I’m stuck trying to figure out the best way to put up my soffit. I will try to enclose a pic. Basically the ends of the rafters sit over a 4×10 beam. The ends of the rafters are also lower than the beam. Right now my plan is to use 4×8 sheets of finished/rough ply.
Would you cut the ends of the rafters a bit higher than the beam so that the level soffit sits just above the bottom of the beam? Maybe quarter round to finish the edge? Or leave the rafters and add to the bottom of the beam? Or just soffit the end of the rafters? Or?
Thanks,
Steve
Replies
"soffit the end of the rafters? "??????
Maybe you mean just put a fascia board on the rafter ends?
That might be OK. If you left the rafters open, I would spray the same paint on the raw wood showing. It all looks kind of gaumy though.
A soffit doesn't have to be level. It could be applied directly to the bottom of the rafters.
If it were new, I would nip off the bottom of the rafter tails so the face of that cut is the same as a two by six subfascia and hang lookouts (2x4 pieces that run perpendicular to the beam, level, and aligned with the bottom of the rafter tail) sidled up to the side of each rafter. That would give me the support for soffit.
If it were less of a span, say 12 to 18 inches, I would not use lookouts but run a nailer on the beam at the same elevation as the little nip I cut off the bottom of the rafters. The ply soffit would span that OK.
I would also have some help. Overhead work is a pain when alone.
Yeah, I guess I wasn't all that clear. What I meant was would you nail the soffit directly underneath the rafters?
I plan to use 1x6 fascia. It's been primed and painted on both sides. I haven't put it up yet cuz I got stuck on where the soffit should meet the beam. I was also planning on nailers in between the rafters, parrallel with the beam and a nailer on the beam. I need something to hang the gutters. These rafters are just 2x4s (older home) so I won't be cutting much off the ends.
So I guess maybe I'm just stuck on whether I want them level or a bit of an angle.
Thanks,Steve
From the picture, I thought they were 2x6.
You want them level or the same pitch as the roof. Anything inbetween will look sloppy, IMOExcellence is its own reward!
Steve, I'm heading over to Walla Walla and Winthrop over the next 4-5 weeks. If you want, I could stop by as I go along I-90. Might give me a good reason to see family up there. Let me know. [email protected]
They make a little bracket to hang the gutters at any angle desired. Richard James Tolzman
I appreciatte all of the feedback, it helps me think through these things.
The rafter ends will no longer hold anything in the way of screws, nails, etc. Where you would nail these angle brackets especially if there is facia installed?
As far as T&G between the rafters, that's an option that I could still consider, too.
Thanks,
Steve
"Rafter ends won't hold any nails or screws or anything"
If the ends are that bad, sister in new rafter stock next to it and attach your fascia board to the new wood.
"How do you attach these brackets to the rafters?"
Not sure what type of brackets being referred to, but you can use a truss type bracket clip that would be faced nailed into the side face of the rafter and nailed onto the rear face of the fascia. Brackets would be positioned very close to end of rafter tails for nailing schedule, and since you said rafter tails were rotten anyway, this is IMHO not too good of an idea. Better to sister in new stock.
"Not using 2x material for fascia..."
Why not? 2X would give you a straighter line and would easily accept gutter hanger screws.
"thinking about hanging rough cut ply on bottom of rafters."...
This would work. Attach ply directly to rafters, install a metal strip vent along middle section. May or may not be the look you want. Hide plywood edges along beam and fascia with installed quarter round moulding. Fascia board should extend down past soffit approx. 3/4 to 1 inch if using quarter round. Finished soffit will be same angle as rafter stock.
Depending upon the look you are after, you could instead install aluminum or vinyl soffit panels complete with J or F channels and/or bend coil stock over fascia as described in an earlier post. To do this would require strapping (wood furring) that would be nailed to bottom of rafters or "let-in" to rafters if you wanted soffit panels to run parrellel with rafter stock. If soffit is "running" instead parrellel with beam and fascia board, no strapping required. These panels of course can be standard or vented type.
However,from your picture , I gather that you probably don't want this artificial look, but would rather opt for real wood...in that case
"tongue and groove would look nice"
It would look nice, but would it look nice if you sistered in new rafter stock? You could attach a 1X underneath the sistered rafter and give it more of a "beam" look. Then go ahead and install the T&G soffit in between each "beam" as planned. Just a thought.
Good luck.
Davo
Cover the ends of the rafters with galvanized sheet metal that goes 1-1/4" below the rafters, folds and then folds again to meet the angle of the rafters. Nail it there and then cover the rafters with the plywood. The sheet metal can be painted and should drop below the plywood. You can eliminate the bends, but consider venting this so as moisture doesn't build up.
Richard James Tolzman
From a design standpoint, I don't see why you would soffit and hide the tails.Have you considered running a tounge and groove 1x6 ceiling parallel with the tails and nailed to the skip sheathing?Provides a nice look if you ask me.