Find a Gutter Installer you can trust in Lampeter.

Soffit is a word gotten from two languages - French and Latin, whereby the root word implies to “form as a ceiling in French, while it means to “to fix underneath in Latin. Basically, soffit is a portion of the ceiling that has been constructed lower than the area that surrounds it. And even though they aren’t that much popular in recent times, they happen to be a common feature in kitchens of older homes in the UK. At times, a soffit can occupy the whole room or area in a home.

Homeowners across the globe make use of this feature mostly as a decorative element in the room , however, there are also times in which they may be required for various purposes. These purposes include using soffits to conceal plumbing pipes or, heating or cooling ducts, which is often the case when sofits are constructed at the lower levels of homes. They’re also often incorporated in bathrooms or kitchens as soffits house light fixtures. For instance, recessed light fixtures fitted over kitchen or bathroom sinks are mostly fitted into a soffit. What’s more? Soffit can also be required in a room because of the home’s structure as the feature can be used to hide a structural beam.

If you happen to own an older home and you’d like to remove an existing soffit, the first step is to ensure that its safe to carry out such plan. You should firstly check for any electrical lines, ductwork, lighting or structural problems that may exist prior to the commencement of the project. If you’re not sure or confident enough to pull this off, then it’s advisable to consult a professional contractor before you proceed.

You can paint your soffits and fascias if they’re made of wood. In fact, it’s a good idea to do this every few years, as it can help to preserve them and keep them looking smart.

You can choose what you paint your soffits and fascias with by deciding what kind of look you want to achieve. You can stain them if you want to maintain a natural wood look, or use an exterior gloss or satin paint if you want to change their colour.

In general uPVC is used for soffits and fascias as it is very strong and durable. It also requires very little maintenance. However, wood can be used and is still popular on listed properties as it retains the original material. Older and listed buildings may require more traditional materials to be used.

Soffits and fascias are available in lots of different colours. These include black, grey, brown, white and cream. It’s also possible to get them in brighter colours like reds, blues and greens.

What colour soffits and fascias you get is entirely up to you, unless you live in a listed building, in which case some rules may apply. Most people choose a colour that matches their roof, walls or window frames to give their property an attractive, colour-coordinated look.

A gutter is part of the system that takes rainwater away from a building. Every home will have some form of guttering system to stop water from dripping off the roof and into the walls. It’s important to keep your gutters clear because if water starts to seep into your home’s walls, you’re likely to get damp.

A guttering system consists of half pipes, troughs, bends and downpipes. They’re usually cylindrical in shape but they may be square on some homes and in countries outside of the UK. Technically, the gutter is the part that you’ll see across your roof that collects rainwater. The water will then feed into a downpipe from your roof’s edge to the base of your home, where you can collect it in something like a water butt, or it will be discharged to a surface water drain or soakaway.

In early times, gutters used to be made from lined wood or stone. Lead was often used as the liner to stop rainwater from seeping through the material, but you won’t see it used much anymore. These days, most homes have uPVC guttering as it’s a hardwearing plastic that should last a long time. But you’ll also see gutters made from aluminium, cast iron and copper, especially on period homes or those in a conservation area.

Every home needs a guttering system to ensure that rainwater doesn’t affect the foundations of the property. It’s also important to keep the gutters clear of debris like fallen leaves, as this will cause them to overflow, potentially causing water to soak into the walls and causing damp.

Every year, various parts of your roof may need to be changed at one point or the other. Due to the fact that this event can occur at any time in a year, there’s the need to be fully ready. When it comes that being ready, you simply can’t overlook the importance of soffit and fascia boards in protecting your roof space and helping it maintain its clean and unique visual appeal. As a result, when your soffit and fascia boards need to be changed, you best do so as quickly as possible.

This task can be completed by anyone with basic DIY knowledge and experience, but if you lack the confidence to pull off then it’ll be advisable to hire a professional who can guarantee the best results for help.

✓ Remove the old existing boards. In order to install the new soffit and fascia boards, you’d have to remove the existing ones first. If necessary, you can make use of a Stanley knife to make the process much easier.

✓ Fixing soffit boards. Several soffit boards are made using uPVC. The boards are to fixed to the underside of your timber rafter ends. Make sure to use timber to close any gaps between soffit boards and also make sure that your soffit boards’ back are resting against the wall’s top.

✓ Fixing fascia boards. Many fascia boards are also made from uPVC and are usually installed in a similar way to soffit boards. Use a minimum of two nails to make sure they’re secure enough to hold weight of any roof tiles and also to prevent any buckling.

✓ Guttering and felt. To start the guttering, you’d have to screw any brackets into the facia board. You can use a spirit levelto make sure the alignment is perfect to enable the floe of water directly through your guttering system. Once done, you should also check for any rotting roof felt at the edges closest to the gutterin. If there is a rot, make use of eaves felt trays and tuck under existing felt and overlap into the guttering

You should replace your soffits and fascias if you are having problems. Soffits and fascias can degrade and rot away over time, and this can cause leaks, faulty guttering, or even allow pests entry to the roof space. If any of these problems occur, you should speak to an experienced roofline company to discuss replacing your soffits and fascias.

Soffits are constructed by homeowners on their properties for several purposes. Not only are they incorporated to hide away the unsightly features of a home, but they can also be used to add decorative architectural detail. Soffits construction, on the other hand, is a project that can be done by any DIY person with the knowledge and experience. However, if you lack the confidence to pull this off, then we’d strongly recommend you get in touch with a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results, the first time. In this guide, we’re are going to take you through the soffit construction process.

✓ Measure and mark. The first step is to take an accurate measurement of the size of your propose soffit and use a pencil to mark it out on both the wall and ceiling. The size of your soffits is mainly determined by your needs or preferences.

✓ Cut and Install Wall & Ceiling Plates. Proceed to cut the wall as well as ceiling plates once the dimensions have been marked. Make use of 2x4 lumber, you can cut to size with the help of a table saw or mitre. Once done, you can then attach it to the wall as well as ceiling studs with a framing nail gun.

✓ Build the box frame. Develop a box-frame from 2x4 lumber, using your measurements as guide.

✓ Fit the box frame. Hold the box frame in place with some slide clamps and then attach it to the ceiling and wall plates with drywall screws.

✓ Mark the studs. Make use of a pencil to mark out the studs location on your soffit box frame.

✓ Cut and hang the drywall. Cut the drywall with a utility knife uing your measurement as a guide. Once done, attach the drywall to the framework with the help of drywall screws.

✓ Add finishing touches. This includes installing the corner beads, finishing off with the common drywall work of taping, spackling and sanding. Once the spackle is dry, you can the complete it by painting the soffit.