Efficiently designing metal perimeter edges, roofing panels

By Ben Kweton, Vice President, Sheet Metal Supply

Eventually, Mother Nature will test all components of any roofing system. Rain, snow, hail, wind and sunshine gang up or take turns making sure the system you installed will hold up. All must be considered during the design and installation process.

For reasons we’ve all experienced, wind is most often given the most attention during the construction of any building, including the roofing system. The section of the roofing system most vulnerable to wind is certainly the perimeter. Designing and installing an ES-1 Rated Roof Edge System is essential … just be careful not to waste material and money by using over-engineered system.

ES-1 provides a calculation for determining wind uplift pressures on perimeter roof edge terminations. ES-1 is a pass/fail test, administered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) that challenges the integrity of metals under the simulated stress of high winds and storms. The standard came about to help achieve consistency in edge metal quality after Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

Paying for over-engineered and over-marketed perimeter systems could cost you jobs if competitors are bidding lower prices. This is in no way to suggest you take shortcuts or design and install a roof perimeter system that doesn’t meet the ES-1 Standard. Many systems exist that test as well or better than the more expensive options, where you end up paying for extruded aluminum cleats that aren’t necessary. A well thought out and tested system can oftentimes be easier to install, and may even be delivered faster with more color and material options.

Material Considerations
Metal quality, metal cost and metal value should figure into your design and installation of a roofing system. Zinc and copper can be expensive options on the front end, but may provide better value over the life cycle of the building. Properly installed, both have been known to last more than 100 years. In certain applications, the cost of using zinc or copper may be reduced by using a thinner coil. Keep in mind, the thinner the metal, the better the chance for oil canning.

If the cost of zinc and copper is still too high for a project, there are capable options available, including one of those “premium alloy choices” or painted aluminum, steel, Galvalume or galvanized. These materials can be expected to last more than 40 years if properly installed.

Size Considerations
Although coil can be custom slit to suit the needs of a particular project, the most efficient option is to choose from the standard “master coils” available and form the panel accordingly. Adhering to those constraints is a way to maximize your value. Master coil sizes are XX, XX and XX.

For example, if you’re wanting a 1-1/2-inch snap lock panel and designing for 16-inch widths, you’re going to need a XX-inch coil, which requires slitting and creates waste. If you go with panels 15-1/2 inches wide, you can use a standard XX-inch coil, save money and eliminate waste.

Another scenario would be forming panels that are 12 inches wide, when panels measuring 1 inch high by 13 inches wide or 1-1/2 inches high and 11-1/2 inches wide can be run from standard coil. If you insist on running 12-inch wide panels, you’re wasting three inches with 1-inch legs and an incredible 15 inches with 1-1/2 legs with a standard coil.

The same math can be applied when manufacturing Flat Lock Tiles. A fabricator can provide guidance to an architect or a client to find the most efficient sizing based on the aesthetic intent, budget, and material choice, making sure material usage is optimized.

Sheet Metal Supply celebrates 30th anniversary!

Sheet Metal Supply Ltd. recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with an employee gathering at the plant.

“It’s been an exciting 30 years, no doubt about that,” says Phil Kweton, Founder of Sheet Metal Supply. “Through the years, we’ve increased our product offerings, added staff and recently, we moved into a state-of-the-art 80,000 square foot facility in Grayslake. We succeeded by using a very simple formula – Customer First!” Ben Kweton, CSI-EP, Vice President of Sheet Metal Supply, says the company’s first 30 years have been analogous to a tree putting down solid roots and providing a strong foundation upon which to grow stronger, branch out, and have an occasional offshoot.

“We certainly hope to see most of the current trends in our industry continue, with metal being a very viable choice for both roofing and walls from both a cost standpoint and more importantly, an aesthetic and environmental/LEED position as well,” Ben Kweton says. “We’re thankful to our customers for their continued support and the fine assembly of team members that keep the business pushing forward and keep this a safe, collaborative, and productive workplace.”

SMS Featured in CRCA Spring 2021

CRCA Today Spring 2021 - Sheet Metal Supply

We’re moving!

 

Sheet Metal Supply moving into new, larger fabricating facility

Mundelein, IL., — Sheet Metal Supply LTD, a leading fabricator and supplier of formed perimeter edge materials and processed coil and flat stock for more than 25 years, is moving its operation into a new and larger facility in Grayslake, IL.

Located in a 30,000 square foot building in Mundelein, IL., the last eight years, SMS will complete the move into a state-of-the-art 80,000 square foot facility in March 2020.

“Moving into a new plant is our reaction to industry demand for a growing desire for a wider range of products and materials,” says Ben Kweton, CSI-EP, Vice President of Sheet Metal Supply LTD. “The added space and new equipment allow us to be quicker with our response time and more flexible for our customers.”

The new plant will include a second ACM routing table to increase SMS’s capabilities beyond ACM and into heavier single skin products, phenolic resin-based and fiber cement-based façade solutions as well. In addition, SMS purchased a 21-foot direction folder, allowing for the forming of longer parts or multiple 10-foot parts and to permeate the glazing industry. SMS will also be able to provide more customized solutions into the façade market.

Who’s the most influential architect of 2019? Studio Gang!

We are proud that the Chicago Park District’s Eleanor Boathouse featuring RHEINZINK panels was showcased in the Dezeen article.

Read more about the accolade here:

High Capacity 4 X 5 Downspout for Commercial Use

Our high capacity 4 X 5 downspout for commercial use removes water from gutters at faster speeds allowing the gutter to be more efficient.  The downspout diverts rainwater away from the building and keeps water from pooling at the foundation. Ask us about local delivery of up to 45 linear feet. Matching A & B elbows, custom offsets, straps, and brackets are available.

LOW SLOPE

  • 30 different 24 gauge Kynar 500®  colors
  • Most common colors in stock
  • .032 Kynar Aluminum
  • 26 gauge Galvalume

STEEP SLOPE

  • Steel & Aluminum Substrates with Kynar®500 color finishes
  • G-90 Galvanized & Galvalume Mill Finish
  • Paint Grip
  • Aluminum: Mill Finish or Anodized
  • 12, 16, 20 oz Architectural Grade Copper
  • RHEINZINK Architectural Zinc
  • 300-Series Stainless Steel
  • Freedom Gray
  • Other metal materials are available upon request: the possibilities are endless!

Sheet Metal Supply was founded in 1991 with one very simple goal — to supply the roofing industry with consistent sheet metal profiles fabricated from quality materials with unmatched lead times.

Iowa Home features Diamond Flat Lock Tiles

The roof of this unique home in Iowa features Diamond Flat Lock tiles fabricated by Sheet Metal Supply using RHEINZINK prePATINA Blue-Grey metal. These versatile Diamond Flat Lock Tiles were chosen because of their simple grid-like design with clean lines.  The tiles feature four-way interlocking hems that allow the panels to overlap and lock into place with galvanized or stainless steel clips.

Through the process of natural patination, RHEINZINK-prePATINA will, over time, produce a unique finish. As it ages and matures, a distinctive surface develops to lend buildings a timeless elegance. The PATINA LINE is always the first choice when the aesthetics of living material is desired. It is available in three natural surfaces: prePATINA bright rolled, prePATINA blue-grey, and prePATINA graphite grey. The home’s prePATINA blue-grey tiles have been pre-weathered to give the look of aged zinc. The tiles will continue to patinate and evolve in appearance over time.

Metal Architecture’s 2018 Grand Award Winner – Eleanor Boathouse, Chicago

Metal Architecture magazine recently presented the winners of the 2018 Metal Architecture Design Awards. This year’s Grand Award Winner was the Eleanor Boathouse in Chicago.

The magazine’s judging panel lauded the design for its lighthanded, yet aggressive form. The design is successful and well-executed throughout all scales, large to small, the judges said, and metal was leveraged for its specific qualities to create a compelling project.

Zinc panels completely clad the two structures. Mundelein, Ill.-based Sheet Metal Supply Ltd. was the fabricator. Ben Kweton, vice president at Sheet Metal Supply, says the design team opted for a slightly customized version of Flat Lock panels. “The tiles we fabricated had a slight offset at the top to bring the panel overlaps more into plane and to create a slight reveal,” he says.

To read the full description of Metal Architecture’s insights into making their choice, click here.

Also, see last month’s news article for an overview of the project.

RHEINZINK Panels for New Boathouse fabricated by SMS

RHEINZINK panels for the new Eleanor Boathouse were fabricated by RHEINZINK systems partner Sheet Metal Supply Ltd. Designed by Studio Gang Architects, the 19,000 sq. ft. facility is the last of four new boathouses and river launches created by the Chicago Park District to reclaim the Chicago River as a major system of parks and water-based recreation.

Installation of the RHEINZINK panels on the Eleanor Boathouse was done by Bennett & Brosseau, Inc., Romeoville, IL. A competitive zinc flush panel was initially planned for the job but it was deemed too expensive, according to project manager Ryan Broom.  “We got involved with the general contractor, Walsh Construction, to value engineer the project and suggested RHEINZINK Flat Lock Tiles as a good alternative,” Broom said. “RHEINZINK reduced the cost and provided the great diagonal look that Studio Gang wanted. It’s a ‘full zinc’ job with both the façade and the roof and really turned out nice.”

SMS Vice President Ben Kweton credits Ryan Broom with providing the invitation to become involved in the project. “When Bennett & Brosseau approached us with the value engineering opportunity, we jumped at the chance to provide pricing and to remind the design team of the success of RHEINZINK on the earlier boathouse project,” Kweton said.

The design team also opted for a slightly hybrid version of traditional flat lock panels. “The tiles we fabricated had a slight offset at the top to bring the panel overlaps more into plane and to create a slight reveal,” Kweton said.

Installer Ryan Broom extolled the virtues of zinc. “It provides a great quality look and allows more architectural detailing than can be done with many other metals,” Broom said.

STack Synthetic Underlayment Now Available

We’re proud to partner with Atlantic Coated Papers on their Super-Tack Synthetic Roofing Underlayment, known as STack.  Why STack?  It’s made in North America.  STack Synthetic Underlayment has a very, very competitive price point when compared to other synthetics or felt.  A $1 per roll rebate available through December 31, 2017, makes the switch from felt or other synthetic brands even easier for you.  A few of the many other STack Synthetic Underlayment benefits:

  • Great traction, slip-resistant
  • Much stronger than felt – reduce tears that could cause leaks
  • Lighter than felt
  • Can be installed quickly and easily
  • 33% more coverage than felt when unwound
  • 1 roll covers same surface than 5 rolls #30
  • 6 months UV protection – protect home during roof installation
  • Lay lines for simple, consistent shingle application
  • Will not support mold growth, rot, or dry out as it contains no asphalt
  • Won’t buckle, warp or crack
  • Long-term moisture protection for the roof