Replace those rotted, worn-out fascia boards with brand-new ones
Fascia boards do an important job when it comes to keeping your roof healthy. These pieces of wood are attached to a home’s roof rafters at the roofline. Fascia boards protect the roof rafters from damage caused by the exterior environment, like rain, wind, and snow. As a home ages, its fascia boards may need to be replaced. Read on for our step-by-step guide on how to replace fascia boards.
Replacing fascia boards requires working from a ladder at high heights. Be sure to review proper ladder safety tips before starting this project. Additionally, you will need to work with at least one other person to replace your fascia boards. The other person will help you lift up the new fascia boards while working on ladders.
You should always wear safety glasses, gloves, and a face mask while working with power tools during this project.
Also, ensure your gutters are clean and in good condition before you start work since your fascia boards depend on clear gutters to keep them healthy.
Gutters are essential to moisture control and drainage for your roof. Clogged or blocked gutters can lead to rotting fascia, pest infestation, and mold and algae buildup. Regularly cleaning your gutters is vital to keeping them working.
There are many types of fascia materials to choose from when replacing your boards, such as wood, vinyl, and aluminum. Research the materials available and pick the one that will provide the durability and look you prefer.
Before getting started with fascia board replacement, you must take down anything attached to the existing fascia. Most homeowners have gutters that need to be removed and may also have a drip edge secured between their roof and fascia.
Unscrew gutters, gutter brackets, and drip edge sections and carefully take them down from your fascia with the assistance of a partner. Save all the pieces so they can be re-installed once the new fascia is up. If the gutter system is in bad shape, consider installing new gutters.
To remove the existing fascia board on your house, start by stripping the old caulking between all of the boards and at corners with a utility knife. This will separate each board from the other, so they are easily removed.
Once the caulking is removed, use a pry bar to begin to take down the fascia boards. Specifically, place the pry bar near nail locations to loosen the attachment. You can choose to cut the fascia boards into smaller pieces with an oscillating tool to make it easier to remove each piece.
Otherwise, you will need to loosen the entire board from the rafters, then work with a partner to carefully bring the board down to ground level.
Once the fascia is removed, you will expose the roof rafters and sub-fascia. If you are replacing your fascia because it is rotting or worn out, there is always a chance the sub-fascia will need to be replaced too.
Examine the condition of your sub-fascia and rafters, and determine if any of the wood needs to be replaced. Additionally, pull out any remaining nails in the rafters with a hammer and sand the wood, so it is clean of any sealants and ready for new fascia attachment.
Take a measuring tape and measure and mark the length of your new fascia boards. You can also use the old boards as a guide to mark the length of the new boards. Typically, fascia boards have a 3/4- to 1-inch depth and have a width that matches the width of the rafters—usually 6 or 8 inches.
Once you have the new boards marked to the correct lengths, use a circular saw to cut them. Place each board across a pair of sawhorses and clamp them down before cutting. Use a speed square to guide your circular saw and create a straight-line cut.
At corners, you can either overlap the boards or cut each end at a 45-degree angle to miter the joint. A mitered joint tends to look more seamless. Use a mitering saw to cut the 45-degree angle on the board’s end.
To make sure your boards were measured and cut correctly, you can test-fit the pieces by holding them up into place before attaching them. There should be a slight gap between each board. If everything lines up, nail in the new fascia boards with a nail gun.
Place two nails on top of one another every few feet, securing each one to a roof rafter board. Make sure the boards are level before nailing them in. Work with a partner to lift each board up into place.
With every new fascia board installed, you can now caulk the seam in between them. Use a caulk gun to apply a bead of caulk in the gap between the fascia boards. Smooth out the caulk after it is applied for a seamless look. This step will protect your fascia from water damage, so it’s important to know how to properly apply caulk.
You should paint or stain the fascia boards to help them last as long as possible. You can choose a paint or stain color matching your existing home or an accent color for your fascia paint option. Apply a coat of primer and two coats of paint for a durable and appealing finish.
With the new fascia installed and the paint dried, you can now re-install your gutter system and roof drip edges. Be sure to install your gutters properly with the correct slopes, so rainwater is drawn away from your house.
If you’re comfortable working at heights and have experience doing similar work, you can replace fascia yourself. However, you will need to work with a partner in order to lift the fascia boards into place. Making a mistake while replacing fascia can lead to costly repairs, so if you’re ever in doubt, it’s best to call in a professional roof repair company near you.
Replacing fascia boards yourself will save you money on the cost of labor, approximately $6 to $20 per linear foot in labor cost. Expect to spend around $600 for materials. Hiring a contractor to replace fascia boards will cost anywhere from $600 to $6,000, including labor and materials.
You can use many types of wood to replace fascia boards including cedar, redwood, spruce, and pine. Cedar and redwood are one of the more popular fascia board options, as they are more resistant to moisture. But spruce and pine will also resist moisture if they are properly primed and painted.
Yes, you can cover or clad fascia board. This is known as "wrapping" or "capping," and it's a way of covering and protecting fascia boards from the weather. Most common materials are aluminum, vinyl, PVC, or fiber cement. Homeowners usually do this to enhance the durability or change the appearance of their home’s exterior.
Roofer or gutter pros are both qualified pros to replace fascia boards. The pro will help identify the cause of any damage, recommend if any other elements need replacing (like soffits or moldings), and provide maintenance tips to increase the lifespan of your new fascia.
