Installing Fascia and Flying the Overhangs

(Open Overhangs)

The rafters are cut and in place or your trusses set. It is time to put in the blocking. Many times, I need to place double blocks on my rafters because I cut my tails down to 2 x 6 widths. I choose 2 x 6 because that is the width most often used for installing the spruce resawn or combed lumber. Spruce is used because it doesn’t twist as hard as Douglas-fir and is easier to work into position. The resawn or combed lumber is selected because the pain adheres to it better and helps it withstand the effects of the sun.

After all the blocking is in the you need to know the width of your overhangs. If your width is 2 feet then you measure from the wall as nearly to level as you can at one end of that wall and mark a tail at 22& ½ inches. I use a speed square for this but you need to transfer that mark up to the top of the tail. Then do so at the other end. Set a small nail in the line at one end and snap a chalk line over all the tails along that wall. Do this to the other wall as well. If you wish for a plumb cut tail simply place you square on top of these tails align it to you chalk marks and cut your tails. However, if you plan on hanging gutters you’ll need to have plumb cut tails. Place your square on the top off the tails and align it with the chalk mars, then mark your line after setting your speed square at the pitch of the roof. After the tails are cut start hanging the fascia by hanging a little more than needed over the corner to have enough for the flying rafter. I have a 45% bevel cut on the other end of this member and I place it on top of a tail so my fascia flow more easily.

Now its time to begin flying your rafters. I like to haves no more than 4 feet between my ladder blocks. I stand between two of the rafters on the ceiling joist and scribe the side of the ladder blocking member. I also have more overhang than needed. I calk a line at the same distance out as my tails. I do this on both side of the racks. I then drive one nail almost but not seated from that member into the center ladder block, both ends of this member are longer than needed. I do the same to the other side. Where these members meet the ridge board, I scribe a line on the top member of the fascia where the two will split the width of the ridge member and then cut the top member with the depth of the saw set so that as I cut that piece it scribes the second member for me. This assures me of a good fit and nailing at the ridge. Cut your 45% bevel at the bottom with the same angle as your roofs pitch. I use galvanized nails whenever the material will be exposed to weather to avoid the rust stains from common nails. Paints do allow the nails to rust and stain your lumber. At this point I have only tacked thew fascia in place along the walls so I go back and properly nail the fascia.

If you have soffits or closed over hangs After hanging the fascia I level over to the wall and install a ledger. I also have plowed a grove into the backside of the fascia to allow the soffit member to side into it. Once the ledger is in place I install the blocking as to secure one end into every tail. Because I like the continuous vent strips, I subtract their widths from the width of the soffit and divide the remaining width by two. I like to hang the vent strip as I install my first piece of the soffit material from the fascia toward the wall. At the corner I simply wrap this procedure around the corner and plumb up at my desired spot to for the blocking of the bird house.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He’s a member of the CRMLS and The East Valley Association of Realtors located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.