. Those who live in areas where historic homes are abundant will likely have the easiest time finding quality craftsmen and supplies at the most reasonable price.
• Finding an experienced installer. Not every gutter installer has the know-how to handle this type of job. If you cannot find one locally, you may have to pay a premium to have an experienced installer travel to you.
• Size of the home. Gutters are sold by the linear foot. So, the larger your home, the higher the cost. Multi-story buildings also require additional gutter footage and more downspouts, which could boost the overall price tag.
• Building specs. In most cases, the gutter system must be custom built to fit a specific home, which costs more. It is possible to find premade versions that work, however, and that can save you money.

Wood species

Gutters can be made using any kind of water-resistant wood, but redwoods ¹ and cedar are usually best. Check out our guide below to see the pros and cons of different wood species to help make your gutter choice easier:

Gutter styles

There certainly are a lot of decisions to make when choosing the right gutter style for your home. With multiple shapes and styles of gutters available, you may be having a hard time choosing. Let's take a quick look at the most popular wood gutter styles available.

• Half round: This may be a basic style of gutter, but it remains one of the most popular among traditional homes due to its efficiency. Featuring a semicircular trough and a curled front lip, it supports a round downspout, which tends to handle a stronger water flow. The average cost for a half round gutter is $18 per foot for materials and installation.
• K-style: One of the most common gutter shapes, the K-style features a flat bottom and a profiled face. It tends be more popular due to its look, which resembles the kind of crown moldings ² often found inside more traditional homes. The cost of this style of gutter averages $23 per linear foot for materials and installation.
• Round gutters: The classic Victorian home features turrets, towers and other circular features. These can all make installing gutters a more difficult (and time consuming) process. When outfitting these period homes with architecturally authentic-looking gutters, many homeowners opt for a rounded gutter style. Mitered to custom fit the specific areas where you need it, this gutter style looks great and works better than other styles. It can be costly due to the time it takes for the gutters to be individually made and fitted, and installation takes longer, too, since more pieces have to be put in place to accommodate the unusual shape of the home’s exterior. This can all add to the price tag, costing as much as $28 for materials and installation.
• V-shaped gutters: One of the most popular styles for 18th century homes, the V-shaped gutter is simplistic in its design, but offers both practical function and an aesthetically pleasing look. Originally made by attaching two long boards together, or simply hollowing out a log, the v-shape allowed the water to pour out at the end of the run. Today, wooden gutters can be molded into a similar v-shape to increase water capacity. The average cost of this style is around $25 per linear foot for materials and installation.

Size

Size, too, can have a big impact on a gutter’s efficiency. Standard gutters come in a 5- or 6-inch diameter. Wooden gutters, however, come in two basic channel sizes: 4x4 or 4x6, due to the milling process. This is a bit smaller than the average gutter made of vinyl ³, aluminum, or copper, which means that more outlets and downspouts are needed to handle the influx of water during a rainstorm. Standard lengths for wooden gutters are 10-feet and 20-feet. Choosing the size of the gutter will depend on two things: the amount of water you expect them to handle and the look you are after.

Labor

When it comes to installing wood gutters, experience reigns. Putting new wooden gutters on your home is not as simple as installing vinyl or aluminum ones. Wood gutters are usually customized, which means they must be installed in a certain way. There’s no pulling a standard piece out of the truck and hanging it when it comes to this unique style gutter system.

In addition, you need an experienced professional who understands the variants associated with wood gutter systems and is prepared to manage the unique concerns that may arise during the installation process. This is partly due to the fact that many historic homes also have a variety of unique shapes and features to work around (like turrets or towers), which tend to make the job more difficult.

Many people mistakenly believe that installing new wooden gutters is going to take several weeks. The reality is that an experienced professional usually needs about 10 work hours to complete the average home, as long as the weather remains pleasant and no unforeseen problems arise. So be prepared to have workmen at your home for two full work days to complete the job.

Keep in mind that, while gutter installation prices may vary slightly by geographic region, in most cases the cost is derived by the amount of gutter being installed (linear feet), not by location. Most homeowners can expect to pay between $50 and $200 per hour for installation labor fees.

Maintenance

Wooden gutters are beautiful and add a period look to any older home. But let’s face it, they do need a bit more maintenance care than more modern gutter materials. The fact is, water can (and will) eventually damage any wood surface. Still, if cared for correctly, those new wood gutters you have installed can last at least a quarter of a century. So what needs to be done to ensure that your wooden gutters last? Here are a few must-have maintenance tips to follow:

• Keep those gutters clean: Wooden gutters have the tendency to get clogged and dirty more often than aluminum, steel, or vinyl ones. This means that you need to clean them out seasonally, not only once a year. This will help free the gutters of rot-inducing materials and pests. Plus, it will showcase areas where water may be ponding so the problem can be fixed in a timely manner.
• Be watchful for problems: Detecting problem areas early–and fixing them–can go a long way to prolonging the life of wooden gutters. Take time every season to check your gutters for pest infiltrations (because termites can eat away at gutters); leaks; cracks; splitting; and rotting. Damaged wood tends to deteriorate rather quickly, so keeping a sharp eye out for problems will help you avoid costly repairs and replacement down the line.
• Oil the inside of wood gutters: No matter how water-resistant the wood, over time water can begin to infiltrate. One of the best ways to avoid this problem is to oil the insides of your gutters annually. This can be done by dipping a paintbrush into shingle oil, motor oil, or raw linseed oil and simply slathering it on. If you are not sure which oil is best, start with shingle oil.
• Line Wooden Gutters: Lining wooden gutters with aluminum or steel is another way to help preserve their integrity. Liners are installed inside the gutter where they cannot be seen. Since they are sealed tightly, they do not allow water to ever touch the wood.
• Paint the Exterior: Paint acts as a protective covering for wood, helping to make it more waterproof. Painting the exterior of wood gutters can help protect them from the elements so they last for years. Be sure to repaint them as soon as they show signs of peeling to keep them well waterproofed.

Enhancement and improvement costs

Installing new gutters on a home may require some additional services you hadn’t considered. When developing your budget for the project, be sure to consider these enhancement and improvement costs.

Removing existing gutters

If you are replacing existing gutters, then you will need to factor in the cost of removing and disposing of the ones already there. The average cost of removing gutters is $12-$50 per hour. This includes removing one downspout per 30 linear feet of gutter, removing hardware and gutter sections as well as removing materials from the property. Removal costs billed separately will run $13-$15 for 25 feet of gutter materials.

Painting the gutters

Painting wooden gutters doesn’t just look nice, it can help protect them from harsh and wet weather. The cost of painting the exterior of your gutters will likely run $200-$500 f or about 200 linear feet.

Gutter guards

Gutter guards are covers that help stop debris from clogging your gutter system. The average cost of these guards range from $7.50-$10 per linear foot, which means you will likely pay $1,500-$2,000 for the average sized home.

Gutter heat tape

Heat tape (or heat cables) help keep ice from jamming gutters in cold-weather climates. They can be easily installed in the gutters and turned on when needed. The average cost of heat cables is about $50 per 100 feet. Installation can cost another $25-$50 per hour.

Downspouts

While most gutter installers do include one downspout per 30 feet of gutter, wooden gutters traditionally do not carry as much water as their more modern counterparts, which may mean more must be installed. The cost of additional downspouts averages about $160 each.

Additional considerations and costs

When it comes to any renovation project, there are always additional aspects to consider. Gutter installation is no exception.

• Special permits required: Most homeowners looking to install wooden gutters do so because they want to maintain the architectural integrity of an historic home. This, of course, may mean that you are required to obtain specialty permits from your municipality, county, or state, or even, if your home is listed on the National Register of Historic Homes, the federal government.
• Historic districts: If your home is located within an historic district, check the rules and regulations of the district to see what specific types and styles of gutters are required, as well as any specialty hardware and/or paint colors. Properties listed with a local, state, or national historic registry must also comply with the individual rules set forth by the registry. In some cases, only specific materials or contractors may be used, which can significantly impact the total renovation cost.
• General permits: Even if your home has not been established as an historic landmark, your municipality may issue other general regulations regarding construction and installation. Be sure to check with the local office for specifications and permit requirements.
• Metal downspouts: Wooden gutters are often used with metal downspouts. Combining metal and wood can help decrease the cost, since metal downspouts are cheaper than individually milled wooden ones.
• DIY Considerations: Vinyl, aluminum, steel, and copper gutters are made to fit standard runs, which makes them easier and quicker to install. Wood, on the other hand is individually milled, and must be fitted together in the right order. This can make the process more time consuming and experience oriented. Unless you have a lot of experience in the gutter installation business, it is probably best to hire a professional who has the training and experience required to guarantee the job is completed satisfactorily.

Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet

² Crown moldings: A decorative finish that adds interest to the area where the top of a window meets the wall, or lines the area where the wall meets the ceiling

³ Vinyl: A synthetic plastic made from ethylene and chlorine. Vinyl has many applications in the construction industry and it is widely used in sidings, window frames, roofing and gutters, among others