S-5! Roofing Attachments
What Clamp Will Fit My Standing Seam Metal Roof?
The most common question we are asked is, “Which S-5! clamp do I use on my metal roof?” We will explore the tools available to choose the best clamp along with the various options and other variables to consider, such as what type of roof you are attaching to and what you are attaching to it: solar, snow retention, or some other rooftop utility.
Visit the RapidMaterials quick reference, clamps by profile page, for a list of all roofing seams and their compatible clamps.
What is a Standing Seam Metal Roof?
Standing seam metal roofs are simply roofs where the joint is standing up in a vertical position out of the plane of the water. These are sometimes referred to as concealed fastened roofs since the fastener that attaches the roof to the structure is hidden. So, if you are a beginner, you will know you have a standing seam roof if when you look at it you cannot see a lot of conspicuous screw fastenings that anchor it to the structure. (Those type roofs are exposed fastened and will be discussed in another blog.) Concealed Fastened or standing seam roofs come in a multitude of shapes and sizes, from double folded to single folded (90 degree), Bulb-shaped to T-shaped and everything in between. They can be snap together profiles or mechanically seamed.
Let’s examine the 4 ways to determine the best clamp for your standing seam roof:
1. Load test tables:
If you know the manufacturer, profile name and material thickness, this is the easiest way to determine which clamp was designed and tested on your specific roof profile. You can simply go to the “load test tables” (create a log-in) and search alphabetically by metal roof manufacturer. You will see the load test results for that profile along with the specific clamp model(s) that we have tested on it. If you have questions RapidMaterials’ resident expert, David Trefzger, would be happy to assist you! Just call (770) 405-1060 or e-mail info@rapidmaterials.com.
2. Clamp-to-seam tool:
If you do not know the roof manufacturer and profile that’s ok because S-5! provides you with our clamp- to-seam tool. If you are not an expert in metal roofing, this tool will help you become one. The clamp-to-seam tool provides thumbnails of the most popular roofing profiles along with their dimensions and the clamps that will fit those profiles.
3. Take a photo of the roof profile:
Another option to identify your standing seam roof profile is to follow these steps:
- With your camera phone take the photo from the eave edge of the roof where the gutter would be located
- Include a tape measure in the photo so that we have a scale
- Try to take the photo directly in line with an individual seam to provide the profile
- Then also measure the seam spacing and include this information with your photos
See below for the correct way to take a photo. Once you have taken a photo you can share it with S-5! technical support at support@s-5.com.One of our techs will assist with choosing the best clamp and can usually identitfy the panel profile and often the roof manufacturer as well.
4. Sketch the roof out:
The final way you can identify the seam clamp is to sketch out the roof seam cross section and provide dimensions. See below for photo. Once you have sketched out the profile you can share it with S-5! technical support at info@rapidmaterials.com, we can assist with choosing the best clamp and can usually identify the panel profile and often the roof manufacturer as well.
