Pick a tab up and drive a nail till you find both sides of the rafter. This creates an ice dam that allows water to work its way back into the walls and ceilings of the house. Installation. They sided it separately, but installed J-channel around the door and the opening so I had to disaseemble the siding to get the door open. Seems like the fascia would at least have a 1x6 or 8 under the metal, or maybe even a sub-fascia of a 2x? This is one of the few times when face nailing of the soffit material is permissible. Home Newest Articles Installing Soffit: A Beginners Guide. Before installation, however, you must first determine the channel location on the wall. All rights reserved. insulation - Soffit vents and rafter baffles in finished attic - Home If this heat isn't given proper ventilation or . 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. The number of rafters needed will be determined by the length of your roof. In layman's term fascia boards are the horizontal boards that are attached at the end of rafters at the exterior of a building which are used to hang rain gutters or guttering. These can be repaired, or soffits can be installed to create closed eaves. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; There could be many rafters supporting a roof. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; The elaboate measuring is fine, but it still a leap of faith, and the slightest angle error can put you off allot. Both parts provide a finished look and keep bugs and critters out of your attic, while soffits also play an important role in ventilating the attic. The fascia dado for 1/4- or 3/8-inch plywood can be made with a couple of quick, shallow passes on a table saw. How about attaching to the header above the winddow? Metal soffit is installed in much the same manner. On many other irregular surfaces, I recommend switching to metal scan mode and locating screws, but that wont work on the roof because you are unable to differentiate the screws that fasten the plywood to the rafters from the roofing nails. 3. Use a tape measure to find the length of your roof. Drill 2-inch-deep, 1/8-inch-diameter pilot holes through the fascia and rafter tails where your marks meet the chalk line. A 2by end nailed through the trusses bottom cord and reinforced with two short lengths face nailed into the cords in front of the blocking makes a strong mount. Find the location of the rafter tails behind the fascia board. So I dont know how secure anything is. I recently attended a large event for satellite dish installers who asked me for advice and tips on how to use Zircon StudSensorTM or MultiScanner stud finders on the roof to locate rafters. I divided 13.42 by 12 inches to come up with 1.118 when the length of the base is 1. So the furthest edge towards the rafter indicates the center of the rafter.Youll mark the spot indicated by the outer edge of the key head. Even a well insulated roof will usually start to thaw the frost unevenly and the rafters will appear like magic. This is the best, most efficient way to find rafters out there. 75 19K views 3 years ago Introducing the chiptoolz Rafter/Stud Center-line Locator, the easiest way to know, for sure, where the center of the rafter/stud you're trying to find is. If installing over an existing soffit and it doesnt have ventilation openings, cut openings in it before installing the vinyl soffit in place. First step is to apply the receiving channel or channels, depending on the type of installation needed. In many cases, the rafters are exposed in the attic. When designing a gable-end eave without a return, the dimensions to look at are the width of the trim (set between 6 in. Its available in a widerange of colors and requires little maintenance. The difficulty with scanning for rafters is that the asphalt shingles now create an irregular scanning surface that can result in false positives (stud indication when a stud may not actually be present). Office: 27B Camac Street, Binoy Bhawan 4th Floor, Kolkata 700 016, Mcs Share Transfer Agent Ltd How to Attach Guttering to Existing Fascia | Home Guides | SF Gate eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Then tap with hammer. Installation of a wooden soffit is in much the same manner, except nailing strips are first fastened in place. Place the fascia board level with the front of the soffit board. The first and foremost reason to install a soffit on your home is for ventilation. How to Easily Find Rafters' Exact Center! - YouTube Typically built on site, rafters are cut to 2 x 10 pieces and land on a ridge board, which runs across the length of the building. A newer cylindrical "bubble" level usually has a slit or two hooks that fit over the string. You can also try installing maintenance-free aluminum soffit vents, too. The drawings in this article illustrate the various types of eave and soffit construction. Over time, caulk splits and opens gaps and joints that can't be closedreplace failed caulk and repaint worn or peeling areas as needed. The roof of my guest wing now has exterior foam with a minimum value of R-33. All of this starts with the right cut on the end of your rafters. All of the trim is gapped enough from underlying wood that it is hard to tell what is solid and what is not.But I did find a place down lower to temp fasten the TV cable. You need to maintain ventilation against the roof sheathing the entire way up, otherwise you'll build what's known as a "hot roof". ;-) Gary D. I agree that one measurement with a stud finder through shingles isn't valid due to the nails. Venting both the attic with eave vents and the soffit with vent systems increases air circulation and prevents this problem. Soffit: Soffit is found on the underside of the roof and is connected to the fascia board. Nail these pieces starting at one end of the roof, butting each piece flush to the one before. Note that a squirrel had built a large nest above the soffit shown here. If the old fascia has not rotted, you can nail it back into place using your hammer and move on. You should also wear a pair of leather or protective work gloves. Be sure to treat the cut edges of the rafter with a wood sealant to prevent rotting in the future. It protects the underside of eaves and porch ceilings and can provide a hidden vent system. Use two nails in the end of each rafter. Soffit brackets mount under the eave and anchor into the rafter tails. Birds and squirrels and other rodents also like to make holes in fascia to get into attic spaces. . Gutters catch rainwater and divert it away from the house to keep rivers of roof runoff from washing away soil and penetrating house foundations. The fascias form the outer edge and have a groove in them to receive the soffit lining sheets. Use a rafter square to mark the end of each rafter with the angle taken from the peak of the roof, starting from the bottom corner of the rafter tail. If it sounds hollow, there's a good chance there are no studs in that area. Cut pieces so that the end joints between pieces fall in the center of a rafter tail. Measure the missing piece of the rafter, cut a piece of a 2x4 that is the same size, and then screw it into place using a drill and galvanized steel screws to restore the rafters shape. your other option is to drill through from the inside, that way you know your hole will be where you want it in relation to the rafter. The stud finder was a good idea. Once you have one reference point, you can measure rafter spacings (uneven or otherwise) on the inside of the roof and then mark off these same spacings on the outside. Cut 1/4-inch-thick screen molding to fit along both edges and the ends of your soffit. There is an access door in the gable on the oposite end. - or is that all covered up with gutters? Rotted or deteriorated wooden soffits should be removed before installation of new vinyl soffits. We found two ways to reduce the screen size on the soffits, one with either a 1/8" or 1/16" (non-louvered) screened mini-vent from Maurice Franklin Louver Co (mflouverco.com) , or purchase that size in stainless steel screening (or actual bird block replacement screening) from GateLatchUSA.com. Fiber-cement fascia board with wood grain. Watch this video to find out more. He nails it in and you drill the 5/8" hole. Your email address will not be published. if you have confidence that your builder was good with the level-square-plumb aspect of his/her trade, you can estimate the location of the rest of the rafter based on that data. A steel rod formed into a hook and chucked into a drill motor allows the eye to be spun allowing the coupling and/or nut to be drawn up quickly. With it's. The stud, when such rarities are seen, is pretty good but there is better. All roof rafters should be identical, so follow the same steps to measure the plumb cut, tail cut, and birdsmouth cut. These architectural elements found along the eave area do more than just add visual interest and give a finished look to your home. Start your subscription today and save up to 70%. in history from the University of Maryland and has training experience in finance, garden center retailing and teaching English as a second language. a couple of tripods might be useful, too. This measurement shows you the center of the second rafter. Done well a four man crew can hang from the drop without any damage or issues. Step 1 Measure the distance from the inside wall to the center of the first rafter inside the attic. Another thought was that get about 3ft of cedar 2b and scew it to the underside of the soffit MAYBE hitting a rafter or two or not hitting them, but I would have some screws into the soffit. Soffits and fascia provide the roof with a finished look. Then make a wooden block that I and screw and glue to the framing. That is the Question. A Crash Course in Roof Venting - Fine Homebuilding Staple the molding to the bottom face of the soffit, covering the seam between the fascia on one side, the wall on the other and the back of the gable at both ends. Mine was one of the first "electronic" versions and can find rafters 2 inches deep when set correctly.Good luck! Question about insulating a lean-to-style shed roof A 2by end nailed through the trusses bottom cord and reinforced with two short lengths face nailed into the cords in front of the blocking makes a strong mount. Fascia and soffits finish the edges of roofs by covering the ends of the roof rafters (or roof trusses) where they overhang the sides of the house. Gaps in soffits and fascia are also favorite points of entry for insects, particularly wasps, who like to build nests in the rafter bays. ft.) you would need at least 5.2 sq. Nail the 1-by-4 with its bottom edge along the chalk line from one end of the wall to the other. These oils penetrate deep into the deck or siding wood fiber where the woods natural oils used to be. say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Insert the panel end into the wall receiving channel, then either insert into thefascia channel or nail to the fascia. Cut 1/4-inch plywood panels to fill the area from the back of the fascia below the 1-by-2 to the wall. Steel is more forgiving. Typically consisting of wood, wood substitute (such as Fibre Cement or Nutec), metal or PVC plastic, the fascia board along with the soffit, encloses the roof space of the home. Mostly these are screwed into siding on a gable or fascia. get a good helper and a ladder.find row of nails on the soffit/facia. Without functioning soffit vents, your home may not have enough air circulation to remove interior moisture accumulation, which can lead to interior damage and wood rot. Not only does the cornice add to the appearance of the home, it also helps protect the building from sun, rain and snow. J-channel can be modified to create F-channel. Once cut, you can nail your fascia into place using galvanized nails and your hammer. This system is also called stick framing. For more information on ventilation and moisture control, read this article I wrote on Proper Attic Ventilation. Essentially there to protect the underside of the roof edge, they can be seen on the overhang of your roof (stand under it and look up). Login with username, password and session length. I was considering using rigid foam board in the area of the top plate/soffit to guarantee that area gets a minimum of R 20. Cut enough 1-by-4-inch lumber to fit from one end of the wall to the other. the latter is normally a remodeling chore. Open eave construction, where the rafters or trusses are exposed, is common on new construction. Telephone: 033-4072 4051,4052,4053,4054, to 18 in., depending on the style of the building). Theyre just plain unglamorous. That will be a pain in our house because our roof has a shallow pitch. . Soffit lining a house in Northern Florida, United States. And the phone guy used a longer screw in went back in the area where it had been before.But I got an idea from the exterior light thread for a permanate fix.When the weather is good I am going to take off the top 2 strips of AL siding. In this case the fascia cap or coil stock must be installed first as it supports the outer edge of the soffit. Then replace them, of course. A ledger plate is fastened to the wall to attach the soffit at that location. you may want to verify with the studfinder or a couple of small nails that you are on the center of the rafter. Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox. I only accepted that I actually found a stud when a set of the stud finder's "hits" all lined up nicely and if the proposed stud location was approximately 16" from where I thought the next stud was at. Find the location of the rafter tails behind the fascia board. installing vinyl soffit. Best IMHO is to use a welded steel galvanized eye. The sequence of construction is described in Steps 17 and shown in Figures 1 and 2. Even if the lag screws on the eye hold the fascia, being nailed into end grain, usually gives up and siding is only slightly better. This hardly ever happens. Its as easy as that. Fix it onto the rafters with stainless steel nails rafters should have two evenly spaced nails on to hold the fascia in place. Consult your gutter kit's user's guide for specific instructions. I am ready to start on the next phase of retrofitting the envelope.nIn this phase I have to decide how (or even whether) to get insulation in the 5 and a half inch bays above the ceiling, between the rafters/joists in this miniature, non-accessible attic. If youre installing perforated soffit panels and the existing soffit doesnt have openings for ventilation, cut an adequate number of openings. I hear the same reaction from solar panel installers. Rafter tails can be cut in a number of ways. Then use the instructions for open eaves. Usually a six-foot section. It is commonly made in aluminum and vinyl, as well as fiber cement, wood, and steel. This permits the exterior insulation to extend above the top plate line so that we avoid a cold spot along the top plate. Be sure to properly seal up your access hole when youre finished. 3. In most instances you will close off the gable end fascia with a cornice box or a fascia end cap. Dont drive nails tight. Non-wood soffits typically are held in place with J-channel installed along the wall. Surgical Care Affiliates Manager Salary, I can confidently Rafters are evenly spaced, so knowing how far apart they are gives you the ability to find the rafters while on the roof. Then complete the installation as described for open eaves. These should be attached through fascia into rafter tails, rather than to just the fascia, for a secure and long-lasting installation. Its top edge is tucked up under the shingles, and its outside face is where the gutter is mounted. There should be a solid rafter behind the aluminum and rake trim. These stud finders work the same way as normal stud finders but cost more. You will probably have to slightly flex the panel to get it in place. Once the panels are cut, place the cut panel into the channel on the wall, then into the channel on the fascia board. If they did it by code, The rafters should be on 16" centers, Another method instead of hammering and listening for the difference in sound, Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board. First remove rotted or damaged wooden soffits. How to Install Drip Edge Flashing on a Roof, How to Install Z Flashing on T1-11 Siding. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; To Scan? In the future, you may want to consider installing a soffit made from a different material: a wide range of different materials are available, including aluminum and vinyl, which are immune to moisture damage. We measured from the ridge to the sleepers to get the lengths of . Attach the soffit to the underside of the rafter, screwing it into the eave with the drill and several galvanized screws. Just getting to the soffits requires some dexterity. Straight, Level and Square: You should be concerned about leveling the soffit and this is the time to think about it. How to Care for a Flat Roof in the Winter, Repairing the End Cap of a Leaking Gutter, Reasons for a Roof Leak on an External Overhang, This Old House: How to Install Rain Gutters, Valiant Exteriors LTD: The Best of Two Ways to Fasten Gutters to Fascias. Use an angle finder to discover the angle of the roof peak. That way you can completely finish all the cutting down on the bench before taking them up and installing them. Sometimes the projecting portions of the rafters the rafter tails are cut plumb and level to be boxed in with a soffit and fascia or more ornamental trim. Staple these plywood soffit panels to the bottom face of the 1-by-2 and the bottom edge of the 1-by-4 on the wall. All Rights Reserved. I put about 50 bolts into 10 studs and the bolt missed the stud only around 3 times in the whole process, and those were just due to being too close to the edge. Rafter vents ensure the soffit vents are clear and there is a channel for outside air to move into the attic at the soffits and out through the gable or ridge vent. Remove several shingles or tiles from the roof to minimize the distance a specialized "high-density" stud finder needs to look. Yea, if the roof was installed correctly, the only place you should have roofing nails is under each shingle tab, near the bottom edge, at dead center. Maybe you can beg, borrow, rent(?) The soffit is the material that covers the eaves, or the place where the rafters extend beyond the walls of the house. Sometimes also called soffit board, fascia is a board running horizontally under a roof edge which covers the openings between the rafters of the roof. Soffits usually range from 16 to 24 inches wide. Metal or vinyl soffits also come as solid panels or perforated to provide ventilation. Then you have about 18" of height to get into the attic. Nail it in place, with one narrow edge pressed against the back face of the fascia, and the top corner of that edge resting against the bottom of the rafter behind the fascia. Fascia also comes in vinyl and aluminum coverings that go over standard fascia boards. Soffit materials may be vinyl, metal or wood. Then, the asphalt shingles are fastened to the roof with roofing nails. Cut a hole inside the soffit and measure the thickness of the panel. Straighten the rafter tails by pulling and snapping a chalk line across the ends of the tails and then trimming them as necessary. Barring punching holes, every way I can think of, this late at night, involves accurate measurement. . You can pry it off with a crowbar, but take care to loosen it gently, as if it is undamaged you can nail it back into place later. How Much Did Kamara Grill Cost, Finding roof rafters from the top of the roof can be difficult, since regular stud finders have trouble penetrating the plywood, shingles or slate tiles covering the rafters. A soffit is an exterior or interior architectural feature, generally the horizontal, aloft underside of any construction element. Our team of experts will be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have, and point you in the right direction when it comes to repairing your homes exterior. Slide the finder up until the center rests against the bottom of the roof peak, with the two legs pressed out on the opposite faces. How about along a rake? Measure the edge of the roof. Measure the missing piece of the rafter, cut a piece of a 2x4 that is the same size, and then screw it into place using a drill and galvanized steel screws to restore the rafter's shape. I was going to use Accuvents to vent soffit and dam back of top plate. This is created by extending the rafters out past the building ends. Put a dab of tar on the holes and let the tab back down. You can find the rafters by locating the nailheads or using a stud finder. The biggest maintenance issues with fascia and soffits are rot, warping, peeled paint and other problems due to water. find row of nails on the soffit/facia. If soffits are not ventilated, they can cause the formation of ice dams at the eaves. Page created in 0.234 seconds with 30 queries. When you hit a stud, you will hear a noticeable difference in the percussion sound. The second, outside set of lines on a spirit level conveniently mark a 2-degree incline. Potato Sticks Recipe, Make sure the panel is perpendicular to the wall and not canted. The panel is held in place with small-headed nails driven into the fascia board or nailing strip. I did "inspect" it once. Quality gutter installation usually makes use of fascia gutter brackets. These baffles should still be air-sealed with spray foam, but they're a good option if you're looking for a stock product. Prep the area by nailing all loose boards and trim securely in place. Why would you want to sink a 3/8 lag into a support and weaken it.Why not widen the base and support it to the deck? Rafter vents come in 4-foot lengths and 14-1/2 and 22-1/2 inch widths for different rafter spacings. It usually ranges from 305mm to 315mm for 22.5 degree roof pitches. When fascia and soffit panels start to look really bad from holes, splits or rot, you can either replace them with new material or cover them with aluminum or vinyl fascia covers and soffit panels. The 10-in. The soffit materials are then nailed to the wooden support strips. Also, another trick I've used if the scanner isn't giving you a real clear point of center or broad indication, is to perform a "stepped" scan. Set your circular saw to that thickness and cut down the two parallel lines. What Types Of Vinyl Siding Exist And How Soffit Can Help? Heat builds up inside of attics over time, both from the sun beating down on the house, and from the energy rising within. My plan would be to fill the spaces between my rafters with 3.5" insulation, then drywall over that to finish the ceiling. A very poor tudor look. Soffits are the Rodney Dangerfield of home constructiontheyre mostly unseen and often the last detail to get attention. To create a straight, rigid soffit, try to maximize plywood along its length and minimize joists. When I am done with it it should look like it was designed that way and what it is - a kludge to cover up damaged siding that can't be matched. Then, set your strip vent down on a flat wood surface and screw holes through the flanges. You may also wish to install a vinyl fascia cap over the fascia board that encloses the front of the eave. Actually, you can cut two panels at the same time in this manner. These homes can be left as is, or soffits can be added. Then youll extend the key and rotate the body in either direction, until it stops. Doing this several hundred times at each opening would . As a bonus, you can get the wire up higher. About 18 from this area is a window. Try scanning in the middle or upper portion of the tab. I don't move the unit, but turn it off and on to reset it's sensitivity, and move it a little closer to the rafter and repeat the proceedure. How To Remove Hot Air From an Attic | Attics And More They where attached to the the side of the house and I am not sure what kind of meat that they connected with. A good magnet might be helpful here. Using chalk or a pencil, mark evenly spaced locations for the braces on both sides of the attic no more than 4 feet apart. These provide some degree of intake air to the attic, but they're not as effective as soffit vents, which take advantage of natural air convection (hot air rises) to promote nearly continuous airflow. Roof if maybe 3/12 with 12 soffit. How to Finish Rafters to Put on Fascia & Soffits | eHow They were really surprised to hear that Zircon does not recommend these tools for outdoor use. by 22 in. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; Its purpose is the protect the eaves and provide a clean look for the home. More Room to Breathe: The Importance of Proper Attic Ventilation, Replacement shingle molding (Potentially). "Structural" atttachments to soffit - Fine Homebuilding The inside edge of the panels typically are held in place by J-channel molding installed along the wall. To install the rafter vents, staple them directly to the roof decking. Drill 3/16-inch holes into the gutter's front edge, using the holes in the brackets as a guide. So, bottom line, a cheap stud finder can work through shingles, but you can't just go with one measurement. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; How to Flash a Chimney Pipe on a Corrugated Steel Roof, How to Replace the Roof on a Travel Trailer. Let moist areas dry out before proceeding. Under the 6 on the square is the number 13.42, or the length of a rafter per foot of run. Common, but much less durable, is Masonite or similar fiberboard soffit, as well as much more weather-resistant fiber-cement. If you widen existing holes, widen them toward the fascia, but no closer than 3 in. Methods for attaching the soffit to the fascia vary depending on the material. For in any ohter area I have found water that was trap and the AL wraping and rot behind it. In some instances of spans greater than 16 inches, it may be necessary to install nailing strips and then fasten the channels on the nailing strips. Aluminum and vinyl are the predominant materials, and they are available in solid, fully perforated or lanced, or combination soffits. This is drilled through and all-thread, couplings as needed, a heavy 3" washer and nut draws up the eye firmly into the fascia. 99046, Regd. What Is the Difference Between Soffit and Fascia? Soffit vents come in the form of round plugs or rectangular screens or grills, which ventilate only one rafter bay each; and in long, narrow strips that run along the entire soffit and ventilate all of the bays (called continuous vents).
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