Roofing and siding cover most of the house and bear the brunt of bad weather.
But there are all those troublesome, high-maintenance parts in between: fascias on the roof edge, soffits under roof overhangs and trim around windows and doors.
Typically, these exterior components are made of wood, then primed and painted. It works until they need refinishing, for looks and to protect the wood, again and again. That’s when scraping and repainting a second-story roof edge starts to seem like a high-wire act, and even contractors talk about the extra costs and hassles of extension ladders and scaffolding.
One long-term solution is cladding — a layer of metal with a factory finish (or solid vinyl in some cases) that protects the area from mold and rot, and doesn’t need scraping and repainting. It’s an upgrade that doesn’t break the bank up front and pays dividends long term in reduced repairs and minimal maintenance.
Soffits. Typical installations are made with plywood sheathing (exterior grade, you hope) with vents cut into the surface to provide attic ventilation.
It’s an economical solution. But soffits are often dead spots without much breeze or any direct sunlight. That makes them a magnet for moisture and mold formations — chronic maintenance headaches in an awkward location. Cleaning there is tough enough, perched on a ladder and reaching above your head. Scraping and painting is worse yet. And, unfortunately, this is an area where a laborsaving pressure-washer can’t be used. It will shoot water up through the joints and soffit vents, soak insulation, and create more problems than it solves.
That’s why aluminum and vinyl work on the underbelly of the roof overhang.
They last longer and require less maintenance than plywood. There’s room enough to install trim, even bulky J-channel, along each edge, and slip panels into the trim slots. These panels come perforated for ventilation so you don’t have to cut in vents. It may be tempting to leave old plywood in place. But it’s better to remove it and allow maximum airflow through the perforated system.
And because soffits are somewhat out of the way, these systems won’t be jarring, even if you’re not keen on aluminum- or plastic-covered houses.
Fascias. Vinyl doesn’t work as well on fascias (typically pine or composite boards) that trim the outermost rafters along the edges of the roof. Cladding there needs to show a crisp line and be solidly nailed. That’s not possible with vinyl, which expands and contracts in weather changes up to 3/4 of an inch on long lengths. It needs room to move. The best no-maintenance bet is metal cladding with a factory finish to save scraping and painting, particularly on two-story homes where fascias near the roof ridge are difficult to work on.
Windows and doors. On window and door trim you could beat refinishing hassles with fiberglass, vinyl or aluminum units. But if you want quality wood windows, it pays to order them with exterior cladding. Most manufacturers offer that option with a baked-on finish that resists fading and chalking. Two tested finishes also used on metal roofing (available in many colors) are known by their trade names, Kynar-500 and Hylar-5000.
Jeld-Wen, a major window and door manufacturer, says that its Kynar-covered cladding is guaranteed not to fade or chalk for 20 years, even in coastal environments. The company offers prefinished metal over exterior trim in 41 colors, from chocolate brown to arctic silver. Their Web site (jeld-wen.com) has color samples, plus warranty and product details.
The upfront investment? Jeld-Wen says that cladding typically costs 15 to 18 percent more than a primed wood exterior. Chances are you’ll recoup that and more when the aluminum needs only a wipe down.
If you shop for clad windows, check the distinction between thin, roll-formed aluminum and thicker, extruded aluminum. Marvin Windows and Doors, one of the largest manufacturers, says that roll-form isn’t much thicker than a soda can, and can be easily damaged.
