Fascia and Guttering, what are the choices?

This post is split in three parts, the first two relate to the common choice of fascias and guttering available today and the last relates to the combination of fascia and guttering as the two elements need to be considered together.

Choosing fascia low budget and low maintenance or aesthetically pleasing and sustainable?

Fascia is an architectural term for a verticalband under a roof edge and guttering a term to describe a construction element able to facilitate the run-off of rainwater.

Historically, fascias were crafted from stone as ornately carved cornices derived from classical architecture and gutters lead lined channels concealed from view behind parapets

In traditional timber roof construction they are fixed directly to timber rafters and supports a bottom row of tiles and guttering. Roof ventilation may be possible over or below a fascia within a soffit in cold roof applications. They are usually supplied and installed in conjunction with bargeboards, eaves (soffits) and box ends, which invariably coordinate in terms of material and colour.

Today the main fascia materials are UPVC, timber, (hardwood, softwood and fibreboard) and metal, the first two being more common in domestic applications.

• UPVC being the low budget, low maintenance option
• Timber being a traditional and sustainable material option
• Metal being the more contemporary material solution

UPVC: UPVC fascias can have square fascia, bullnose fascia, ogee fascia, or flat fascia profiles. They are often stocked in sizes ranging from 150-605mm widths and 5m lengths. One word of warning, there can be compatability issues between different types. The inspection and replacement of eaves felt is an essential part of UPVC fascia installation as UPVC is often a replacement fascia material solution. Cap-over type fascias are available that are what they sound like, cap over existing timber boards or else full replacement fascia boards can be used.

Timber: Popular hardwood and softwood timber species for fascia board are western red cedar European oak, Utile, Iroko, Douglas fir, Larch and Accoya. The latter is an extremely durable sustainable option. All types can be available FSC certified and suitable for domestic applications.

When ordering timber fascias it is advisable to order them a little longer than necessary so they can be trimmed to fit. They need to be at least 16mm board thickness to meet BBA approval, this ensures boards are thick enough to nail directly to the rafters and strong enough to hold lengths of guttering. 9mm square timber fascias are only suitable for capping over existing timber fascia boards that are in sound condition. The height range of timber fascia boards is 150mm-405mm.

Fibreboard: Fibreboard fascias are also available which can have a 50yr warranty on core material and paint warranty of 10yrs and be FSC certified. They are dimensionally stable, durable and resistant to fungus, manufactured using zero formaldehyde resin.

Metal: Metal fascias may be part of an external sunshade assembly in commercial or contemporary high-profile residential applications and available in a range of profiles. They may be the front or back edge of a sunshade. Metal fascias often have rectangular tube, round tube, channel, sharp wedge, bullet, quarter round tube or round wedge forms as standard.

Choosing Guttering low budget and low maintenance or aesthetically pleasing and sustainable?

Guttering forms part of a buildings overall requirement for rainwater goods. It refers to the rainwater goods fixed more or less horizontally to fascia boards.

Guttering is available in a variety of sizes, styles, profiles and colours and may be specified in conjunction with gutter guards and insect guards.

Today the main guttering materials are UPVC, metal and timber, the first two being more common in domestic applications in the UK today.

• UPVC being the low budget, low maintenance option
• Metal (cast iron being a traditional option and copper a contemporary option)
• Timber being a traditional and sustainable material option

UPVC: UPVC gutters are available in a range of profiles and coloursensuring matches to any existing fenestration and fascia boards. They do not rot, will never need painting, do not discolour and will remain low maintenance. All they will require is the occasional clean. They are even available with the appearance of cast iron. However, there can be compatability issues between different types. View our range of uPVC guttering here.

Timber: Timber is the oldest form of guttering. Popular until the 20th century, when wood was replaced by cheaper plastic and metal alternatives.Timber guttering has the lowest environmental impact. To ensure durability, correct choice of wood is important as it performs best when unpainted. Painting increases drying time after rain. Durability can be increased by lining the gutter with single-ply roof covering, bitumen or specialist wood oil. Suitable species include Scots pine, Pitch pine, Sweet chestnut and Elm. Maintenance includes repainting of the outside and reoiling the inside (if no lining) on a regular basis.

Cast iron: There are a range of traditional cast iron gutter profiles with either round or square outlets including Half Round, Beaded Half Round, Victorian Ogee, Moulded, Circular Pipes, Circular Pipe Fittings, Square / Rectangular Pipes, Square/ Rectangular Pipe Fittings. Have a look at our range of cast iron guttering here.

Copper: Copper is a popular choice for guttering in mainland Europe for its resistance to corrosion. It naturally oxidizes to averdigrispatina over a period of time (though this process can be artificially stimulated). However it is a very limited resource. Copper can be toxic in sufficient concentrations so combining copper rainwater goods with harvested drinking water is not advised.

Choosing Fascia - Guttering Combinations

The interest here is in choosing a suitable combination of fascias and guttering and the materials, dimensions, style and colour of them for done correctly, the two elements can enhance the visual appeal of a property and done poorly be quite the opposite and detrimental to its external appearance. In some areas, such as Conservation areas or Listed Building settings, UPVC will not be acceptable, for either guttering or fascia.

The three usual combination alternatives are:

• UPVC guttering can be fixed to UPVC, timber or fibreboard fascias
• Metal guttering can be fixed to metal, timber or fibreboard fascias
• Timber guttering can be fixed to timber or fibreboard fascias.

Look at our entire range of Fascia and Guttering here.

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