About this product
A standing seam floating clip is a two-piece concealed clip that holds a standing seam panel to the deck while letting the panel slide lengthwise. Roofers and sheet metal contractors use floating clips on long panel runs, where heat and cold make the metal grow and shrink enough to buckle panels or work fasteners loose if the panel is pinned at every clip.
The base of the clip screws to the deck and stays put; the top piece engages the panel leg inside the seam and can travel with the panel. Panel maker MBCI describes the idea simply: you cannot stop thermal movement, only direct it, so the panel is pinned at one point (often the eave) with the Standing Seam Fixed Clip and floating clips carry the rest of the run. Where the fixed zone goes, how far apart the clips sit and how many screws each takes all come from the panel maker’s installation guide and the wind design.
Floating clips must suit the panel’s seam height and leg shape, so give us the profile, panel width and material when you order. Fasten the base with Pan Clip Head Screws on wood decks or Pan Clip SD MT Drilling Low screws on steel. A slip sheet or a smooth underlayment such as Tyvek Protec 120 helps the panel move freely over the deck.
For snap-lock roofs, also see Snaplock Clips. Butyl Tape and Sherwin-Williams Ready Match Touch Up round out most clip orders.
You can get it from our New Brunswick, NJ warehouse. Call (732) 561-4275 to check stock, or add it to your quote.
Specifications
| Type | Two-piece floating (expansion) clip |
|---|---|
| Movement | Allows the panel to slide lengthwise |
| Fastening | Pancake-head screws through the clip base |
Goes with it
Questions
When do I need floating clips?
On longer panel runs where thermal movement matters. The panel maker's guide gives the length at which floating clips are required and where the fixed zone goes.
Can I mix fixed and floating clips?
Yes, that is the usual layout: one fixed zone with Standing Seam Fixed Clips and floating clips on the rest of the panel.