In the list of interesting and exciting home renovation projects, the roof is rarely given any importance. The interior is given the highest priority, but when your house leaks, your attitude towards it changes dramatically.
Fasteners are a key component to a properly installed metal roof system. The nuts and bolts used to attach the metal roof system ensure the working of a significant part of the roof performance and in turn, of the building as a whole.
Types of Fasteners:
A fastener is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together.
- Nails- Nails are one of the easiest fasteners available in the market to affix pieces of wood intact.
- Screws- Screws are stronger than nails wherein the ease of removing this fastener is great. Hence, screws are one of the excellent ways of fastening.
- Bolts- Bolts come with components like nuts and washers which enable better bonding while the objects are fastened.
- Clamps- Clamps are the best fasteners available for fastening objects only for a limited period of time without causing damage to the object while it is unfastened.
- Set screws- Set screws are used to hold pulleys, collars and gears intact.
- Tapping screws- These fasteners enable quick installation which creates a mating thread when fastened into a performed hole of the object.
Various Components of Metal Roof:
- Metal coils- Metal coils are long and continuous coils of metal roll which has been coated with a layer of paint. All metal roofing solutions start out with the installation of a metal sheet.
- Panels- Panels are pieces of metal coils which have been shaped into desired shapes and structures and are ready to be seamed together to form a roof.
- Seam- Seams are formed using a roller form of metal and are usually mechanically snapped together by which two metal panels are joined together.
- Profile- The profile determines how the panels are placed together to form the metallic roof.
- Roll forming equipment- One of the most important components of metal roofs are roll forming equipment. This equipment, shapes the various coils into individual panels.
Types of Metal Roofs:
Some of the most common materials used to make metal roofs are-
- Aluminium
- Copper
- Metal slate
- Tin
- Steel
- Zinc
- Corrugated metal
- Standing seam
Why are Fasteners the Most Important Part of Installing Metal Roof?
As they say, “it’s the little things” that make huge differences. Fasteners may seem like such an insignificant part of a rather large huge roofing system, however, they are the key component that holds your roof together. When you think about it deeply, you would understand that your fasteners are a significant part of the performance of your roof, and ends up holding the whole building together as well.
Thus, having good quality fastener is a very crucial part of installing the roof. Fasteners make all the difference in the performance and reliability of your metal roof. Even a small defect, can cause a major loss and could even lead to the breakdown of the entire roofing system. Thus, fasteners play an important role in the roof installing process.
Do’s and Don’ts to Take Care of Fastening Metal Roofs:
When it comes to using fasteners, there are certain things that one must keep in mind to ensure that the project at hand, doesn’t crumble to pieces. Fasteners, as essential tools, are used to bring together all the different components of a construction, be it a roofs, industrial machinery, power plants, or prefabricated steel buildings.
To ensure proper utilisation of fasteners, the following are some points that one should take great care of while selecting and installing fasteners, on metal roofs:
DO’s (selection of screw):
- DO select a fastener that is made to function with your choice of substrate (metal, wood or concrete). Choosing fasteners otherwise won’t provide perfect insulation or secured. It can even damage the surface.
- DO select a fastening solution that meets your specifications and requirements. Review your suppliers published specifications of the fasteners. If specifications are not published, then test it yourself, before opting for a particular screw.
- DO select a fastener, which is minimally affected by galvanic corrosion. Check out Screw Expert for best fastening solutions that are resistant towards galvanic corrosion.
- DO select a fastener that can handle your expectations for corrosion resistance. Choose a long-life coated screw, like a zinc coated stainless steel screw, for exterior and treated wood applications.
- DO select a fastener with apt thread count and length.
Don’ts (selection of screw):
- DON’T use zinc-plated fasteners for outdoor applications unless the zinc coating is of a minimum thickness of 0.0005-inch. Thinly coated zinc plated screws are inexpensive, but they are prone to corrosion from outdoor extremities.
- DON’T opt for a fastening option if you cannot find any published technical data about it. This is of utmost importance when the load exceeds the strength of the screw, as negligence there in will lead to failure of the screw’s joint.
Do’s (installation of screw):
- DO hold the screw gun at a right angle to allow for effective drilling and tapping.
- DO set the nut-setter’s magnet, so that the hex of the screw is fully embedded. This will eliminate wobble all the while improving the drivability of the screw.
- DO opt for nut-setters and insert bits of high-quality, so that the fastener performs at an optimal level.
- DO ensure to tap the threads of the fasteners after it completes drilling. This will decrease the chances of point failure.
- DO use sealing washers to tighten screws to ensure a leak-free seal. This also makes sure that the sealant thrusts out just beyond flange or the metal backing’s outer edge.
Don’ts (installation of the screw):
- DON’T avoid applying excessive pressure during installation, else the fastener can fail due to excessive heat during installation.
- DON’T use sealing washers to overdrive screws as this will lead the sealant to spill beyond the metal backing’s outer edge. It will also lead to further leaks due to damaging the washer.
- DON’T use insert bits/ nut-setters that are worn out, otherwise, they can cause inconsistencies during the installation of fasteners. Worn out insert bits/ nut-setters can also damage the panel’s paint on the screw or strip out the recessed drive.
- DON’T use impact screw guns for installing self-drilling screws, as Impact tools exert undue pressure on the screws, which can exceed the strength of the screw itself. Causing it to fail. Impact tools can also inflict damage upon the painted surfaces and strip-out screws.
Fasteners/ Screws/ Nuts & Bolts are critical to how well a metal roofing solution works under duress. By taking extra care during the selection of fasteners and their installation, one can build a roof that will remain leak-free for years to come.
Screw Expert Fasteners
Screw expert is one of the leading manufacturers, suppliers and exporters of fasteners in India. Catering to the needs of modern manufacturing units, we offer a wide range of product, which are available in a variety of specifications. The products offered, are quality tested and are designed in such a way that they cater to modern-day industrial needs and requirements. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and machinery, Screw Expert ensure class-leading quality assurance. If you are looking for established PEB manufacturers, then Screw expert will cater to all your needs and then some.