Fascia & soffits play important roles in both protecting the structure, and ‘finishing’ the building’s roof system. Though often not the key focus of the homeowner’s renovation, they are nevertheless an integral part in protecting a building’s exterior.

In this blog we’ll highlight the benefits of both soffits and fascias as well as taking you through a quick and useful guide to the range of products we stock here at Edge Building Products. We aim to arm you with the confidence to advise your clients on the products that are right for them, so you can both be safe in the knowledge that all the products you use are produced with low maintenance and high quality in mind.

An introduction to soffits and fascias

Fascia are the decorative boards that both support and protect the ends of the roof’s rafters and are fitted directly onto the rafters or onto subfascia (which are attached to the rafter ends first,) creating a protective barrier between the roofing material and external gutter system. Wood, PVC and fibre cement are common materials used in fascias.

Soffits are often described as the underside of the eaves, the planks that cover any of the rafter tails which protrude from the building’s exterior walls. They are designed to provide protection from the weather, keep heat inside the building and also prevent pests from finding their way into the attic. Common soffit materials are aluminium, wood and vinyl.

Vented soffit boards are designed to allow air to pass through into the building offering replacement air for any warmer air that escapes through the roof vents above.

What is the role of soffits and fascias?

The pair work together in harmony, and we wouldn’t recommend one without the other. However, it’s also important to add that both soffit and fascia’s individual roles are quite different!

Whilst they do provide the completed aesthetic to a building’s roofline, they are performing separate jobs to enhance the building’s performance. They serve as a support for the roof’s gutters and also provide a finished appearance to the roofline.

Both fascias and soffits are vital in protecting a building’s structure from water damage and insect or rodent infestations. Without fascias installed on a building’s roof, rainwater can seep into the roof structure, causing rot and structural damage. Similarly, soffits help prevent water from entering the attic and causing damage there.

A range of quality soffits and fascias

Here at Edge, we supply a range of low maintenance fascias and soffits, as well as ancillaries, corners and joints needed for a complete system installation. We can also spray our boards to any RAL or BS colour to match your client’s project style and meet their requirements in every way… in quality, reduced up-keep and aesthetics.

All of our soffit and fascia products are made using highly durable uPVC designed to withstand severe weather conditions and they are therefore long-lasting…. overall, an excellent low-maintenance choice.

We also have a super innovative, interactive fascia and soffit visualiser tool on our website, thanks to our supplier Swish Building Products. This tool will help you and your clients visualise what their roofline will look like whilst installed – a great, unique and clever tool to show your clients whilst talking through their design ideas!

Our EDGEline Square Leg fascia is an invaluable component to a roofing system. Its flat board design is fixed directly to the roof’s rafter end and so there is no need for a backing board. Available in 9mm, 16mm and 20mm thicknesses. We also offer Flat Roof, Bullnose and Ogee fascia styles.

When it comes to soffits, we offer our EDGEline Flat, Hollow and Vented soffit boards too.

For the full range of fascias and soffits, head to our website. Our team is also at hand with any questions you may have. Please do call our team on 0345 021 3333 or drop us an email on: [email protected].

In conclusion, we’ve identified that both soffits and fascias are integral components to a building’s roofing system. Whilst there are a variety of styles available which may suit different buildings and style preferences, regardless of which style you and your client decide to pick, we are proud to supply a comprehensive, quality range of uPVC soffits and fascias that you can count on.

Posted: 02 February 2024

External cladding has become a hot choice when it comes to home and architectural project design.

This is for a multitude of reasons… aesthetic appeal, low maintenance qualities, improving energy efficiency and the structural integrity of a building in addition to protecting the property from the elements. This is the focus of this month’s blog.

As new technologies evolve, the materials used for external cladding has changed too. Traditionally, wood and brick were used on the exterior of buildings, but more recently, durable plastic and composite materials are now popular alternatives.

Perhaps you are increasingly being asked to fit external cladding to your client’s properties (and with very good reason!) Cladding provides an additional layer around the external walls of the building helping to keep the weather out, and heat in.

Whether your clients are looking to add charm and character to a new build, update an older building or create a modern, stylish new project, longevity is at the forefront of most people’s minds when it comes to their home. External cladding can be fitted over the existing external walls or as part of a system which would see the external walls built up using an internal liner, a layer of insulation, followed by an outer sheet which the external cladding would then be fitted over, creating a fully-cladded external wall.

With a wide range of external cladding available on the market, Edge Building Protects specialise in providing you with low maintenance building plastics, including PVC cladding options as well as fibre cement cladding. Both are highly durable materials.

Each of our external cladding products provide protection from the elements, but how?

Unlike traditional timber cladding, the very nature of composite cladding makes it resistant to so much more than its wooden predecessor. Each of our PVC cladding options are resistant to warping and rotting, and PVC won’t attract pests who may try to make themselves a home out of (or meal out of) timber options.

Our composite external cladding products:

Shiplap:

These overlapping boards create a tight seal that prevents air and moisture from penetrating the building. These composite boards are typically installed by first nailing them to the underlying wall, with the top edge of each board overlapping the bottom edge of the one above it. This creates a tight fit that helps keep the boards securely in place, even in windy conditions. The boards can be painted or stained to match the existing colour scheme of the building, or to create a new look.

Open V Cladding:

Sometimes referred to as ‘tongue and groove’ cladding, these are a modern cladding system, characterised by distinctive V-shaped grooves or channels along its surface. These grooves are typically open at the top, allowing for effective drainage of water whilst providing an eye-catching design.

Fortex:

Fortex combines an authentic, sought after timber grained look, with the low maintenance benefits of PVC. Available as Weatherboard, Double Plank Shiplap or Pro Double Plank Shiplap Cladding, the Fortex system is made using Freefoam’s environmentally friendly and lead-free cladding formulation which features a UV and discolouration resistant PVC layer.

What about fibre cement?

Fibre cement is also an effective and popular composite material for external cladding. At Edge, we stock James Hardie plank cladding, made from resilient fibre cement which is again resistant to water, warping, rotting and peeling, unlike traditional painted timber cladding systems.

In conclusion, external cladding made from composite materials provides an additional layer of protection to a property.

You will be able to work confidently using any of our stocked cladding products, safe in the knowledge that they will protect your client’s home and your building project from the elements. Whether that is protection from heat, rain, cold, the sun’s UV rays, and even wind, external cladding offers a second skin wrapping and protection.

Click here to view our full range of cladding options.

Posted 14.02.24