3 Alternatives to Fascia Board

A fascia board is an integral part of most houses, typically old ones. Fascia boards are the vertically nailed boards found on roof rafter ends. Usually, fascia boards also support the gutter pipes of the house. If your house has an old-fashioned building structure, then you can rest assure that there will be fascia boards along the roof ends. Usually, these boards are made of wood, which means, over the years, the board will be worn out and will be in need of replacement. Whether you do it as an individual project or as part of overall redecoration or renovation, you will need to make sure that you take care and repair or replace wood fascia boards as needed.

You may choose to retain the fascia boards in your house structure, particularly since the fascia boards will also have the gutter pipes running through them. However, you should know that you do not have to stick to the traditional fascia boards; there are many variations and alternatives available in the market today, and most of these are better able to withstand wear and tear, while retaining the look of a fascia board.

1. Iron Angle Connectors and Colorbond

This alternative can be applied when you want to repair only a damaged portion of your existing fascia boards. Instead of replacing the entire length of the board, a project that will cost you money and take plenty of time, you can cut out the damaged sections of the fascia board and stiffen up the roof rafter with iron angle connections attached to the internal rafters. You can use colorbond so that top portion on the outside has the same color as the existing fascia board. The colorbond will also help fix the existing scotia molding into the old fascia. This way, the scotia covers the flashing, thereby stopping water from entering and maintaining the look of the fascia board. This is a much cheaper alternative, takes less time, and gives a clean, well-maintained look.

2. Fiber Cement Fascia Boards

Another alternative to the traditional timber fascia boards is fiber cement fascia boards. These boards offer the same amount of protection from leakage and water damage, but they are slightly more expensive than the other fascia boards. Also, you need to be careful when installing them. For one, these boards are not flexible, so you cannot mold them around a soffit if it is sticking out. You will need to sand or trim it. Plus, these can chip easily, so if you want long pieces, it is best to use a saw. Lastly, be sure that you nail this fascia to the beams as it could fall off otherwise.

3. Metal Fascia

Metal fascia, or rather a metal gauge material around a fascia board, is an excellent alternative to all those who are tired of replacing, repairing, and painting their wooden fascia boards every year. Not only does the metal wrap ensure that the wood does not suffer any further damage, but also these wraps come in all possible colors, meaning you do not have to bother with painting the board to make it look new and well-maintained. Metal fascia is available in the market in all kinds of textures and colors. You even get gauges with ribbing (these are known to add strength to the metal). The ribbed texture also ensures that the metal is not distorted or dented.