# HELP!!! Need help with shed soffit and truss



## Crackers (Aug 8, 2007)

I am building a shed, no plans, just a project, from the ground up. Now I am stuck and need some help!
1) I put the plywood on the roof before I cut the end of the trusses to length and vertical. Now I need to cut them, 5/4 inch in-from-the-edge (see pic). Ideas on how? Circular saw doesn't work as it will pump against the plywood. Same with sawzall. HELP!!
2) Need to close the gap between the wall and the roof. Ideas on how (soffit). 
SEE PICTURE!


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## Crackers (Aug 8, 2007)

here is the entire shed for perspective...


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## SecretSquirrel (Jun 22, 2007)

Well??? You're not going to like this but here goes anyway;

I don't know of any magic way to cut your rafter tails other than pulling up your roof decking, snapping a chalk line and cutting them one at a time. If you insist on plumb cutting the tails then make a template from a scrap piece of plywood and gauge it up against your chalk line, mark the rafter, and carefully cut each piece or you can make a perpendicular cut using a speed square to mark the rafter against the chalk line. Holding a circular saw over your head is not going to be any fun but the opportunity to cut them on the ground is long past.

Once you get the rafter tails cut then nail up some 1 x 6 or 1 x 8 fascia board on the ends of the rafters. Reapply the roof decking overlapping the fascia the proper distance. You can put frieze blocks over the top plates between the rafters if you wish or not... just personal preference. I would cut a small strip of osb to continue the sheathing up to the underside of the rafters. Rip a piece of 1 x4 on a table saw at the angle of your roof pitch and nail it on the wall directly up against the rafters having the angle cut follow the pitch of the rafter. Now you have a nice place to nail the soffit between the fascia and the trim piece. I'll try to draw up some detail and I'll post it a little later.


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## SecretSquirrel (Jun 22, 2007)

*Soffit Detail*

Here's one idea for your soffit. Others may have better ideas or suggestions. The frieze block is noted by the hashed line. This is for a normal birds mouth cut. I noticed you have something a wee bit different. You'll have to modify accordingly.


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## billinak (Mar 16, 2005)

Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but wouldn't a handsaw work for cutting the rafters? I've got a fine-toothed pull saw where you can flip the handle around for cuts just like that one, no problem.


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## jogr (Jul 24, 2007)

Use a reciprocating saw and cut from the bottom up till you start hitting the sheathing. Then finish with the handsaw. Be sure you set back the line enough to allow for fascia board - you'll only want to do this once.


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## jiggyjack (Mar 30, 2007)

You can cut the whole thing with a sawzall. Scribe a line where you need it cut off. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Brace your arms against a rafter or a wall and careful cut the last Little bit as you back the saw out. 

Worst case scenario you have to replace a few shingles.


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## Crackers (Aug 8, 2007)

Great ideas... I will try tonight!!


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

You could use your circular saw to cut as deep as you can go and use a hand saw to finish it off. 
I've seen some older houses built where the fascia butts flush with the top surface of the roof sheathing and then it's covered with a drip edge. 
This is also my current dilemma.


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## crecore (Nov 2, 2005)

You could also cut the tails back further, add a rough fascia board to the now plumb cut tails, run a level back to the wall and mark... run a board there horizontal tied to the studs, add soffit from one to the other, add a finish fascia board or vinyl fascia that hangs down slightly to cover the edge of the soffit material, then complete the wall siding.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

FWIW- The fascia and soffit trim boards should have been attached prior to the siding and the roofing materials. 

Your roof drip cap is supposed to be installed directly over your plywood roof sheathing and the lower portion of the Drip cap then covers over the top edge of your installed wood fascia boards. All this provides the proper weather-proofing and drainage assistance for the roof and roof edge trim components.

(I know that it is only a "shed", but this is standard building practice)


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Regarding your soffit issue: You could simply cut a 'sample' piece of "2 by" wood stock to create (angled) nailing blocks for the underside soffit areas. 

You could cut the stock at the proper angle that you need to allow the soffit board to lay flat. Simply create one properly sized nailer for the top edge of the rafter tail, and one for the lower edge of the rafter tail. 

Then use these as "templates" to pre-cut and install "nailers" for each tail.

For a soffit material nailer at the high end of your rafter tail:
You could also simply use a horizontal "nailer" laid across the length of the shed's sheathing wall, directly under the top portion of the rafter tail.


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## Crackers (Aug 8, 2007)

THIS SITE IS GREAT!!

I took everyone's ideas and put them together; it worked.

Summary: I used a standard jig-saw and cut the tails vertical (I made a quick template to ensure the vertical line was the same distance back for each tail). Finished with a basic hand saw. I then attached 5/4 x 6 pressure treated wood to the tails, and covered the roof plywood and the pressure treated wood with a drip edge! 

I will post pictures as soon as I get to the next steps!!


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