How To Repair Fascia Board Ends On House
I have "muddled through" many home renovation projects and enjoy sharing my discoveries of how (not) to do information technology yourself.
The obligatory "before" picture. The corner of the fascia lath has rotted away.
Soffit and Fascia
Eaves are a vulnerable part of your house, exposed to weather and damage by falling limbs. Luckily, they aren't too hard to repair when the inevitable happens and repair is needed. So, if your eaves are wooden, and you accept some impairment to your fascia board to deal with, then permit's await at the procedure.
"Fascia?"
That'south the name for the vertical board or console on the front of your eaves. Its complement is the "soffit"—the board that forms the bottom of the structure—and technically, that's the only part that'south really supposed to exist chosen the "eave."
The commencement thing is getting to the eaves, which means having to use a ladder. That's the dangerous part, especially if the ground where you need to work is uneven or sloping. It'southward important to find or create an even level surface for the ladder; the photos beneath show what I had to do to achieve that goal.
How to Repair Fascia Boards
Remove the Impairment
Once you are up the ladder, you demand to remove the damaged part of the lath. In this case, information technology was easy because the damaged department of the lath was already curt. Just if you accept harm to a long section of fascia board, you may choose to supervene upon merely the damaged portion. That's not like shooting fish in a barrel, considering the need to protect the roof decking itself makes it hard to make a complete cut across the fascia board. A reciprocating saw—sometimes referred to as a "Sawzall"—is probably your all-time option.
Here, all I had to do was to pry the damaged board away. This job is much easier if you take a expert pry bar, such as the i shown beneath. I was duly grateful.
Pry bar, slightly romanticized.
Fabricate the Replacement Pieces
Once the damaged board is removed, you are gear up to brainstorm fabricating the replacement pieces. Oftentimes that will only mean the principal fascia board itself. The common board in employ for this purpose in North America is ane inch thick past half dozen inches broad (the actual dimensions are smaller).
In this case, though, there was also a thinner triangular slice capping the end of the eave structure. I refer to this—correctly or not—as a "fillet." It's fabricated of quarter-inch-thick plywood.
Repair expanse cleared of bad woods and ready to get.
If y'all're replacing a corner piece, the easiest way to measure the angle you lot need is to employ the one-time board as a template. You can do this even if, as was the example in the repair shown, the old board doesn't have a make clean, complete edge due to the damage suffered. Just use a straightedge to create the direct line you need, every bit shown beneath.
This raises an interesting question. If you lot look at the closeup of the original lath below, you can encounter that it was cutting with a 45-degree angle edge at the corner. That is the norm for professional work. That way, there is no exposed end-grain, and the appearance of the corner is as neat as it can possibly be.
Withal, for an amateur, achieving a good 45-caste join at the corner can be challenging, equally it involves cut angles accurately in two dimensions. If you take the tools and technique, by all means, go for it!
Scroll to Continue
Read More From Dengarden
But I chose to avoid this claiming by using butt joints at the corners, allowing me to utilise square (90-degree) cuts. That leaves a board with an exposed border, of course, but by making a clean cut and finishing it thoroughly, I hope that vulnerability to weathering won't increment also much. This is perhaps an instance of how not to do it—but I don't care if a professional person of xx years snickers at me.
(Past the style, y'all can come across the xc-degree edge of the previously-replaced fascia lath on the bordering wall in the picture above. That was really the point at which I decided to get with barrel joints.)
Paint, Pigment, Paint!
Once the board is cut to fit, paint information technology. I believe in painting both faces of the lath to amend protect it from wet and insects, though contractors will usually just paint the outside. I use a primer/sealer, such as "Kilz," covering the exterior face only with a top coat of trim paint.
Ane surface area where my work is arguably superior: I paint both surfaces of the replacement board, not just the exposed face. Here the paint dries, supported on a stepladder.
Hither'southward the fascia board nailed in place, waiting for its finish coat. The scars on the primer coat are minor enough not to be a existent problem, and they are almost inevitable from the nailing procedure. Damage to pigment volition be covered with a finish coat
Replace the 'Fillet'
The next step is to replace the fillet. You can use a piece of cardboard to create a template or pattern to fill the space. I actually drew directly on the scrap piece of plywood used for the repair, but that is harder in some means, every bit it's easy to misfile the orientation of the piece. I ended up with a couple of modest inaccuracies in fit, merely decided they weren't enough to justify a second endeavor.
Pigment the piece, as you did for the fascia board, so install information technology. Looking at the structure I had led me to two conclusions about the installation. Kickoff, I didn't desire to pound nails and perhaps harm the soffit; and second, I wanted to reinforce the construction of the eave and so I wouldn't accept to practise some other repair afterward. Reinforcement would as well make installation of the fillet much easier.
That reinforcement takes the course of what I call a "batten block." It's just a piece of i" ten 2," cutting to length. It's attached to the soffit lath and the bankroll board with a couple of screws, and it gives a solid piece to which the fillet volition be attached in turn. The photos below evidence the procedure.
The fillet board is secured with a couple of finishing screws, as shown below. The inaccuracies are visible in this shut-up but won't exist noticeable from the ground when sealed and painted.
Seal It Together
Seal joints with a paintable sealant, both for a smooth terminate appearance and to keep moisture out. I used a good-quality latex product.
The close-up below shows the joint with the adjacent section of fascia, but of course all joints should exist sealed—that with the fillet, with the soffit, and at the corner of the eave too. Once it has dried, you lot are fix to paint!
Use a proficient quality sealant—in this instance I used a latex formulation—to seal the joints and cover modest imperfections. Make certain the sealant is paintable!
Finishing Touches
The sealed project is finished with a trim pigment—in my case, a gloss white latex enamel. You and I know that there were imperfections along the way. But as y'all tin see, the project looks good and should last a expert many years.
Of course, if I don't want to accept to do more fascia repair, I demand to get cracking on repainting the "good" fascia and soffit and so that they don't deteriorate, too! And while I'yard at it, I'd improve remove that disused downpipe yous tin can see, still strapped to the wall at the corner.
Hmm, can that exist an commodity, too?
The obligatory "later on" motion-picture show. Sweet satisfaction!
This article is accurate and truthful to the all-time of the author's cognition. Content is for informational or amusement purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Doc Snowfall (author) from Camden, South Carolina on September nineteen, 2022:
As I recall, it was semi. I have read the same equally yous--and I'd add together that there's a reason people like to utilize gloss in kitchens!
Ronny on September 19, 2022:
What kind of paint did y'all apply? Flat, matte, or semi gloss? I know it can exist a personal choice for many, simply I've besides read that flat paint is harder to clean.
AJOY ADHIKARI on June 25, 2022:
I don't think detailing too much to the customer actually helps you lot. Keep it curt & sweet. Y'all will get better.
Dr. Snow (writer) from Camden, S Carolina on November 06, 2022:
Sounds like a dandy tip, thanks! I'm presuming that the Westward systems filler does aggrandize and contract more like existent woods, then?
Glaze on November 06, 2022:
Problem with bondo and other body fillers is that they dont expand and contract with the wood during the changing seasons. And one time it starts cracking, at that place is the entry point for water and the damage starts all once again. I also utilise a liquid epoxy mixed with a filler agent such equally what W Systems offers for all the joints and areas that need filler to close the gap. Easily sandable and very stiff secure joints that looks seamless for years to come up.
Medico Snowfall (author) from Camden, South Carolina on September 22, 2022:
Thanks for that. I've observed a like solution in apply past some local pros--to fix damaged siding without replacing a board, they practical proficient old Bondo, straight from the car shop, sanded and painted. Completely invisible--and probably a lot more than durable than the board it'due south patching.
Neil on September 16, 2022:
Liquid epoxy is a skilful solution to the exposed terminate grain. I use it even when I accept proper miters.
Physician Snow (writer) from Camden, South Carolina on Baronial 25, 2022:
Thanks for the tip, Tim. I know a lot of readers volition appreciate it!
Timthetoolman on Baronial 24, 2022:
Did a soffit repair for the first time. FYI - soffit is just one/eight" plywood with a veneer rolled on. Oh, y'all can actually buy real soffit merely information technology is made of some weird material that you lot must employ a carbon tipped sawblade to cut. Then, to go along things simple -- go with the i/8" plywood and purchase a roll of the wood veneer. It actually words pretty well.
Doc Snow (author) from Camden, S Carolina on January 21, 2022:
Sounds like a expert trick. At that place'due south also a Hardie plank composite board now available for soffit. I'm not sure if they as well have something that would be suitable for fascia. If and so, it would be 'bombproof' as far as rot goes, albeit it's a bit of a pain to piece of work with in some means.
Coincidentally, this afternoon should see me using a couple of Hardie soffit planks to replace some deteriorated lap siding. It's a pretty good match for what'southward on there--a piddling thinner than the original, just with a plain terminate that seems fairly difficult to find in a 12" lath.
Eugene Brennan from Ireland on January 21, 2022:
Skillful communication, and voted upwardly!
I've had to do this several times, in our climate timber doesn't last long unless it's hardwood or pressure treated softwood which has been primed, and carefully painted.
I ordinarily saturate the cut end of the existing fascia lath and all the new section with wood preservative. Considering its so watery, information technology keeps soaking in and probably prevents any farther rot.
Dr. Snow (writer) from Camden, S Carolina on September 27, 2022:
Sure. In fact, yous'd have difficulty (I suspect *great* difficulty) sourcing such long boards. Only join them neatly and they'll look fine.
TIM on September 26, 2022:
I am replacing a 25 foot run of fascia board is it ok to use shorter boards to make information technology easier to handle?
Doc Snowfall (author) from Camden, South Carolina on September 17, 2022:
I'k not sure whether or non I understand your situation correctly. Is your "triangle point" similar to what I'm calling the "fillet?"
If and so, I installed the fillet butted to the front of the plywood soffit boards, using a batten block to provide proficient nailing surfaces in each direction. That's shown in the fourth-last set up of photos.
Merely perhaps your question isn't almost that? I'll aid if I can; peradventure y'all would like to email me a photograph of the pieces you're concerned about? You can do that via my Hubpages profile page, if and so. Of course you're too welcome to elaborate hither, if you similar.
Either fashion, thank you for your comment, and good luck with your project!
ml on September 17, 2022:
The instructions and pictures were very helpful....I was hoping for educational activity of the whole lath...upwards to the triangle point, the original 1x6" is not real forest, it has deteriorated (1974 business firm) and the eave center triangle slice has pulled away from the 1x6" and is hanging on the center shelf lath, which was pieced together instead of i long shelf board(probably another reason this trouble happened.) Mainly I'm needing to know if the triangle piece sits behind/in front/or flush up against the existing wood triangle frame. I've removed all the (not)woods 1x6 and am ready to replace with real wood, but unsure how to match it up and fasten it to the triangle piece that the 2 1x6"'s meet together. thank you if you lot canhelp.
Doc Snow (author) from Camden, South Carolina on November 03, 2022:
You're very welcome, nick--I capeesh your comment.
nick on November 03, 2022:
cheers helpful article
Doc Snow (author) from Camden, South Carolina on October 14, 2022:
Well, once once again, thanks for stopping by!
Hullo, hello, from London, UK on October 14, 2022:
I can't answer your questions considering I am non a handyman but I enjoyed reading you hub which was very comprehensive.
Doc Snowfall (author) from Camden, South Carolina on October 14, 2022:
And then what do you think? Should I take sucked it up and gone for bevelled edges at the corner? Was my ladder technique totally foolhardy? Or--against all odds--did you actually learn something useful here?
And how virtually your adventures in home repair? Let u.s. know. . . nosotros have inquiring minds!
Source: https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/How-Not-To-Fix-Your-Eaves-Fascia
Posted by: danielsandence57.blogspot.com
0 Response to "How To Repair Fascia Board Ends On House"
Post a Comment