Some of the Jargon Explained – Fascia boards

There are many different terms used to refer to the Fascia Boards. It is essential to know what type of fascia is attached to your roof, as it has a bearing on the type of fixings you use for your gutters. The explanations in this article should help you decide exactly how to fix your gutters to your fascia’s.

 

What is a fascia?

 

This is the term used for the horizontal board, which is fixed along the rafter ends at the eaves, closing the gap between the rafters. It was traditionally made of 3” or 4” timber, in recent years PVC has become the more popular material of choice for most developers and contractors due to it being maintenance free. The fascia board is the piece of timber that gutters are fixed to. This will also support the bottom row of slates or tiles in certain circumstances. There is also a variety of colours, shapes and sizes available.

 

 

What is replacement fascia?

 

This term is used for the type of PVC Fascia that can be used on a new build or to replace original timber fascia. Due to it being a direct replacement for timber it does not need a backing board; it is directly fixed to the rafter ends using two 60mm polytop nails. Replacement fascia’s can vary in thickness, but they are usually between 16mm and 25mm, so they can qualify structurally as a replacement board.

 

What are cover boards?

 

A cover board is the industry term for a board that is used to cover an existing timber fascia. It is usually 9mm thick, they must only ever be fixed to rot free timber that is in good condition. If you use a Cover board to hide rotting timber it will make the problem worse and could seriously affect the whole roof structure. They are typically a refurbishment product, but some installers do prefer to use Cover boards on new build houses by first installing a backing board that is made from timber, and then fixing the cover board over it, to create a glossy and maintenance free finish. It is important to remember that Cover boards should not ever be fixed directly to the rafter ends without a backing board, they are not structurally strong enough to support it. When fixing gutter brackets to Cover boards, the screws need to go right through the Cover board and into the timber board behind to make sure it is a sound fixing.

 

What is the barge board?

 

Barge board is the name of the board that runs along each side of a gable or apex, creating the top two sides of a triangle. It looks the same as a Fascia Board and the same board can be used, however a Barge board does not carry out any supporting structural function on the roof. When replacing old fascias and barge boards you should not assume they will be the same size – the bargeboard very usually smaller than the fascia.