Do I need drip edge if I have gutters?

Yes. Gutters catch the water, but drip edge stops it running behind the gutter onto the fascia.

What is the difference between drip edge and gutter apron?

Gutter apron is a drip edge with a longer, angled flange that reaches into the gutter. It suits eaves where the gutter sits below the roof edge.

Does drip edge go over or under the underlayment?

On the eaves it goes under the underlayment; on the rakes it goes over.

Can drip edge be added without a new roof?

Yes. The first course of shingles is lifted and the drip edge slipped under, ideally in mild weather.

Guides

Drip Edge and Gutter Apron: The Strip That Saves Fascia

A drip edge is a narrow bent strip of metal along the roof edge. It costs little, it is easy to miss, and leaving it out is one of the most common reasons fascia boards rot behind gutters.

Updated 2026-10-26 · Gutter Fixing Editorial Team

When rain runs off shingles, surface tension pulls some of it back around the edge and under the roof deck. Without a drip edge, that water soaks the edge of the roof sheathing and runs down the back of the fascia, behind the gutter, where no one sees it until the wood is soft. A drip edge breaks that path by extending the roof edge out and down, so water drips clear into the gutter.

What a roof drip edge looks like

Drip edge is sold in 10-foot lengths of bent metal. One flange lies flat on the roof deck under the shingles or underlayment; the other bends down over the fascia, often with a small kick-out at the bottom that throws water away from the board. It runs along the eaves at the bottom of the roof and usually up the rakes at the gable ends too. Many building codes now require it on new shingle roofs.

Drip edge profiles

Profile	Shape	Typical use
Type C (L-style)	Simple right angle	Basic eaves and rakes; least projection
Type D (T-style)	Right angle with an outward lip	Most common on modern roofs; throws water farther
Type F (extended)	Longer face with a kick	Re-roofing over old edges and with gutters set lower
Gutter apron	Long flange that drops into the gutter	Eaves with gutters where the gutter sits below the edge

Drip edge vs gutter apron

A gutter apron is a type of drip edge designed specifically for eaves with gutters. Its downward flange is longer and angled so that it reaches inside the back of the gutter. Water that runs off the shingles flows down the apron directly into the trough. Where the gutter sits a little low on the fascia, or the old roof edge is short, an apron closes the gap that a standard drip edge would leave. Many installers use apron on the eaves and standard drip edge on the rakes.

How drip edge works with gutters

The gutter back should sit up under the drip edge flange or apron, so water cannot get between them.
The drip edge should project far enough that water drips into the middle of the trough, not the back edge.
If the gutter was hung before the drip edge, a flashing strip can be slipped behind the gutter back and under the shingles to bridge the gap.
On re-roofing jobs, replace the drip edge at the same time; old bent or rusty edges defeat the new roof.

Aluminum, galvanized and black drip edge flashing

Drip edge is made in aluminum, galvanized steel, Galvalume, copper and vinyl. Aluminum drip edge is the most common on homes because it will not rust and matches aluminum gutters. Galvanized drip edge is stronger and common with steel roofs and gutters. Copper is used with copper gutters and roofs. Colors usually include white, brown, black and bronze, so the edge can match either the gutter or the fascia. Keep metals compatible: aluminum drip edge with copper gutters, for example, will corrode.

Attaching drip edge

On a new roof, eave drip edge goes on first, directly on the deck, and the underlayment laps over it. On the rakes, drip edge goes on after the underlayment, so water running down the slope stays on top. Lengths overlap a couple of inches, and corners are cut and folded neatly. Nails go through the top flange only, roughly every foot. Getting this order right keeps any water that reaches the underlayment flowing out over the drip edge rather than under it.

Adding drip edge to an existing roof means carefully lifting the first course of shingles, sliding the flange under, and nailing it without cracking the shingles. It is easiest in mild weather when shingles are flexible. Many gutter installers add drip edge or gutter apron during a gutter replacement.

Drip edge on metal roofs

Metal roofs use eave trim from the panel manufacturer, which does the same job. The panels overhang the trim, and the gutter sits below so the water stream lands in it. The gutters for metal roofs page explains how the gutter should line up with metal panels.

Ventilation and drip edge

Some drip edge profiles include vent slots that let air enter at the roof edge, used where soffit ventilation is not possible. These need to be matched with a ridge vent and sized correctly. On most homes, soffit vents provide intake and a standard drip edge is used.

Common drip edge mistakes

Leaving drip edge off entirely on eaves with gutters.
Installing eave drip edge on top of the underlayment instead of under it.
A drip edge too short to reach past the back of the gutter.
Gutter hung so low on the fascia that water drips behind it.
Mixed metals that corrode where they touch.

If your fascia is rotting behind the gutters, missing drip edge is one of the first things to check. Contractors in our network who repair fascia and install gutters can add drip edge or gutter apron as part of the job.

Signs your roof edge is missing drip edge

Dark staining or peeling paint on the face of the fascia just below the roof line.
Soft or crumbling wood at the edge of the roof deck when seen from the attic.
Water stains on the soffit near the gutter.
Shingles that curl down over the edge with nothing metal visible underneath.
Moss or algae growing along the back of the gutter.

From a ladder, lift the edge of the first shingle gently: if you see bare wood or felt rather than a metal flange, there is no drip edge.

Drip edge on low-slope and flat roofs

Low-slope and flat roofs often use a wider metal edge, sometimes called a gravel stop, that holds the membrane and directs water to scuppers or gutters. The same principle applies: water should leave the roof over metal and drop clear into the gutter, never wick back into the deck. These details are usually handled by the roofer rather than the gutter installer.

Drip edge profiles: F5, F8, L-shaped and 2x2

Drip edge comes in a few standard shapes. L-shaped drip edge, sometimes sold as 2x2 drip edge for its two-inch legs, is the simplest angle. Type C and D profiles add a kick at the bottom to throw water clear. F5 and F8 drip edge have a longer face, about 1.5 or 2 inches, used where the fascia needs more cover or over new decking. Overlapping drip edge sections by two inches or more at joints, upper piece over lower, keeps water from running behind.

Drip edge on the rake and gable end

Drip edge on the rake, the sloped edge of a gable end, has a different job from the eave. It guards the side edge of the roof from wind-driven rain. Building codes often require drip edge on both the eave and the rake. On the eave it goes under the underlayment, and on the rake it goes over it.

Drip edge materials and colors

Most drip edge is painted aluminum. Alum drip edge does not rust and comes in stock colors such as white, brown, almond, gray or grey, black, terratone, musket brown, royal brown and wicker, so it can match gutters and trim. Colored drip edge can also be made from painted steel. Stainless or SS drip edge, and stainless steel drip edge, are used on coastal homes and with copper or zinc work. Galvanized steel is the budget option. PVC and vinyl drip edge suit vinyl siding and some low-slope details.

Drip edge for metal and flat roofs

Standing seam drip edge is a hemmed edge piece that the metal panels lock onto, part of the roof system. On low-slope and flat roofs, EPDM drip edge and rubber roof drip edge are metal edges with a flange that the membrane covers or bonds to. TPO drip edge is often coated so the TPO membrane can be heat-welded to it. A vented drip edge includes slots that let air into the roof space where there is no soffit venting.

Drip caps over doors, windows, siding and stucco

The same idea is used on walls. A door drip edge, also called an above door or over door drip edge, is a small flashing over an exterior door that sheds water away from the head trim. Window drip edge flashing does the same over windows. Siding drip edge, often called a drip cap or Z-flashing, sits at horizontal joints in siding. Stucco drip edge, or a weep screed, is fitted at the base of stucco walls so trapped water can drain. Concrete drip edge is a groove cut under a concrete sill or slab edge that stops water running back underneath.

Putting drip edge on a roof

Putting drip edge on a roof is normally part of roofing, not gutter work. It is nailed every 12 inches or so near the top edge, with the lower edge held slightly off the fascia so water drips free. Adding it to an existing roof means lifting the first course of shingles carefully. Drip edge flashings are cheap, and a missing one is a common cause of fascia rot behind gutters.