Facia - Soffit- Guttering

yop

Lads
2 questions here please,

One has anyone done this themselves, if so any advice or would you even recommend it??

Anywhere you recommend to purchase or who to install it?

Also Black plastic or Aluminium??

thanks

rooferPete

Hi Yop,

When I hit the 3 million lotto I was promised, my facia and soffit will be pre-patinated copper gutters with semi patinated folded on site facia and soffit

OK dream over, if using aluminium as in the seamless, do not accept drive in spikes as the fixing method, there are hidden fixings available that not only look better but they are fixed using a screw not a spike.

The spikes are well known for splitting the facia board and even if they don't they will work loose in a short time especially is we get a good fall of snow.

Aluminium facia and soffit are in general a good job but it depends on the fitter and how good he is with the brake for folding on site, make sure there are enough vents used in the soffit and the timber behind the facia is not native but dried.

I would not recommend black or brown PVC, they will dis-colour fairly quick because the PVC migrates when subjected to UV, so stay with white if you opt for PVC.

Also be careful of your source, I will only use Marley not because I am looking for a "Buy Irish" logo but because they manufacture in Lucan and if you have a problem it's not too far to travel.

If you are looking for a bit of class and value for money a good choice would be Cedar for the Facia and Soffit and Alumasc cast aluminium gutters preferably pre coated and treated with care to prevent the coating being damaged during construction.

There is a local company to you for seamless aluminium, all the rest must be bought through a merchant.

.

yop

Pete thanks

We have black windows and will have black facia, soffit and drainpipes,

I was thinking of the PVC route because of ease of installation for ourselves but from what I gather avoid them??

What I understand is some people put pvc soffit and aluminium facia, to avoid the suns rays.....

What sort of sponds are u talking for cedar wood I wonder?

Would it not look daft with our setup of black windows, sandstone front on house and cedar wood??

Thanks

rooferPete

Hi Yop,

A nice combination would be the pvc soffit and aluminium facia but aluminium soffit should be about equal in cost to the pvc so I would check that out locally if I were you.

There was a company in the Galway area who did a nice aluminium facia and soffit, by that I mean they knew how to use the system.

Alumasc do a very nice range of gutters and downpipes in black a bit heavy on the day you buy but a real quality job.

AFAIK Cedar is one very expensive timber, the advantage is it just needs a coat of oil every couple of years and it matures very nicely, that said it wouldn't suit every house.

.

kadman

Hi Rooferpete, hi Yop,

Cedar would be considered one of the more expensive timbers available. It is extremely durable, even in its unfinished state, and turns a silvery grey after exposure to the lements over time.

The one possible drawback to using cedar , is its soft brittle nature. It needs to be handled with care, and a delicate approach when cutting and machining it, during installation. It is easily marked, and a fingernail drawn across the surface, will mark it considerably. So a chippy on a price , using cedar, is maybe not the best option. Pay by the hour and have it properly done. So beware. Larch is another possibility.

kadman

yop

Ya, I am warming to the idea of cedar, I must price it to see what it is like, also the Larch,
thanks lads, helpful as always

yop

Lads

I spotted this place on the tin-ternet , http://www.irishwoods.com/stockroom/pricelist.rtf

I suppose this would be unplaned and untreated cedar wood?

kadman

Hi Yop,

I have dealt with this company before.

I guarantee you wont be disappointed with the service, and quality of timber here. You will be invited to select your own timber, or get help in the process. You will also be given a cert , if required, where and when the tree was cut down, sawn ect.

I bought a large amount of wood carvers lime last year. To teach my son woodcarving. He then carved an owl, 16 " high for his Junior cert Woodwork project.

He was one of only two in the school to get an A in woodwork. :rolleyes:

kadman

rooferPete

Kadman ?????

What the ferk has an owl got to do with the price of timber ????? I must say old sport very unprofessional of you to go off topic like that.

, I'll bet a certain Kadman has been bursting to release that news and so he should be.

The apple didn't fall far from the tree then Junior Cert would have him at 15 / 16 years old ?

What a fantastic hobby and skill for a young man to have the patience to learn, it can be his future living or a great way to relax, a win win any way you look at it

I'm not to sure two Kads will make Boards a better place to visit Hmmmm

Seriously Congratulations to Junior, and his Dad for taking the time to help mould that young future, I do believe I have another reason to visit

Kind Regards,

Peter.

gregos

I suppose you'd call him Kadboy.

kadman

Ah Rooferpete,

Sure wasn't I only telling Yop he made an excellent choice of suppliers for his cedar.

And if perchance I should stray into off topic territory, sure isn't it only the meanderings of a rejoicing dad, at his son's ability. :cool:

A chip off the auld block, you might say, er..excuse the pun. :rolleyes:

Back on topic then Rooferpete, ya killjoy

Yes Yop, excellent supplier. They do their own kiln drying, and then store their timber in a conditioning room to maintain its moisture content at the correct level. You will find a wide range of timbers there, from yew, to wych elm. Mostly sourced locally, and combining broad leafed hard woods to conifers. Very accommodating price wise, and an experience in the preperation and conversion of logsawn timber. Very knowledgeable, well run establishment. I will have to go again soon.

kadman

kadman

Well fec it, if there aint two comedians on the boards now.

Maybe kidman


kadman

yop

Kadam

Congrats to the boy wonder, some task to take on and achieve, it has to be in the hands, something I personally think you either have it or you don't, would love to have the skill.

Yes in fairness to them lads they came back on email to me very fast, me been in Mayo said I would get prices off them first as a trip to Car-la is a bit of a spin to be disappointed!

Out of interest, would it be possible to go down there and get the cedar wood or larch for the soffit?? I presume I would have to take it to a saw mill and get it cut and treated or would they do all that there??

I got a price off them for the oak beam for the mantle piece, must say the cheapest so far.

Congrats to Tonto again, if u have a pic of the owl would love to see it.

kadman

Hi Yop,

I'll pass on the congrats to the young fella. If he ever stops bragging about his new found talent.

I,m not too sure if they have machining facilities there, as I have my own , so I did not enquire. Any joinery should be able to thickness and machine your larch/cedar in a couple of hours. A fine cabinet making company would be better. As they need to achieve a far superior finish through their machining processes. A standard joinery may not machine to the finest standard. And remember cedar is EXTREMELY EASILY damaged, so you dont want a young lad ploughing your expensive timber through a thicknesser that has not seen a sharpen since god knows when. So choose your machinists wisely. Its all too easy to turn good cedar into firewood.

Although it does burn extremely well

kadman

yop

Kadman - cheers

Do you think it would be worth my time to travel to Carlow and pick up the cedar soffit and get it off them, bring it to Mayo and get the work done on it, or just go out and buy it here, would it actually end up costing me more?

Cheers

kadman

Hi Yop,

Cedar or larch soffet and facia would be considered by most joineries, to be a special order. They probably would not carry stocks all the time. So it may be a question of ringing around locally. Conseveratory or decking out lets, are more likely to have stocks of cedar, so if you can find one of these local, it might save you a long trip. These outlets probably use western red cedar from America, which is excellent quality, but will be far more expensive than Lisnavagh.

The machines required for your soffet and facia, are nothing special, a saw, spindle, and planer/thicknesser, and of course, experienced operator.

So I suppose its a question of checking locally, and then casting your net wider.

kadman

kadman

kadman

yop wrote:

Congrats to Tonto again, if u have a pic of the owl would love to see it.

Hi Yop,

Never let it be said that I failed to deliver, here's a couple of pics of the Owl, from son of kadman.

So put your orders in fast folks, as he is busy carving in his holidays.

kadman ( & son )

gregos

Oh that's great. That's really first class. Superb, and with a sense of humour too. What can one possibly say except great. Forget about Kadboy becoming a woodworker: he's an artist!

yop

Nice Owl, looks well, I presume that was u driving the Uno buried in the trees in the back

Did anyone ever actually install their own Plastic or aluminimum facia and soffit, worth the work or is it better leave it to the pros?

rooferPete

Hi yop,

You might enjoy the challenge, however I would think you have enough to keep you challenged at the moment.

Alluminium definintely leave it to the company who are equipped to do it properly, take a look at previous jobs if you see a lot of silicone they are not the company for your home.

PVC, can be a bit time consuming at the corners but easy enough, make sure you install enough vents in the soffit.

If your contractor is MFP approved / preferred contractor they will probably supply and fit cheaper than you can buy for, again keep an eye on the quality of the finished product.

.

yop

Cheers, I will do, that is the main thing, with them feckin bay windows and that it might be a bit too akward and I am not in the mindset to attempt it