A Bermuda-style Roof Composed of Aluminum Includes Intricate Hips, Ridges, Vents and Gutters

Just as Fergusson was becoming comfortable with where the project was headed, the general contractor was fired and the new GC decided to bid the roofing project out again. However, Highland Roofing was able to retain the job. “I think the architect was very instrumental in them not using any other roofing contractor other than us; Kersting already had gone through some of the learning curve with us,” Fergusson notes. “That was good but there was a little part of me that wouldn’t have been too disappointed. I was really nervous because we still didn’t know if it was going to work. I don’t think anyone in the world had ever done this hip and ridge profile with a Bermuda-style panel before. It was just completely new to everyone.”

Despite the unique details that had to be constructed to create a Bermuda-style roof, the roof installation was very traditional.

Despite the unique details that had to be constructed to create a Bermuda-style roof, the roof installation was very traditional.

FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION

Despite the unique details that had to be constructed to create a Bermuda-style roof, the roof installation was very traditional. The original asphalt shingle roof was built on a 7:12 slope that flared out to 3:12 all the way around at the eave for about 3 feet. The entire roof was reframed with lumber and plywood to a 5:12 pitch and then Fergusson’s crew installed a layer of ice and water shield.

Fergusson purchased the dies for his portable rollformer to enable the crew to site-fabricate the 8,000 square feet of metal panels. “That was great because we were able to have completely seamless panels from hip to hip even where it’s 65 feet,” Fergusson says. “If we’d had to buy the panels and ship them in we would need a seam somewhere in the roof—a lap, a sidelap—and we were able to eliminate that by rolling our own panels.”

Storing the panels onsite and crew safety were challenges because of high winds near the creek. “We strapped the panels down,” Fergusson says. “Our crew wore safety equipment on the roof, but we did not work on days when the wind whipped up. That caused some delays and frustrations but with the length of some of these panels at 60-feet plus, the winds would potentially pick those things up and make them a sail and knock guys off the roof.”

Fergusson’s team also fabricated the roof’s hold-down cleats. Rather than being spaced the way clips are on standing-seam roofing, these continuous cleats are 10-foot pieces that were created on the auto-brake to support the leading edge, so the roof can be walked on without denting. In addition, because Fergusson could not get engineering for this panel profile, the continuous clips are fastened on 12-inch centers everywhere, resulting in one fastener per square foot for the entire roof. “We over-engineered it in-house!” Fergusson adds.

Highland Roofing Owner Iain Fergusson purchased the dies for his portable rollformer to enable the crew to site-fabricate the 8,000 square feet of metal panels.

Highland Roofing Owner Iain Fergusson purchased the dies for his portable rollformer to enable the crew to site-fabricate the 8,000 square feet of metal panels.

Approximately 3,500 square feet of 90-mil EPDM was installed over 1 inch of mechanically attached polyiso on the flat roof portions, which happened to be new additions to the existing home.

DELICATE DETAILS

To create a more contemporary look for the roof, Kersting specified that the aluminum be installed up and over 2 by 4s at all hips and ridges. “We didn’t want any exposed cut edges,” Fergusson explains. “We came up with a detail in the shop that involved using a ‘J channel’ receiver on each side of the nailer, so that the cut edge of the panel would be concealed and then we made a cleat and snap-on cap that would go over the top of the 2 by 4 so that the finished product has no exposed fasteners and nice clean lines.”

Photos: Chris Fisher, unless otherwise noted

About the Author

Christina A. Koch
Christina A. Koch is editor in chief of Roofing.

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