# Help with installing aluminum soffit and fascia



## MJW

1. Snap the line 1/2" down from level, then line the bottom of the F channel up with that. Use 1 1/2 or 2" roofing nails.

2. radial arm saw probably won't cut the 16" wide soffit panels. The blade isn't big enough. Cut the pieces 1/4" shy of the sub fascia. Measure often because I haven't seen one yet that is perfectly 24" all the way.

3.Rests in the F channel and stapled or nailed to the sub fascia. Make it long, bend it up onto the face of the fascia and nail there. That might be easier.

4. Use a 3-4 foot 2x4 or 2x6 and level it across to the outside of the gable fascia. Leave it a tad loose until you get the F channel behind it and run that to the end, then out to the eave fascia. Should be a perfect 90 if the wood is in correctly.

5. The soffit goes on the bottom. This is the tricky part for a DIYer without a brake. There are many ways to do that area. It's probably best to take a look at some neighboring houses and get your own idea on how you want to do it.

6. All the way out.

7. Some put soffit in where B is. Some use coil stock. You'll have to make that decision for yourself. Again, it would be best to look at a house nearby that looks good to you.

8.Totally up to you. I've seen professionals do it every way you stated.

9. I recommend steel fascia. Either way it does look a little better nailing underneath, but sometimes you will have to drill and you may bend it. They still hold best with face nails, and you won't have to drill. Most are covered with gutters anyhow. Overlap an inch. Make sure you leave it long on inside corners and gable ends, so you can bend it around. You can use a speed square to bend the inch of material at a 90. Nail every 4-6 feet.

10.You are going to have to look at some other houses and make a decision.

11.Yes, Just cut out the bottom of the fascia so it can slide by, then put the pitch on the other overlapping fascia.

This isn't a job that is easy to make look nice. There are so many that look like crap and are done by professionals. It took me a few good years of using a brake and proper tools to get where I consider it well done.

Hope this helps.


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## Boontucky

Thanks MJW! That was great.
I have more dumb questions:
1. Why snap the line 1/2" down? I am thinking since the soffit has those grooves, it is probably 1/2" thick and this way it will sit level. Is that right or am I completely off?

2. On the radial arm saw, I should have said it is compound and it's a big one and the blade will slide horizontally to cut up to 18" wide boards. We were wondering what type of blade to use. I read somewhere else to use a fine toothed carbide blade mounted backwards. Would that work? We were thinking of using a blade to cut steel, but not sure about it.

4. I was trying to draw a picture of what you mean and I can't quite grasp it. Could you expand a bit more? 

9. How exactly do you use a speed square to bend the fascia? Do you just use your hands? Is that enough to make the bend look nice? Do I have to use some sort of padding to keep the paint from scratching when I make bends?

Thanks again for your help.


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## MJW

1. The half inch down is so the soffit is level with the fascia. That will be the bottom of the F.

2. a fine tooth blade mounted in the right direction will be fine.

4. The wood is to have something to mount the F to and create the box. The end of the 2X is plumb with the gable. You could run it 1 1/2" short of plumb and run another board out to the eave fascia. This will require a miter cut.

9. Yes, use the speed square and bend it over with your hand. You can also go and buy a hand brake which works nice.


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