By Daniel Weadley
© DanielsRoof.com

The images shown further below on this page were taken by me during a typical fascia and soffit installation which also involved installing new white squareline guttering.

The original gutter is covered in dirt because it wasn’t installed correctly by the original house builder. The water didn’t flow to the outlet, instead it “ponded” and then overflowed during heavy rainfall. This has therefore resulted in some minor rot to the fascia board along with lots of flaky paint, hence why the home owner has now decided to have it all removed and a new roofline system installed.

You can use the information below as a guide to replacing roofline fascias, soffits and guttering with a new Upvc plastic system. Do you want to know how much it costs to replace fascias and soffits? You can find an example quotation on this page.

Access to the Roof

I own a few sets of access towers that can erected up to 8 metres in height, because they have a walking platform on them it’s so much safer than using a ladder and also provides a place to store tiles, materials and tools etc.

I wouldn’t recommend trying to do this type of work from a ladder, although on a small section that may be possible.

The plastic boards I used in this installation were made by Floplast. Here is list of all the materials I used on this installation.

Below is a video-slideshow I created:

1) Fully Remove the Boards

Existing boards and guttering

The first row of roof tiles are removed and set aside for re-use. Using a Stanley knife the existing felt is cut back a few inches from the front and the guttering is removed.

Instead of capping over existing boards like the cowboys do, the existing timber fascia and soffit boards should be removed using a crowbar/pry-bar. If the soffits are sealed to the window frames with a silicone/mastic sealant, then this can be cut with a knife.

The exposed rafters can now be checked for rot. If any is discovered it can be cut out with a saw and replaced. The timbers in this roof were in good condition and the rot was only present on the fascia boards that were removed.

2) Fixing the Soffits

Fixing the soffit boards to the rafters

The new Upvc soffit boards are fixed to the underside of the timber rafter ends with stainless steel plastic capped nails.

Timber “packers” or lengths of baton can be used to close any gaps between the soffit and the rafter.

The back of the soffit board rests on the top of the wall and is pinched down with timber “legs” to prevent the wind from lifting the board up.

The soffit boards used in this installation are 10mm thick and 5 metres in length, an expansion gap of 10mm is allowed for at each 5 metre joint. Alternatively you could use hollow cladding boards as a soffit here.

3) Fixing the Fascias

Fascia get fixed to the rafter ends

The 18mm Upvc fascia boards are then fixed to the timbers with 65mm stainless steel nails.

Two nails are used to prevent any buckling or pivoting of the boards. Don’t forget that these boards must hold the weight of the roof tiles, the guttering, rainwater and any snow or icicles that may form during winter.

All windows are now fully opened and closed to ensure the new boards are not obstructing them. If a window cannot be fully opened because the fascia is blocking it then the boards will need to be adjusted, possibly by trimming back the rafters. It is best to check the windows before fixing all the nails into place.

We have compiled a list of all the materials used in this installation. Think of it as a roofline checklist.

4) Eaves Vents and Gutter Support Brackets

Vents and gutter support brackets are now fitted

A 10mm eaves vent strip (colour black) is then fitted to the top edge of the fascia board (you can see this in the photo to the right) to prevent loft condensation. It is secured with 40mm nails

The gutter support clips/brackets are then screwed to the fascia using two 30mm screws. A string line and spirit level is used to ensure the gutter has the correct gradient fall and all water flows freely to the pipe outlet.

To prevent the guttering from sagging in later years, the support clips are spaced no greater than 800mm apart.

Water should never “pond” in the gutter. The life expectancy of any guttering is greatly increased when the water runs freely to the outlet.

5) Guttering

Guttering

The Upvc guttering is then inserted into place and all joints are screwed to the fascia with a 30mm screw to prevent any movement. Gutter adapters can be used on the joint with the neighbours guttering (if the profile is different).

The gutter is then tested with water to ensure everything is leak free and working correctly.

At this point in the installation, a new rainwater pipe is usually installed to replace the existing one, connectors/adapters can be used to connect into any existing pipework.

A gutter leaf guard can also be fitted if there are overhanging trees. This will prevent gutter and pipe blockages.

6) Eaves Felt

Eaves felt

Replacement eaves felt is then fitted, it is tucked under the existing roofing felt and overlaps into the guttering.

The felt is rigid and unlike traditional felt is designed not to sag behind the fascia boards. It also prevent water from splashing up from the gutter onto the fascia boards.

A bird stop comb can also be fitted to the top edge of the fascia to prevent birds from entering the loft.This page has more details about how to prevent birds from entering the loft and nesting.

7) The Completed Installation

The boards and guttering are now cleaned and a mastic/silicone sealant is applied to the window frames and external walls. This prevents insect infestation and leaves a neat finish.

Here you will find a list of all the materials used in this installation.

Please feel free to explore the many other helpful pages on this site that contain informative guides and photos. This site is frequently updated so bookmark it!

Completed roofline project