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Why I quit using self tapping screws on my metal roof panels
I used to run self tappers straight through the rib on every metal roof I put up around Amarillo, thought it was fast and simple. After about 6 panels on a shed off Soncy last spring I noticed the holes were starting to waller out from the panels moving with the heat. Now I screw through the flat part of the panel with the right gasketed fastener and I double check that the screw is seated flat, no over tightening. It takes me maybe 20 extra minutes on a 12x20 roof but I have not had a single leak call back in a year and a half. The old way worked fine for a while, but our temp swings here are brutal and those rib holes just grow. I know a lot of guys still swear by rib screwing, so am I crazy for switching or has anyone else had the same issue?
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ivan77422h ago
Those wallered out holes from panels moving with the heat are exactly what I ran into, and it only gets worse the longer those panels sit in the sun. The fix you landed on is the right one, screw the flat every time and let the panel do its thing instead of fighting it at the rib. One thing I'd add is to check your fastener length against panel thickness, because a screw that's a touch too long won't clamp down flat and you get the same leak problem without even knowing it. Also run your screws in a straight line and keep the gasket snug, not crushed, since over tightening is just as bad as under tightening. The 20 extra minutes is nothing compared to tearing off panels to chase a leak you can't find. You're not crazy, you just figured it out before it cost you a callback.
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