When a home’s exterior finishing elements are carefully selected with an overall design in mind, the result is cohesive and eye-catching. Fascia, an exterior finishing element, plays an important role in a roofing system, keeping weather out and heat in. If you’re upgrading your home’s exterior, take the opportunity to improve the appearance of your roofline with new fascia.
What is Fascia?
Fascia boards cover the ends of the roof rafters that would otherwise be exposed to the elements. Whether it’s intentional or not, the roofline of a house makes a difference to your curb appeal. The two types of roofing fascia most commonly used in residential applications are eave fascia and gable fascia.
Eave fascia covers the exposed ends of the rafters of the roof and the top of exterior walls immediately below the roofline. This type of fascia board is typically flat and/or without decorative detail to form a smooth backing for gutters.
Gable fascia is attached to edges formed by the triangular upper part of a wall closing the end of a ridged roof. Decorated or detailed gable fascia is used to enhance a home’s exterior.
Fascia Materials
While fascia is still made of wood and composite wood products, popular materials for fascia boards or fascia panels are aluminum and vinyl. This is largely due to the fact that aluminum and vinyl fascia can be manufactured to mimic wood grain, without the hassles of wood, such rotting, splitting or mold.
While metal fascias are mostly seen on commercial and public buildings, metals like copper, zinc and galvanized steel fascia are used for residential exteriors to define the roofline or emphasize a certain architectural feature or style.
Because fascia is particularly vulnerable to the effects of wind and water, strength and appearance are important. For example, expect to replace wood fascia every five to seven years, depending on where you live.
Maximum Impact
Homeowners who want to create a particular look for their home exterior using the roofline as a focal point choose elements with maximum impact. These include:
- bold (bright) or dramatic (dark) colours for fascia panels
- pairing fascia with soffits in a contrasting or complementary colour
- incorporating complementary fascia, soffit and trim materials to add levels of texture
- stylistically connecting eave fascia, gable fascia, entry door and window trim
