Facia Board replacement

Want to replace the facia board on this home. It was originally pine and is 5 5/16 wide right now, it seems to have shrunk at the top and there is a space.

I want to make a wider board maybe 5 1.2- 7 1/4 and put a ogee or some kind of profile detail on the bottom.

The reason to replace it is it is 35 years old and the last owner did not overlap the shingles properly and also the shrinkage on the board let water get in behind. it is not trash and could be sanded and repainted but think I just want to do a better job on it.

1 Is clear pine the best material, I have built furniture in yellow poplar and pretty impressed with it. Have been told not to use it for facia but not by roof people.

2 I have looked for info but can’t seem to find any, anyone know of a site on this

3 I will slice some relief cuts in the back to release tension.

4 I will put the material with the hear side out

5 I figure two coats of primer on both sides and a finish coat on the outside of oil base paint or stain? but my experience is in furniture

6 I realize clear pine is expensive, was going to by 7" rough stock and machine it down to finished width and thickness of 3/4- 7/8"

Sorry for all the questions and probably have alot more just thinking it through at this point

Thanks,

Warren

if all your doing is replacing a 2 x6 with a 2 x 8 fascia then you can just go to a place like dixiline and buy it over the counter pre primed … I suggest a nice resawn for a rough look … If you are doing the entire perimeter .

The board on there would be 1 x 6 not 2 x 6.

I guess and it would measure 3/4 x 5 3/8 or so as it has shrunk a bit more on the front in the sun than the back.

Relief cuts a good idea to take tension out? think so at least commone sense tells me so would do it on basebaords.

Have never seen rough facia boards sounds interesting think smooth suits the home better but will see, easy for me to buy rough and plane and rip to size and profile the bottom.

Is that a good or bad idea to make it a bit wider and do a bottom profile?

I plan on replacing the soffit area instead of the 1/4" plywood did my moms home 20 years ago with 1x 6" tongue and groove cedar and it still looks great kept that honey brown colour cause it is not in the sun, this one I will paint to match. Put the boards coming out from the home instead of running lengthwise and want to put in LED’s to shine down or some kind of lighiing on dimmers.

Is pine the right choice over yellow poplar, heat side out etc??

Oil based paint the best choice?? most of it is covered by the trough anyway.

Thanks,

Warren

yup mb i posted this while sleepy i should have read more … Sounds like you have more knowledge about carpentry then some roofers here including myself … Pine is the regular wood we use down here to replace any exterior grade and we always prime it … Sorry i cant be of more help … doing starter board instead of plywood definetly sounds nicer … if you will do so … personally i always preffer the look and strenght of a nice 2 x 8 then a 1 x 8 fascia …

Maybe the guys here can help you more

no I am a cabinetmaker but just try to think things through which is good and bad at times.

That should have read 8" wide, dont understand the 2" thing you speak of if i knew how to post a photo would but it is just a straight forward flat board on there and I want to give myself grief and replace it all wider profile on bottom, I have not seen it before but it makes sense to me, I don’t want a facia to be too wide or it will make the front edge of the home look too thick, at the same time to profile makes it roll back so that is good and I can get a bit more slope to the eves, not talking alot and not sure yet have to make some samlples first and see.

Wish someone knew about yellow poplar, only cause I used it on two jobs recently and was impressed, it machined great and sanded like cherry, much nicer than clear pine plus if you do a furniture style build up of staining you can make it look very nice.

With each of these steps I think of many things and hate it when I have not done stuff before, I just want to do stuff really well but not so easy when you haven’t done it 150 times first.

Someone told me recently he had seen where they leave a space on the soffit back up against the house and put a crown molding there so it sucks air from behind. Seemed like a good idea, also seen that continuous roof vent stuff as well but not sure, going to do the facia first, then reshingle have to learn that then after the winter will do the soffit area.

I was told it is good it is not a bad idea to reshingle with the eves off as less chance of damage but have to take it off anyway.

Sure can be a ton of questions, even drip edge different types and I put a bunch of water on one of the home depot ones and saw some of the water wrap around and go back behind the eves. I told the guy there and he was suprised, cant remember now which one but I had another that did not do it I think it was a better design so all these subtle details. If there was someone here I would go work for free to learn to be able to do my own.

If anyone has thoughts on some of the questions I started with answers are greatly appreciated.

I went through a bunch of posts and it is nice to see like hammer verses nailer and the different posts always different angles to all. On furniture hammering nails in to hold a back stinks, you band the carcuss so much it does not compare with a staple gun, quick clean and does not loosen up the other staples nailing for that is not as good plus there is glue on the tip of the staples.

Thanks,

Warren

Hi,

If you are doing one roof. Hand nail Till you get the feel of the gun you will be done with the roof. You may land up having to hand set a lot of the nails anyway. Vibration will not be an issue.

Do the facsia first. trying to take a piece of a pie out after it is done then putting it back it.

You know more about different woods then I do. I would not use poplar it is softer then pine? Will not hold up to moisture well? Why not use #2 pine and put it up so any knots are where the gutter will go. You could put a crown molding under the gutter. Then you would not see any of the pine.
http://community.webshots.com/album/553017395UOsaUh

Puting relief cuts I do not see the purpose. Actually see the wood changing shape on you.

You can vent the soffit. Or you can vent the decking with Smart Vent.
http://community.webshots.com/album/515075021uSNJVs

Install an “L” drip it will go inside the gutter. With this type you will not have a chance of water wicking back in to the house. The steeper the roof the less chance of wickint with any type of drip edge.

With the “L” drip edge I would install your gutter first. After you rip your roof off.

The make gutter guards to protect the gutter.
http://community.webshots.com/album/283094581FZCRfs

Will try both, I did try a nailer on a friends and can see there are a few thinkg to get it perfect but flipping nails with my left hand and hammering wiill be slower will try both.
I
Will do the facia first as you said

Poplar is not poplar. it is yellow poplar, not the weed but from the tulip family it is many times harder than pine and comes very knot free and is half the price or less than clear pine.

I thought about the knot thing and getting it covered but thnk it is hard to do that, Murphy always follows me so knots will be where they are to bug me rather than where I want.

Crown moulding under the gutter sounds good and had thought that but if water did get behind the eves then it would rot there but will entertain it, have seen that i think in San Fransisco where homes seemed to be decorated like furniture.

How does this L drip work, it would have to go down far to get into the gutter rather than the styles I have seen where there is facia board showing before the gutter starts.

Relief cuts are a good idea they do not make a board more they make it warp less, if you look at a baseboard they are cut away at the back, it helps it fi the wall better but more so it takes some of the strength away so it has less strength to move. This is also done on flooring the ancient who taught me did it on all floors and baseboards

Thanks will look at your photos shortly.

You know I approach all with caution and have had several people tell me this is simple. My answer to that would be bullshit. Like many things when you start to really look and do it well there are many subtle dynamics and from reading through last night I realized there is lot to do this craft well and most importantly do it well. Sounds like alot of you care about what you are doing.

Will probably ask someone for help to post a photo in a few days and maybe I can draw on your experience to help me choose shingles. Have been to Home Depot and talked to one or two people but not ready to make a decision.

I am up here norh of Toronto and have to find the right people to work with for materials.

Brain streams me continuous questions on this and this is better than some of the people I have asked because there are so many of you full time guys here.

Thanks,

Warren

Will try both, I did try a nailer on a friends and can see there are a few thinkg to get it perfect but flipping nails with my left hand and hammering wiill be slower will try both.
I
Will do the facia first as you said

Poplar is not poplar. it is yellow poplar, not the weed but from the tulip family it is many times harder than pine and comes very knot free and is half the price or less than clear pine.

I thought about the knot thing and getting it covered but thnk it is hard to do that, Murphy always follows me so knots will be where they are to bug me rather than where I want.

Crown moulding under the gutter sounds good and had thought that but if water did get behind the eves then it would rot there but will entertain it, have seen that i think in San Fransisco where homes seemed to be decorated like furniture.

How does this L drip work, it would have to go down far to get into the gutter rather than the styles I have seen where there is facia board showing before the gutter starts.

Relief cuts are a good idea they do not make a board more they make it warp less, if you look at a baseboard they are cut away at the back, it helps it fi the wall better but more so it takes some of the strength away so it has less strength to move. This is also done on flooring the ancient who taught me did it on all floors and baseboards

Thanks will look at your photos shortly.

You know I approach all with caution and have had several people tell me this is simple. My answer to that would be bullshit. Like many things when you start to really look and do it well there are many subtle dynamics and from reading through last night I realized there is lot to do this craft well and most importantly do it well. Sounds like alot of you care about what you are doing.

Will probably ask someone for help to post a photo in a few days and maybe I can draw on your experience to help me choose shingles. Have been to Home Depot and talked to one or two people but not ready to make a decision.

I am up here norh of Toronto and have to find the right people to work with for materials.

Brain streams me continuous questions on this and this is better than some of the people I have asked because there are so many of you full time guys here.

Thanks,

Warren

Hi,

How does this L drip work,

The face is about 2 1/2" long about the same on the roof. It would stick down into the gutter. That is why you would need to install the gutter before the drip. You would not see face board behind it. You just need positive drainage. You do not need a lot. If your face board is straight you will not get dips. So when you are installing the face board, shim it till you get it almost if not perfectly straight.

if you really want painted facia then Redwood is the best imo

Cedar here

I only read some of the posts in response to your questions, so pardon me if I repeat someone else’s recommendations.

Anyway, first of all I would not use wood if you can help it, I would use HardiTrim:

jameshardie.com/homeowner/pr … ditrim.php

However, if you really want to use wood, then yes you want to prime the wood with an oil-based primer for best results. There are some latex primers you could also use, but to seal the wood oil-based is best. As for your choice of woods, I would go with the hardest wood you can, i.e., oak would be better than pine. However, in reality it is not cost effective to install oak for fascia board, so you have to decide between pine and poplar. I myself would probably just go with a #2 grade southern yellow pine or equivalent since you are paint the wood. But really, I would go with HardiTrim first so you won’t have to replace it again anytime soon, and you won’t need to paint it again for a long time. It may cost a little more up front, but in the long-run it will likely save you time and money.

Sorry, but cedar doesn’t hold paint long-term. Obviously, the best woods to use would be cypress, cedar and redwood, but then you’re talking about staining them and not painting them.

I still say, the way to go is with HardiTrim boards.

I agree with that Forgot all about that stuff

cedar deck I did looks lousy now great at first. Cedar under my moms soffit looks great 20 yars later no sun there still a nice honey brown and better than any aluminum soffit I have ever seen in fact nicest soffit I have seen adds just a little texture and detail to the home.

Will make some calls tomorrow and dont’ want tarp it but thought of that, I think if I can find the info I can do it.

Will make an attempt to take the eves off tomorrow, had an idea to make pieces of wood and then they can just set on to those and mabe tie underneath to be out of the way will see, still think it may be to short when put back on so wondered about the corner things I was told about.

Does anyone know of a commercial place near Toronto wth all supplies??

Warren

that material instead of wood and looks interesting, I know there is a MDF for outdoor use that a carpenter told me about so will ask about that tomorrow as well.

Lefty I dont get the l stuff how can it extend down into a gutter when there are a gazzillion hangers there, good it would cover the board however that I do not understand.

I looked at the other stuff you posted but it looks too fancy from what I can see the photos are smal and I cannot understand what I am looking at

Warren

Hi,

The way you were talking, I thought your face board was flat.

Everything else in your last post I did not follow.

I’ll tell you one last time. Before you install wood fascia’s Warren, you need to check out the HardiTrim link I posted earlier. Do what you want, but if you want the most trouble-free, maintenance-free material, you will go with Hardie. Otherwise, I would recommend cladding your wood with a Kynar finished metal.