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How to fit guttering

Updated: 23 October 2026

You have a clipped uPVC gutter in the correct profile, a fascia that is still solid, and a height you can work without using the plastic as a ladder rail. How to fit guttering then comes down to which end is low, whose fall you copy, and whether the screws were even in the box. This page assumes the profile is already chosen. The [gutter comparison](/hub/diy-supplies/gutter) is three listings, not a fitting method. FloPlast's 2026 brochure, the maker's FAQ, a Wickes MiniFlo sheet and Health and Safety Executive ladder guidance were read on 21 October 2026. We did not fit a run. Links to amazon.co.uk may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have a clipped uPVC gutter in the correct profile, a fascia that is still solid, and a height you can work without using the plastic as a ladder rail.

Our top picks

FloPlast FloPlast half-shed pack, 2 m

Best overall

FloPlast FloPlast half-shed pack, 2 m
7.5/10about £46.30
View offer
Bocguy Bocguy adhesive J, 5 m

Best value

Bocguy Bocguy adhesive J, 5 m
7.4/10about £24.98
View offer
Funnytek Funnytek adhesive J, 5 m

Alternative

Funnytek Funnytek adhesive J, 5 m
6.6/10about £17.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Put the outlet at the low end
  2. 2.Whose fall
  3. 3.Brackets and screws
  4. 4.Seals, then the ladder

Put the outlet at the low end

Water will not climb. The outlet, and the downpipe under it, has to sit at the low end of the run, or in the middle if you fall the gutter both ways to a central drop. Mark the outlet on the fascia before any bracket goes in, and run a string line from that mark up to the high end. On a house, Wickes' fitting guide keeps the outlet no more than about 50 mm below the roof edge. FloPlast's brochure asks for a 6 mm gap at the top of the downpipe where it meets the outlet, so the pipe can move as the plastic warms. On a shed, pick the corner nearest the water butt as the low point.

Whose fall

FloPlast recommends a fall of 1:350 on its domestic eaves. That is about 3 mm of drop for every metre of gutter. A 4 m house run at 1:350 drops about 11 mm from the high bracket to the outlet. Wavin's rainwater manual, the July 2024 file, states 1:600, which is 25 mm of fall in 15 m. Do not correct a FloPlast length to 1:600, and do not steepen a Wavin run to 1:350. Wickes' MiniFlo sheet says use 1:350 if you fall a 76 mm shed gutter. Check the board with a level.
FloPlast FloPlast half-shed pack, 2 m

Testsieger

FloPlast FloPlast half-shed pack, 2 m
7.5/10about £46.30
View offer

Brackets and screws

On a FloPlast domestic run the brochure sets fascia brackets at a maximum of 1 m, and within 150 mm of a stop end or an angle. The screws in that domestic note are two 25 mm × 5 mm, or one 40 mm × 5 mm, into a sound fascia. MiniFlo is tighter. Wickes' shed sheet sets fascia brackets at a maximum of 500 mm and a 25 mm × 4 mm screw. Roofing Superstore states that those screws are not in the half-shed pack. UK reviews on our FloPlast row say the same: you buy the screws. The shed guttering page stays with that pack.

Seals, then the ladder

FloPlast tells you to lubricate the seals. Wickes suggests a silicone spray. Push the gutter in until the expansion mark lines up. The Health and Safety Executive says you do not rest a ladder on plastic gutters, and you do not use a gutter to support a ladder. The angle is about 1 in 4, and you do not stand on the top three rungs. Stop if the board is rotten, if the gutter is cast iron, or if the only outfall is a foul drain. Adhesive strips are a different sequence. That contrast is on adhesive or clip.

Common questions

What fall should I use?
On FloPlast domestic eaves use 1:350, and do not go steeper. The maker's FAQ says a steeper fall opens a gap under the roof edge. That is about 3 mm of drop per metre, so a 4 m run drops about 11 mm. Wavin's manual states 1:600 instead. Use the figure printed for the brand in your hand, not a blend of the two.
How far apart are the brackets?
FloPlast's brochure sets house fascia brackets at a maximum of 1 m, within 150 mm of a stop end or angle, and at 400 mm where heavy snow is the design case. MiniFlo shed brackets are a maximum of 500 mm on the Wickes sheet, with downpipe clips at 1 m. A 2 m shed side at 500 mm centres needs more support than two brackets. Buy the extra fittings before you drill.
Do I lubricate the seals?
Yes. FloPlast says lubricate uPVC seals, and Wickes suggests a silicone spray. A dry seal rolls out of the groove when you push the joint home, and the run then drips at the union. Use a film, line the gutter up to the expansion mark, and leave the 6 mm gap FloPlast asks for at the top of the downpipe.
What screws, and are they in the pack?
Domestic FloPlast notes specify two 25 mm × 5 mm screws or one 40 mm × 5 mm. MiniFlo uses 25 mm × 4 mm, and Roofing Superstore says those screws are not in the half-shed pack. Reviews on the amazon FloPlast row in our comparison say you supply the screws. The fascia has to be sound enough to hold them. A soft board needs replacing, not a longer screw.
Can I rest the ladder in the gutter?
No. The Health and Safety Executive says you do not rest a ladder on plastic gutters and you do not hang a ladder from a gutter. Set the ladder at about 1 in 4, stay off the top three rungs, and keep light ladder work short. Move the ladder rather than reaching sideways, and have someone foot it. Above that, use scaffolding or a contractor.
What is different on a shed?
MiniFlo brackets close up to 500 mm, the screw is 25 mm × 4 mm, and a fall of 1:350 applies if you use one. The outlet still sits at the low end, usually towards the water butt. Screws are a separate purchase on the half-shed pack we looked at. House spacing of 1 m, and 25 mm × 5 mm screws, belong to the larger FloPlast eaves, not to this mini system.

Related pages

Gutter buying guide

Gutter

Adhesive gutter or uPVC gutter: a door, van or roof

Best gutter: the shed pack against two drip strips

Shed guttering: one side of a small shed into a butt

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Listings captured 21 October 2026. Updated 22 October 2026.

  1. Approved Document H (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. BS EN 607:2023 eaves gutters (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. FloPlast MiniFlo (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. FloPlast rainwater brochure (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. HSE: ladders (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Wavin Osma rainwater manual, July 2024 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. Bradford rainwater goods (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Angels Plastics guttering guide (retrieved 22 October 2026)