The most popular residential gutter type is seamless aluminum. Seamless aluminum gutter coil is available from manufacturers in three thicknesses: A lightweight .025 gauge coil used only by the most budget-minded of installers and can be found on some new construction projects. Medium-weight .027 gauge coil would be considered standard builder-grade gutter, and heavy-weight .032 gauge aluminum coil used when maximum strength and durability are desired.
Light weight gutters often wrinkle and bow between anchors, allowing water coming off the shingle to drip behind the gutter at various points – most common on longer gutter runs. Light and medium weight gutters are also often easily damaged by ladders, tree branches and basketballs and are more susceptible to tearing at the anchor if the gutter becomes filled with leaves, snow or ice.