Drip Edge and Gutters: Install Order, Gutter Apron and Flashing
Quick answer: Drip edge can sometimes be added after gutters, but the existing shingles, underlayment and gutter height determine whether a retrofit will work. A roofer must maintain the roof’s drainage layers and direct runoff into the gutter. Simply sliding metal under shingles can leave water trapped behind the flashing or damage the roof covering.
Key takeaways
- Drip edge or gutter apron should end inside the gutter, with the gutter's back edge under the metal.
- Coordinate fascia, eave flashing, underlayment, shingles and gutters using the specified assembly.
- An existing roof may need apron flashing, gutter repositioning or a rebuilt edge; inspect the water path first.
- Kick-out flashing where a roof edge meets a wall keeps water out of the siding and in the gutter.
- You can replace a roof without replacing gutters, and vice versa; replace them together only when there is a reason.
Should drip edge go over or into the gutter?
Drip edge should lap over the gutter's back edge and drop water into the gutter, not onto its lip or behind it. In practice, the face of the drip edge hangs into the trough, and the back flange of the gutter is tucked up under the drip edge.
Two details make this work:
- Gutter height. Gutters hung too low on the fascia leave a gap that even a long-faced drip edge cannot bridge. The gutter's back should sit just below the drip edge, with slope toward the downspouts.
- Drip edge profile. A T-style drip edge throws water outward; a gutter apron, with its longer angled face, reaches deeper into the gutter. Choose the profile by how far its face must reach to clear the gap.
Can you install drip edge after gutters?
Sometimes. The contractor needs to see how the existing edge metal, underlayment and first shingle courses overlap before deciding whether to loosen the gutter, replace shingles or rebuild the edge.
A gutter apron can bridge an otherwise sound roof edge to a gutter. It cannot correct rotten fascia, a gutter with inadequate support, or a roof assembly that drains behind the new metal. Brittle or bonded shingles may not lift without damage, so a retrofit should include an allowance for replacing disturbed material.
Ask the contractor to explain the proposed water path in a sketch or close-up photograph. Water from both the shingles and the underlayment needs an outward exit. The GAF steep-slope field guide distinguishes eave and rake drip-edge integration; use the instructions for the actual roof product. An edge repair is not complete simply because the metal looks straight from the ground.
How to install gutters with drip edge
To install gutters with drip edge already in place, hang the gutter under the drip edge so the metal's face drops into the trough. The typical order on new work:
| Order | Component | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| First | Fascia (and soffit) | Solid, straight, primed or wrapped |
| Second | Drip edge on the eaves | Nailed to the deck, face lapping over fascia |
| Third | Underlayment and shingles | Underlayment over eave drip edge; shingles overhang the metal slightly |
| Fourth | Gutters | Back edge tucked under drip edge, hangers into framing |
| Coordinated detail | Downspouts and kick-out flashing | Install kick-out at the bottom of a roof-to-wall run as part of wall/roof flashing, not as an afterthought |
How to install a gutter under drip edge, in short:
- Snap a chalk line on the fascia for the gutter's top back edge, sloping toward the downspout. Follow the gutter manufacturer’s drainage and support design.
- Slide the gutter's back up under the drip edge face.
- Use the specified hanger spacing, fasteners and sound supporting material for that gutter system.
- Seal end caps and outlets, then hang downspouts.
How to install gutter apron on an existing roof
A roofer should choose the apron profile and attachment after checking the shingles, underlayment and gutter. The installation must direct water outward without damaging the covering or blocking drainage beneath it. A generic slide-under repair is not suitable for every existing assembly.
- Measure the gap between the shingle edge and the inside of the gutter to choose an apron with a long enough face.
- Determine whether existing metal should remain from its condition and drainage-layer arrangement; do not stack flashing in a way that traps water.
- At inside and outside corners, cut and fold the apron so each piece laps the next in the direction of flow.
- Where shingles do not overhang enough, the apron still carries water past the gap; it does not replace a correct shingle overhang on the next reroof.
Flashing behind gutters and gutter flashing repair
Flashing behind gutters means any metal that carries roof water into the gutter instead of behind it. Gutter roof flashing types include:
- Drip edge (L-style or T-style) along the eave.
- Gutter apron with an extended face into the gutter.
- Kick-out flashing at the bottom of a roof-to-wall intersection, which turns water away from siding and into the gutter.
- Valley and diverter details where large valleys dump into one point of the gutter.
Gutter flashing repair usually means adding a gutter apron, resetting gutters to the right height, or replacing bent and separated drip edge. Missing kick-out flashing can contribute to hidden wall rot; water running down the step flashing pours straight onto the siding. Siding flashing repair at those spots often means removing a section of siding, installing the kick-out and resealing the wall. Edge and wall flashing are part of our roof flashing repair service.
Gutter fascia: protecting the board behind the gutter
Gutter fascia, the board the gutter hangs on, lasts only if it stays dry. Fascia gutters fail together: a wet board loosens hanger screws, the gutter sags, water pools at the low spot and soaks the board further.
Ways to protect it:
- Keep drip edge or gutter apron lapping into the gutter along the full length.
- Use the supporting material and fasteners required by the gutter manufacturer; replace unsound material first.
- Prime or wrap the fascia, and seal hanger holes.
- Keep gutters clean and sized for the roof; overflowing water sheets down the face of the fascia. Coordinate gutter work with roof replacement planning.
Do you have to replace gutters when replacing a roof?
No, you do not have to replace gutters when replacing a roof. Gutters in good condition are usually kept, though they may be loosened or removed so the crew can install new drip edge correctly and then rehung.
Replacing gutters during a roof replacement is worth considering when:
- The gutters are too small for the roof area and overflow in heavy rain.
- Seams leak, the metal is dented or the gutters have lost their slope.
- The fascia behind them is rotted and must be replaced anyway.
- You are changing the eave detail, such as adding gutter apron or raising the gutter line.
Likewise, you can replace gutters without replacing the roof. New gutters can be fitted under the existing drip edge, and a gutter apron can be added at the same time if water has been getting behind the old ones.
Safety note and when to call a pro
Gutter and edge work is ladder work at the roof edge. Use a ladder standoff so the ladder does not rest on the gutter, keep three points of contact, never lean past the rails, and keep clear of overhead power lines with metal gutters and ladders. In Central Texas summers, metal heats up fast and shingles become slippery and easily damaged; work early and stay hydrated.
Call a professional when shingles must be lifted on a roof under warranty, when fascia behind the gutter is soft, on two-story eaves, or when water is getting into walls. Texas Professional Roofing handles these edge details as part of roof repair visits.
Frequently asked questions
Does drip edge go behind the gutter?
The drip edge or gutter apron should finish inside the gutter, with the gutter's back edge tucked up behind and under the metal. Water then runs off the shingles, across the drip edge and drops straight into the trough. If the metal stops short or sits outside the gutter, water can fall between gutter and fascia.
Can I replace my roof without replacing gutters?
Yes. Sound gutters are usually kept during a roof replacement. Crews may loosen or remove them to replace drip edge and fascia, then rehang them. Replacing gutters at the same time makes sense when they are undersized, leaking at seams, sagging, or need to come off anyway to fix rotted fascia.
What is gutter apron?
Gutter apron is a type of drip edge flashing with a longer, angled face that reaches down into the gutter. It slides under the first course of shingles and over the back of the gutter, bridging any gap so water cannot fall behind it. It is often used to retrofit existing roofs where water runs behind gutters.
Why is water running behind my gutters?
Water runs behind gutters when there is a gap between the roof edge and the gutter. Common causes are missing or short drip edge, gutters hung too low on the fascia, shingles that do not overhang enough, and gutters that overflow because they are clogged or undersized. Fascia rot and staining are the usual results.
Do roofers remove gutters during a roof replacement?
Sometimes. If the existing drip edge can be replaced by sliding new metal over the gutter's back edge, gutters can stay in place. If fascia needs replacing or the gutter is fastened tight against the old drip edge, the crew will take the gutters down and rehang them after the new edge metal is installed.
Stop water getting behind your gutters
If you see stains, peeling paint or rot behind your gutters, the edge detail needs attention before the fascia fails. Texas Professional Roofing offers a free, no-obligation roof inspection in Austin with photos of your drip edge, gutters and flashing. Call (512) 910-4110 to schedule.