I am a new builder doing a home remodel that includes vinyl siding, aluminum soffit and fascia. I am looking for good info on how to install soffit and fascia. I have been to all the box stores and all have instructions for vinyl siding, but no info on soffit and fascia. I need these directions because I hired a man who claims he knows how to install this stuff, but he is really butchering the job, so I would like to be able to point to a document and say this is how I want it fixed.
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On a vinyl resto job, you usually wrap the existing soffit,facia & rake with aluminum.
You buy rolls of it and bend it with a metal brake to fit over the existing.
The soffit is usually done with vented vinyl soffit though.
Grad a how-to book at Lowes on siding that covers RE-siding.
OZZ:
Welcome to BT.
Take a look at this document: http://www.vinylsiding.org/install/guide.pdf
Really though there is probably about 5 ways of doing soffit/fascia. In addition, your post is a little confusing because it sounds like you are saying that the soffit will be covered with metal. Normally, the soffit is vinyl - either ventilated or not depending on the circumstance.
A few more details of how the house is build would be helpful. Are you just covering the old soffit/fascia or what?
Not sure where you live, but here in Michigan most use aluminum and some use vinyl to cover fascia and soffit. At any rate the technique should be the same. Covering existing or new, it would seem to me, wouldn't make much difference. As I said there is an abundance of info about siding but not much on soffit and fascia.
The document (web link) I sent you has info on fascia/soffit, but it is for vinyl soffits. I have never seen metal soffits here in NC, except maybe on a house that was done 20 - 30 years ago when AL siding was popular. If the subcontractor is wrapping your soffits in aluminum and if you have soffit vents, don't let them block the vents. BTW - if you are using Aluminum on the soffits, is that done from coil stock, or is it some kind of pre-made panels?As far as new construction and remodeling being pretty much the same - I doubt it. In remodeling, one must adapt their techniques, materials and methods to what is already there. I think it was either Jaybird or Buck here who said new construction is for beginners, and remodeling is for the pros - or something along that line, which I resented, being in new construction, but really, I think he was right on target. Every time I get involved in any kind of remodel stuff, it seems like there is something grossly out of square or plumb, stuff is rotten, there's bogus wiring in the walls, or any of a whole myriad of "treats". The number of "how can we work around this problem" situations are doubled...
Matt
Edited 1/14/2005 7:15 am ET by DIRISHINME
matt.. you don't really listen to jaybird or buck , do you?
i take money from buck all the time and i suspect jay is a 12 year old girl , no one's ever met him...
i mean , really !Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I don't listen to anyone here :-)
But I do take into consideration all opinions presented, while understanding that we have quite a collection of "individuals" here. On the other hand, although I've never used the "ignore" function there are a few folks who's "information" I wouldn't bet a nickle on... rain in the attic caused by cellulose insulation comes to mind... :-) Matt
14 in April.....
bite me!J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
my, my, my.... lip stick & bobby sox !Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
bobby sox?!?!
Damn.....you are old!J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
14 in April.....
Dozzat mean Gunner is 15 now <incredulous gasp>. . . ?Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Almost legal.
As if that matters.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Almost legal.
Depends on where "here" is, doesn't it? <G>
In Texline, that's married & workin . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
are you insinuating something???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Don't you think there is something to the commetn that remo is jharder than new work, though?That was the thing that jumped out at me from Ozz's comments - that he needs to decide whether he is a builder or a remodelor - if he wants to make any money at this.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
While I was partially credited for the comment, I must confess, it weren`t me. I`d say all the trades have aspects of each that make certain jobs more difficult than others.
Generally speaking, and having done both, I`d say remodelling is probably a bit tougher than new construction though.
Whether that transfers to salary, I dunno.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Matt
You are right, new and remodeling are much different. What I meant is that, on this particular project, due to rot from neglect I removed all of the old soffit and fascia material and rebuilt the overhangs on the eaves and the gable ends just as a new house would be, then hired a sub to cover this with aluminum. These are pre-made panels that are cut to fit, just like vinyl. Vinyl tends to sag and conform to warped areas and expands and contracts more than aluminum. I don't know if you read my first posting about the subject, but I needed pictures and details about all aspects of aluminum soffit and fascia installation because I had hired a sub who was doing a terrible job and hoped this would help him see his errors. I have since fired him and have someone who knows what he is doing.
Ozz
could you post a pic of the job, specifically, the soffit detail?
Huck
I'm still learning how to find my way around this website, haven't tryed to upload pictures. I'm beat and going to hit the hay. Maybe I'll attempt an upload latter. I'm a GCOZZ
Fine Homebuilding Sep.2002 had an article on this (vinyl siding with soffit detail). You can purchase it from their back-issue inventory. I know because I just bought it - for John Carroll's article on setting up a portable shop.
Yes I saw that article, but it does not show how to join the two sides of the soffit at the gable end peak. I have learned ,through some discussions with siding installers, a few inovative ways this can be done. That article shows a lot about siding, but not enough about soffit coverage.
Ozz,
We usually do the fascia in coil stock,bent on a break and the soffit in vinyl. We try to do the soffit first then bring the siding to it and then wrap the fascia.
F channel is used to hold the soffit in place at the house side roof nails at the fascia edge. J channel or some other siding trim is then used at the soffit to finish the siding.
Now Ozz, if you don't mind my saying, how did you bid this job if you didn't know how to do it .I know there is a first time for everything but don't you think you should find out how to do something before you start. It makes for much happier customers and a better reputation for yourself.
Vince Carbone
Vince
Here in Michigan we use a prebent soffit material and fascia material made from vinyl or aluminum. The fascia material comes in 6" or 8" widths and I think 15' lengths. I have an estimating program that figures on per running foot that gets it close. When doing a large addition I uaually have subs give me bids, so I don't have to know how to do all of these skills, but I had a sub that was doing a terrible job and I needed pictures and descriptions to help him. I fired him and have someone who knows what he is doing now.
If he is butchering your job so that even you, who knows not about the mechanics of the project, can see the obvious, he should be immediately relieved and you should be whipped with a wet noodle for failing to predetermine his qualifications. However, since you are paying him and losing money all around, that should be enough punishment, for the time being.
Forget pointing to a document and saying this how you want it fixed. He's not the man to do it. If you don't want to do it yourself, you won't need a book. Just go to your aluminum and vinyl supplier and get some recommendations or find someone on a job and look at their work. Hire them.
Ozz,
Welcome to Breaktime!!
If you click on your name above (where it says "To: Ozz"), you will open your profile.
We would appreciate it if you could fill some of that in, especially where you are located!!
Thanks!
Soffit/fascia is a lot of work, but it is not difficult to understand how to do. Put F channel on the house. Cut the soffit to fit into the channel and reach the bottom edge of the fascia. Slip it into the channel and nail it to the fascia (make sure it is fully seated into the previous piece and make sure the first piece is square to the wall). After all the soffit is up, put the fascia piece up so it covers the edge of the soffit.
If using vinyl soffit, roofing nails work. If using aluminum soffit, then use aluminum or stainless steel nails (although I've no idea why anyone would waste time with the aluminum nails).
If you have vented soffits, be sure you are using vented soffit material.
I usually use metal soffit that comes made just like the vinyl soffit.
I always use prepared fascia material...no brake needed.
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
Rich
Thanks for the heads up on my profile. I am having a hard time figuring the ins and outs of the website.
The part I was most interested in concerning fascia is at the gable end. I have learned how to do it by observing what not to do, done by this idiot that I hired and fired after he butchered lots of material.
OZZ
go to Certainteed webb site or stop into one of their dealers...
the have a great how to book fer the serious individual..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Are you the GC or homeowner on this job?
I wrap my facia in sheetmetal but the soffit is what giving me problem. Due to weekly wind storm, they cannot be with vinyl and f channel. keep being blown out.
Sure they can. Soffit pieces are so short that you don't have to be as careful to leave an expansion factor when cutting. Each piece can be set all the way into the F channel. (Not jammed in). Then the opposite end of each piece is tacked to the bottom of the subfascia and your coil stock fascia is formed and placed to cover and hold that end.
If your sofit keeps blowing out I suspect it's cut too short and it's just laying in there, not tacked on one end.
I'd put a 2x4 nailer up against the house - and parralel and level with the bottom of the subfascia, and then nail both the inboard and outboard ends of the short soffit peices, there by not depending on 'F' channel to hold it in place. Like Ralph said, on those short pieces you don't have to worry so much about expansion and contraction, although you still can use the nailing flanges to some extent. Matt