Soffit and facia

[Daven]

I would like to replace the soffits and facia boards on our semi detached bungalow. It would only be the front and side both about 25' long and simple runs.

I am thinking wood rather than UPVC - what do you guys think?

If wood, can I get PAR treated or would it be best to treat it myself?

Regards

Dave

 

[Waka]

Dave

Any particular reason for shying away from UPVC?

 

[Daven]

Dave

Any particular reason for shying away from UPVC?

I'm probably 50-50 at the moment - only experience with UPVC was when I built my workshop and found it quite difficult to handle. Also the existing wood spans across the ajoining property so I was thinking it would be easier to join!?

Being a bungalow maintenance is not an issue 8)

Dave

 

[MikeG.]

uPVC should be banned!! (It is in some countries) I hate plastic on buildings..........floppy, discoloured, easily shattered, and with heinous screw-heads showing with plastic caps.........ughhhhhh. Do the job properly, with some decent, treated timber, a micro-porous paint/ stain, and I'll be your friend forever!

Mike

 

[Daven]

floppy, discoloured, easily shattered, and with heinous screw-heads showing with plastic caps.........
Mike

LOL - which is why I am contemplating wood! OK - now 60-40 towards wood. :wink:

 

[woodbloke]

uPVC should be banned!! (It is in some countries) I hate plastic on buildings..........floppy, discoloured, easily shattered, and with heinous screw-heads showing with plastic caps.........ughhhhhh. Do the job properly, with some decent, treated timber, a micro-porous paint/ stain, and I'll be your friend forever!

Mike

In your opinion of course Mike...I happen to like uPVC 'cos you don't have to paint the stuff - Rob

 

[studders]

Did mine in exterior grade plywood. Cheap, longlasting and looks fine with a coat or two of sadolin.

 

[MikeG.]

uPVC should be banned!! (It is in some countries) I hate plastic on buildings..........floppy, discoloured, easily shattered, and with heinous screw-heads showing with plastic caps.........ughhhhhh. Do the job properly, with some decent, treated timber, a micro-porous paint/ stain, and I'll be your friend forever!

Mike

In your opinion of course Mike...I happen to like uPVC 'cos you don't have to paint the stuff - Rob

It's quite clearly my view, Rob. It has my avatar to the left, and my name underneath....and I say "I hate uPVC". I can't think anyone mistook that for anyones' view other than mine.........

uPVC fascias and soffits are not quite as big a blight on our housing stock as uPVC windows....but are a spreading menace, to be resisted wherever possible.

In my view.

Mike

 

[woodbloke]

Clearly Mike, it is your view...it's just that your statement implied to me anyway that it was the only view and I happened to disagree, that's all. No harm done - Rob

 

[Digit]

Can I be your friend as well Mike? I hate the damn stuff, wood for ever!

Roy.

 

[ProShop]

uPVC should be banned!! (It is in some countries) I hate plastic on buildings..........floppy, discoloured, easily shattered, and with heinous screw-heads showing with plastic caps.........ughhhhhh. Do the job properly, with some decent, treated timber, a micro-porous paint/ stain, and I'll be your friend forever!

Mike

Another vote here, (your gaining friends Mike )

 

[Jake]

...In my view.

On the other hand, you do have the considerable advantage of being right.

 

[Daven]

I wouldn't expect many votes for uPVC on a woodworking forum, and the UKuPVCworkshop forum are having the opposite argument :lol: (no there is'nt one - just kidding!).

Studders - would you use ply again and did you edge it? Do you have to take the first row of tiles off?

Dave

 

[studders]

Studders - would you use ply again and did you edge it? Do you have to take the first row of tiles off?

Dave

On a cost basis alone yes definitely, also it's less likely to warp and unlikely to split as solid timber might. You could edge it but I didn't bother to, you have to get fairly close to see it is ply and closer still to see the laminations. I didn't take off any tiles, just butted it up and screwed it in place, two coats of sadolin, which is expensive but very good, and jobs a good un.

hth

 

[Daven]

Thanks Studders, worth thinking about - even if I use it just for the soffets. The front of the house gets full sun most of the day (when it shines) so whatever I use it has to be good!

Thanks

Dave

 

[matt]

Prefer wood but I went for uPVC because, if I did have wood, then it would be me maintaining it and I have better things to do with my time. It's not as nice as wood but not so bad that I notice it.

To put my opinion in to some context - I would not have uPVC windows. They really are ugly. Thank goodness for the good quality direct fix aluminium Monarch profiles! Maintenance free, not as nice at the Crittal originals, but a good compromise.

 

[MikeG.]

...In my view.

On the other hand, you do have the considerable advantage of being right.

 

[StevieB]

It really depends on the location and difficulty in acessing the soffits and facias. I needed to have a scaffolding company put up scaffolding to reach mine round the back of the house so I did it in UPVc. At a cost of £300 for scafolding every time they needed painting it was a no brainer. They are 3 floors up and not really visble from the ground so why not. You are most likely going to slap plastic guttering up over the top of the facias anyway!

If you can easily reach and maintain timber, can replace rather than cover the existing soffit and facia and have the time to do it then go for timber as a more traditional approach. UPVc can have its place though, and I wouldn't dismiss it just on aesthetic grounds.

Steve

 

[Peter T]

Sorry to disagree with lots of people here, but we have uPVC replacement windows in our 1980s built house and, IMHO, they are considerably more attractive that the cheap, nasty wooden ones that the builders put in.

They are also easier to clean, maintenence-free, and have considerably better thermal efficiency

 

[head clansman]

hi dave

soffits and facia can be bought straight from any timber merchants , as for treated ?, good old fashion pink primer all round before fitting and two decent undercoat of white perma glaze, + one perma glaze gloss, proper job , or treat all round with sadolin first and then a second coat on the outside .hc