Fascia / Soffits / Guttering in Kirkwall, Orkney Islands (1)

What is a fascia?

A roofing fascia is a board that is attached at the point when the roof meets the outer walls of a building, otherwise known as the roofline. Fascias are positioned vertically and run along the lower edge of the roof to create a finished look for the roofline. The easiest way to identify fascias is by looking at the gutters – guttering is typically always attached to the fascias.

Fascia boards are usually made of wood, wood composite or uPVC. Wood was traditionally used for fascias, but uPVC has become much more popular, mainly thanks to the minimal maintenance and longer lifespan.

What are soffits on a house?

Soffits are the boards that sit horizontally underneath the fascias, making them the boards most visible from street level. Soffits complete the boxed structure along the roofline and are there purely for aesthetic reasons – they don’t provide any structural support for the roof.

That said, some soffits have ventilation installed to help improve airflow into the roof of the building. In which case the soffit is more than just looking pretty, it’s serving a useful function for ventilation.

Benefits of uPVC fascias and soffits

Here are some of the reasons why uPVC fascias and soffits have become extremely popular with homeowners in the UK:

• They require very little maintenance aside from a standard clean every now and then

• They ’re inexpensive and often cost half the price of wood soffits and fascias

• uPVC fascias and soffits are durable and will last for years once installed, without rotting or swelling

• They’re available in a range of colours so you can pick the right one to suit the style of your home