# porch soffit



## ponch37300 (Nov 27, 2007)

I have a porch that has a roof over it with a ceiling taht is beadboard right now. I am going to be replacing the bead board with soffit. I'm thinking the vynil soffit. The ceiling is 7' by 17'. Soffit panels are 12' long. They aren't long enough to run the long way but if i run them the 7' way i will be wasting almost half the panel. Is there any way to do this without throwing that much away? Thanks for any advice with this


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## buletbob (May 9, 2008)

Certainteed and some other companies make what they call an H channel for this type of install. you can install it at your 8 1/2' mark but your still going to have 3 1/2' of waste. unless you divide the ceiling in thirds this way you will end up with 8" waste. good luck Bob


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

FWIW: The ceiling will look much better if you install the soffit panels on the 7' width of the porch ceiling area....as opposed to attempting to install the soffit panels with the lengths running parallel to the length of the porch. 

If your goal is to improve the look and appearance of the area, then you might want to consider this aspect. (See pic. below).

IMHO: The costs of the vinyl cut-offs (waste) is very minimal compared to what you achieve with the appearance. 
Example: Below is a picture of a Client's porch ceiling that we "re-did". On the other hand, when we installed soffit panels into 60 large parking carports at several apt complexes, we went with an installation that presented the least amount of waste (heck, they were a carports, and it was just to keep the birds out). 

Also, the placement of the strapping, joists, or trusses, will effect the installation pattern. You might already have framing underneath there, set up, to be able to install the soffit panels in the same direction, as in the pic. below. 

Example:


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## ponch37300 (Nov 27, 2007)

Thanks guys. And atlantic your right about the look, my porch is almost the same setup and i will go the 7' lengths and just deal with the waste. Right now there is bead board up there with some sort of framing underneith it. Can i leave the beadboard up or would you recommend ripping it down? Also how else should i fasten these up besides the F channel around the edges? Thanks again.


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## buletbob (May 9, 2008)

ponch37300 said:


> I have a porch that has a roof over it with a ceiling taht is beadboard right now. I am going to be replacing the bead board with soffit. I'm thinking the vynil soffit. The ceiling is 7' by 17'. Soffit panels are 12' long. They aren't long enough to run the long way but if i run them the 7' way i will be wasting almost half the panel. Is there any way to do this without throwing that much away? Thanks for any advice with this


Atlantic is correct, we do this a lot, only because we could use the waste under the soffits and over hangs. But dealing with historical homes we must follow orientation of the existing ceiling. you asked how you could save the waste of the panels with out throwing them away. And your question was answered. now you do an about face?? why ask in the first place.
you stated you have bead board there now, are you aware that they make vinyl bead board soffit??. and they also make a white composite bead board in 18 foot lengths you could remove the existing install the composite in the same direction with no seams as the original, this way you will be paying attention to detail. BOB


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