Fascia and Soffit Replacement

[scott1022]

Dang! There's so much great information on here. Thank you all for the ideas and recommendations.

I do have the day to day tools. My circular saw is battery operated, so it's a good reminder to buy a corded saw! What about a miter saw? Do y'all cut your fascia joints on an angle, or do you just use a butt joint? I've heard both, but from two different extremes of experience. Basically the guy who does it for a living said butt joint. The guy who did DIY used angled joints because he had the time to do it "right".

I love the platform idea! That should be a huge back saver... and most likely keep me from damaging every other sheet.

Painting before I put it up is a must! I painted my house in 2020 and I was miserable every stroke of the brush. :-)

Anyone pre-drill the nail holes? That was another recommendation that I got from a friend. He said that it prevents the material from chipping or breaking off near the ends. Given the number of nails recommended per board/sheet, that would be a lot of drilling. I was hoping that using a nail gun would eliminate the chipping and breaking.

As for the watching the work be done while I sit under the shade tree... That would be my preference. But for some reason I'm looking forward to the punishment that this DIY has for me. :-)

Keep the wisdom coming! I'm making a list and checking it twice!

[osochuck]

save yourself a lot of work and paint everything BEFORE you install

X2 sooo true learned that the hard way…lol


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[ATI]

Dang! There's so much great information on here. Thank you all for the ideas and recommendations.

I do have the day to day tools. My circular saw is battery operated, so it's a good reminder to buy a corded saw! What about a miter saw? Do y'all cut your fascia joints on an angle, or do you just use a butt joint? I've heard both, but from two different extremes of experience. Basically the guy who does it for a living said butt joint. The guy who did DIY used angled joints because he had the time to do it "right".

I love the platform idea! That should be a huge back saver... and most likely keep me from damaging every other sheet.

Painting before I put it up is a must! I painted my house in 2020 and I was miserable every stroke of the brush. :-)

Anyone pre-drill the nail holes? That was another recommendation that I got from a friend. He said that it prevents the material from chipping or breaking off near the ends. Given the number of nails recommended per board/sheet, that would be a lot of drilling. I was hoping that using a nail gun would eliminate the chipping and breaking.

As for the watching the work be done while I sit under the shade tree... That would be my preference. But for some reason I'm looking forward to the punishment that this DIY has for me. :-)

Keep the wisdom coming! I'm making a list and checking it twice!

I used Hardy Board for my siding and I drilled holes and use screws NOT nails. Make sure to practice on a trash piece of Hardy Board and set you Drill Break to stop spinning before the hardy boar breaks. I think I had mine on 11 (DeWalt Drill)

[EastTexun]

Dang! There's so much great information on here. Thank you all for the ideas and recommendations.

I do have the day to day tools. My circular saw is battery operated, so it's a good reminder to buy a corded saw! What about a miter saw? Do y'all cut your fascia joints on an angle, or do you just use a butt joint? I've heard both, but from two different extremes of experience. Basically the guy who does it for a living said butt joint. The guy who did DIY used angled joints because he had the time to do it "right".

Painting before I put it up is a must! I painted my house in 2020 and I was miserable every stroke of the brush. :-)

Anyone pre-drill the nail holes? That was another recommendation that I got from a friend. He said that it prevents the material from chipping or breaking off near the ends. Given the number of nails recommended per board/sheet, that would be a lot of drilling. I was hoping that using a nail gun would eliminate the chipping and breaking.

Keep the wisdom coming! I'm making a list and checking it twice!

You can do mitre saw cuts on the fascia if you want to spend the time, but its another blade to buy for another saw (and they are not cheap or really useful for anything but Hardie). My preference is to spend the time making sure the butt ends meet up flush and caulk them well so no mitre cuts are needed.

I don't pre-drill unless I only have a couple nails/screws to put in. You can buy, borrow or rent a coil gun pretty easily, and they are handy to have for sure. Take 10 minutes to get it adjusted right so it doesn't blow through the thinner pieces of hardie and your finish will be great and you won't spend as much time on the drill.

Make sure to plan on 2 coats of paint. The first one will go on with difficulty because the surface is not very smooth and you are filling all the imperfections. The second coat will be much faster. I prefer to paint it on the house, but I am a reformed painting contractor.

[scott1022]

I used Hardy Board for my siding and I drilled holes and use screws NOT nails. Make sure to practice on a trash piece of Hardy Board and set you Drill Break to stop spinning before the hardy boar breaks. I think I had mine on 11 (DeWalt Drill)

Another great reminder for the drill break! I'm glad to learn these lessons through positive experience rather than expensive failures. :-)

[scott1022]

You can do mitre saw cuts on the fascia if you want to spend the time, but its another blade to buy for another saw (and they are not cheap or really useful for anything but Hardie). My preference is to spend the time making sure the butt ends meet up flush and caulk them well so no mitre cuts are needed.

I don't pre-drill unless I only have a couple nails/screws to put in. You can buy, borrow or rent a coil gun pretty easily, and they are handy to have for sure. Take 10 minutes to get it adjusted right so it doesn't blow through the thinner pieces of hardie and your finish will be great and you won't spend as much time on the drill.

Make sure to plan on 2 coats of paint. The first one will go on with difficulty because the surface is not very smooth and you are filling all the imperfections. The second coat will be much faster. I prefer to paint it on the house, but I am a reformed painting contractor.

Any recommendations on a quality paint for Hardie Board? My wife and I have been big fans of Behr paint from previous house projects (including the current exterior paint job), so that is what I was thinking on this project as well.

[ATI]

I use Outdoor Behr Paint and Primer all in one. No complaints.

[EastTexun]

Any recommendations on a quality paint for Hardie Board? My wife and I have been big fans of Behr paint from previous house projects (including the current exterior paint job), so that is what I was thinking on this project as well.

If you like Behr and have had good experience, then I would go with that again. I am a Sherwin guy, but I have an account and still get a pretty solid discount. Keep in mind, bad prep is generally what makes paint fail, not the paint itself. Make sure the substrate is clean and dry and 2 thin coats always beats 1 thick one.

[scott1022]

If you like Behr and have had good experience, then I would go with that again. I am a Sherwin guy, but I have an account and still get a pretty solid discount. Keep in mind, bad prep is generally what makes paint fail, not the paint itself. Make sure the substrate is clean and dry and 2 thin coats always beats 1 thick one.

Yes sir. Great reminder that a quick wipe down is worth the time spent.

My biggest fear is that I'm going to skip a step that forces me to redo this again in the near future. So I'm literally making a check list since I have a tenancy to jump into a project and rush through it. I'm also an engineer, so having a "plan" is my strength. :-)

[Greenheadless]

I have used Hardie in the past, and then tried LP Smart siding. The LP Smart systems are so much easier to modify and install IMHO.

I am going to start a fascia/soffit job here in a couple weeks and will be using LP Smart product for this.

[scott1022]

Pictures always make a better story. So here's what is motivating me to get this job done! It's gotten really bad really fast.

I have confirmed that my drip edge was installed wrong. The deflection at the bottom kind of sits flush with the fascia instead of kicking out more. I'm not sure there's anything that I can do about that without messing up the first couple of layers of shingles. I may have to take pliers and bend it out. Still thinking about that. Feel free to provide ideas if you can think of a better option.

I know for sure water damage is from the outside. The inside of the roof is bone dry. The top and back side of the sub fascia is bone dry. It's only the slow exposure over time that has gotten wet and rotted. The pictures show 4 different spots but all progressively getting worse.

[Greenheadless]

As you already know, drip edge should not be right up against the fascia board. I believe there should be a small gap to keep the water from trying to run down the fascia due to surface tension. I have that same issue.

The soffit would have me scratching my head as well. Never seen that. It looks more like the fascia cracked then failed, thus letting water in behind and attacking the soffit?

[Txhunter3000]

Seems like there is a fail at the fascia seams in every picture with some pictures showing finger joint fascia patches. Looks like the fascia joints were butt joints that separated and let water in. You'll have a gap at the fascia now when going back with thinner fascia, although the drip edge may be nailed to the fascia, and that won't be fun. I never have been a fan of metal drip edge period. If the drip has to be installed it should be on a 1 x 2 cedar, although that's not in the cards for your application.
I second the Smart siding, that 24" soffit is going to be real fun with Hardie.

[flywise]

This tool come in handy. Done a lot of handyman jobs over the years and since I bought on of these they all get easier



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[Briar Friar]

Youre on track.

I really like those metal flashing chingaderas for the corners of fascia joints. On rental houses those with those fascia corner flashings have the least amount of rot and exposure. I only see them on the houses with smart strand fascia or hardie fascia. Not on 2x8 fir fascia.

Good skilling Mr1022.