Fascia

A fascia (or fascia board) is the long, vertical board fixed across the ends of the rafters or truss tails at the eaves. It caps and protects the exposed timber ends from weather, provides a straight, finished line to the roof edge, supports the outer edge of the soffit, and in most houses carries the gutter brackets. The word comes from the Latin for band, and in classical architecture it refers to a flat horizontal band in an entablature.

Construction

• Traditionally a sawn softwood board, painted for protection.
• In North America, wood fascia is often wrapped with formed aluminium or steel coil, or replaced with composite or PVC trim.
• In the UK, uPVC fascia boards are widely used on houses built since the late 20th century, often installed as a system with soffits, vents and dry verge components.
• On some modern roofs a metal fascia system replaces the board entirely.

Relationship to other parts

The drip edge or eaves trim sits on top of the roof deck and over the top of the fascia so water drips clear of it. The gutter is fixed to the fascia, either with brackets or with hidden hangers. At gable ends the corresponding board along the sloping edge may be called a rake fascia, verge board or bargeboard.

Problems

Fascia boards are exposed to water from overflowing or leaking gutters and from water that wicks behind gutters where the drip edge is missing, so rot is common. Ice dams can also damage fascias and gutters. When fascia rot is found, the rafter tails behind it are often affected too.

In UK ventilation design

Over-fascia vents mounted on top of the fascia are a common way to provide eaves ventilation into the roof and batten space in UK cold roofs.