The roof is the most difficult part of the house structure to construct and assemble, which consists of many interconnected elements. Inexperienced craftsmen often have the opinion that the construction of the roof ends with the covering, however, in fact, such little things as finishing overhangs and ebbs are even more important. In this article we will tell you how to hem a roof eaves with your own hands using a profiled steel sheet.
In civil engineering, the roof design is always designed so that it protrudes slightly beyond the perimeter of the building. The distance from the bottom edge of the slope to the wall of the house is called the roof overhang. According to building codes, it should be at least 40-50 cm. The roof overhang removes rain and melt water, rolling down from the roof, to the maximum distance from the wall, protecting it from getting wet. There are 2 types of overhangs:
- Cornice. A cornice is an overhang that is formed between the bottom of the slope and the side wall of the house.
- Pedimental. A gable overhang is the extension of the roof beyond the gable of a building, formed by a rafter system or sheathing.
Important! Roof eaves are formed by lengthening the rafter legs of the frame or using fillets. Fillers are the name given to the bars used to lengthen the rafters in order to obtain a wider overhang. Since the load on the roof outside the perimeter of the house is small, the fillies are made from boards of a smaller cross-section, secured to the rafters with nails or metal strips.
Functions
In the process of arranging the roof, after laying the finishing coating, the eaves are finished with soffits, clapboard, plastic siding or corrugated sheeting. Overhangs perform decorative and practical tasks that make them one of the most important elements designs. They are assigned the following functions:
- Drainage of rain and melt water from the surface of the walls. The wide eaves of the roof protect the walls of the house from moisture when atmospheric moisture leaves the slope. Without it, the finishing of the house quickly becomes damp, cracks or loses its attractive appearance.
- Removal of atmospheric moisture flows beyond the blind area and foundation. The eaves overhang must divert water flowing from the slope at high speed beyond the blind area to protect the foundation from erosion.
- Protection of rafters from getting wet. A cornice lined with corrugated sheets or soffits prevents water from entering the rafter frame from below, protecting the wooden structural elements from damage and rotting.
- Creating a single, harmonious image of the roof. A decorated cornice completes the appearance of the house, hiding unpresentable elements of the rafter frame from prying eyes.
Pay attention! The lower the roof slope, the wider the eaves should be so that the roof looks proportional and harmonious. In addition, the width of the overhang is influenced by the climatic factor. In regions with high rainfall and snowy winters, it is better to make the cornice wider.
Binding methods
Experienced craftsmen do not recommend leaving them uncovered, since in a strong wind or slanting rain water can flow under them, leading to the wooden rafters becoming wet and the frame gradually rotting. To hem eaves and gable overhangs, special perforated panels called soffits are used, or materials left over from the roof deck are used. It is quite possible to sew up the cornices with corrugated sheets using one of the following methods:
Professional craftsmen note that finishing overhangs with corrugated sheets has a number of advantages. Firstly, profiled steel sheet with polymer coating perfectly resists corrosion. Secondly, it has high mechanical strength. Finally, the color of the siding can be matched to the color of the roof to create a unified architectural look.
Sheathing technology
The technology for constructing a roof necessarily includes filing the eaves. This operation is performed after laying the roofing, in combination with the installation of a drainage system. To finish the overhangs, remnants of corrugated sheeting, fastening strips, wooden blocks and galvanized screws are used. The work is performed in the following sequence:
- First, the ends of the rafter legs or fillies are trimmed to length. It is necessary that the ends of the bars are parallel to the surface of the wall.
- A frontal board is mounted on the ends of the lower part of the rafter legs. At this point, it is most convenient to install the brackets for attaching the gutter.
- A wooden block is secured to the wall of the house at the same level as the front board using anchor bolts.
- Connecting jumpers are installed between the front board and the support beam on the wall in increments of 40-60 cm. This completes the assembly of the frame for the sheathing.
- Using guides and screws to the frame. It is good if there is a gap between it and the wall equal to the height of the profile wave, necessary for ventilation.
Pay attention! The only drawback of lining the eaves with corrugated sheets is the lack of ventilation holes through which the roof rafter frame is ventilated. If the roof design requires powerful ventilation, it is better to seal the eaves using special soffits.
Video instructions
The installation of the roof will not be complete if the roof lining is not completed. This stage of construction work forms the final appearance of the building and ensures protection of the facade and foundation from moisture, and therefore must be carried out with special care.
Any roof has certain design features, for example, overhangs that hang over the walls of a building or over the pediment. Accordingly, they are called cornice (side) or frontal (pediment).
The overhang, or as they used to say, eaves, protrudes beyond the wall of the house and protects it and the foundation from excess moisture (so that rain or melt water rolling down the roof does not fall on the walls and wash away the foundation) and shades the facade from bright sunlight. As a rule, the width of overhangs ranges from 40 to 100 cm. For wooden house overhangs are made from 55 cm wide and up to 120 cm, for brick - up to 55 cm.
Lining a flat roof allows you to make an overhang of smaller width than a steep one, since in the first case the trajectory of precipitation from the roof will go far beyond the boundaries of the blind area and, of course, the walls.
Technologies for installing overhangs (eaves) may differ depending on the roof structure and the length of the slopes. Hemming a gable roof, for example, is easier to do than a hip roof.
The most basic way to create a roof overhang is to use rafter legs. They should protrude beyond the perimeter of the walls. The wider the overhang, the longer the rafter legs should be. But there is one small but very significant nuance in this technology - the weight of the rafter system increases and the loads on the enclosing structures and, ultimately, on the foundation increase.
The second technique makes it possible to create a lightweight structure with minimal consumption of materials. Since there is no load on the overhangs, you can build up rafter legs using “fillies” - pieces of edged boards, which, naturally, are much thinner than the rafters. The fillies allow you to mount eaves overhangs from lighter (which facilitates installation) and cheaper building materials.
Fillers are also used when the length of the roof slope exceeds the maximum standard length of lumber - 6 m.
The advantage of using fillets is that with their help you can create a new line of the roof slope (by changing the shape of the roof overhang), because they are attached at the desired angle. In addition, if you decorate the protruding part of the fillies with carvings, the structure as a whole will become more elegant.
The fillies are attached to the rafters. For more reliable fixation, roofing nails are used, which are driven through (through the rafters and the overlay board) with opposite sides, do this in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 15 cm, and their protruding parts (by 30-40 mm) are bent. The fillies are fastened with at least four nails to ensure a secure connection.
Not hemmed and hemmed
An overhang is a continuation of the roof and an integral part of it, so it is necessary to choose the right type of overhang, taking into account the composition of the roofing pie and the climatic conditions of the area where the house is located. Roof overhangs can be either unlined or hemmed.
Sometimes the overhangs are not hemmed so that decorative supports (protruding parts of the rafters or fillets), which are an element of the exterior, are visible. In this case, all work is carried out as carefully as possible so as not to spoil their aesthetic appeal. But we must take into account that unlined overhangs increase windage, and a strong gust of wind can tear off the roofing material, especially in areas with high wind loads.
Unlined overhangs are left on gable, single-pitched or hip (hatched) roofs.
A variety of materials are used as roof lining.
It is recommended to hem overhangs on any type of roof, regardless of the shape, angle of inclination or width of the eaves. After all, this allows not only to improve the decorative qualities of the structure, but also to protect it from aggressive environmental influences.
Ventilation is important!
The lining of the roof overhangs should not impede the passage of air and impede natural ventilation spaces under the roof. This applies to both cold and insulated roofs with residential attics.
When filing eaves overhangs, it is not allowed to use polyurethane foam or any sealants to prevent condensation from forming and the roofing pie from getting wet.
Ventilation grilles installed in the roof sheathing and gaps between the sheathed eaves and the wall will provide natural ventilation and significantly extend the life of the roof itself. But only the side overhangs should be ventilated, and the front overhangs should be sewn up tightly.
It should be noted that hemming of cornices is done not only in new houses, but also in old ones. Therefore, in such buildings, before sewing up the overhang, it is necessary to carefully examine the roof structure, and most importantly, all protruding elements. What does not hold well must be fixed, what is rotten must be removed (cut off or sawed off, replacing with good wood) and only after all detected defects have been eliminated, the surface must be treated with an antiseptic, and then the filing can begin.
Along the rafters and along the frame
There are two main methods for lining roof overhangs: along the rafters and along a wooden frame. Roof overhangs with a slight slope are usually hemmed along the rafters. The location of the mounted sheathing will also correspond to this angle of inclination.
Before you start sheathing the overhang, you need to align the protruding legs of the rafters (fillies), for which you pull the cord and saw off the excess parts parallel to the plane of the wall. And if some rafters turn out to be a little shorter, then these deviations are corrected with the help of cutting boards, which are nailed to the rafter legs that stand out from the general row. Only after the line is completely leveled does work related to filing the overhangs begin.
Wooden box
Constructing a box is a more troublesome method, entailing additional consumption of materials, but this filing method is ideal for roofs with a large angle of inclination. The frame of the box is made from two pieces of thick board (40 mm) or block.
The design of the box is simple: one piece of board (or block) is placed close to the wall, its upper part is attached to the rafters, and the lower part is connected to a second board, one end of which is fixed to the lower part of the rafter leg. It turns out a triangle, the middle part of which is the rafter leg (the number of triangles corresponds to the number of installed rafters).
To give rigidity to the wooden box, it is additionally fixed with metal corners. After installing the box and sheathing, they begin to line the overhang with the material chosen for this purpose: edged boards, wooden lining, siding, soffits, corrugated sheets.
The installation of front overhangs is slightly different from the installation of side overhangs. To install a pediment cornice, the ridge board is made a little longer so that it extends beyond the perimeter of the pediment by the required distance, the sheathing crossbars should protrude the same amount, the cornice board is attached to their ends, and then the lower part of the pediment overhang is hemmed.
The eaves can be hemmed after installing the rafter system or after completing the installation of the roofing material - not here fundamental difference in the order of work. But, if external insulation of the building is planned, then the roof lining is carried out only after the insulation work has been carried out. And it doesn’t matter whether you sheathe the overhang perpendicular to the facade or along it.
Sheathing board
A good option for cladding is a board 15-20 mm thick. Its width is chosen based on the width of the cornice and the desired decorative effect - ranging from 50 to 250 mm. It is desirable that the materials used do not have significant deviations in size, otherwise the appearance the created structure.
Hemming a wooden overhang does not create any particular difficulties during installation. The board allows you to ensure natural ventilation of the roof, because no matter how hard you try, there will still be gaps between the wooden elements; in addition, when hemming the frame, they usually leave small gaps between the boards (10-15 mm) and then there will be no need to cut in a ventilation grille.
If the length of the boards is not enough, they are joined offset: so that a through seam does not form, and they are attached to the frame in several places to prevent deformation.
Hemming on hipped corners hip roofs joined at an angle of 45 degrees.
The tree is not very resistant to aggressive environments and pests, because no one is immune from the appearance of wooden house wood-boring beetles, mold or even mildew. Therefore, previously (before use) wooden building materials must be treated with any antiseptic or fire-retardant composition. It is advisable to do this twice: before installation and after it.
Lining
Lining roof overhangs with clapboard is also used quite often. The main thing is to choose quality material– smooth, without bluish spots, not too damp and not overdried (natural humidity is what is needed), without a large number of knots.
Before use, the lining must be folded outside and left for several days so that it, so to speak, acclimatizes a little and does not warp after installation. This is if it was stored in a warehouse or barn. In the case when the material is shipped to you directly from a stack on the street, it is immediately ready for use.
The lining is laid tightly, leaving no gaps (as is done when installing boards), but at certain intervals small holes are cut out, which are covered with ventilation grilles.
The filing of any overhang is carried out with clapboard treated with protective compounds.
Siding
PVC siding is used to cover cornices most often when this material was used to cover the facade of a house. The remaining scraps are quite suitable for this task. The siding is laid and fixed perpendicular to the walls, and installation along the walls with long panels is not used, because they are thin and will sag even if they are attached in several places.
Depending on the width of the cornice, the siding sections are fixed in at least two places, and for reliability it is best to attach them at four points. To make the finish look neat, use corners at the joints and “P” shaped strips to decorate the edges. Ventilation grilles must be installed.
When covering roof overhangs with siding, you need to be very careful to prevent defects in the work.
By the way, overhangs are always hemmed along the sheathing, regardless of the material used.
Soffits
To hem overhangs, they also use soffits - perforated panels that allow air to pass through and thereby protect the roof from the appearance of fungus. The panels are fastened together with lock-type connections.
By the way, soffits can be not only fully perforated, but also with perforation in the center and even solid - without perforation at all
They produce plastic, steel, aluminum and copper roofing soffits. Plastic products are similar in appearance to vinyl siding, but they are thicker and wider. These soffits are popular because they are inexpensive, durable, UV resistant and visually attractive. When installed, they form a seamless fabric.
Steel soffits are much stronger than plastic ones, but also much heavier, but they can withstand even high mechanical loads. Often they come complete with roofing material.
Covering eaves with aluminum soffits is now increasingly being ordered – it’s fashionable. Aluminum is lightweight, does not corrode and does not expand when exposed to high temperatures. But the color palette of spotlights made from this material is not diverse and consists of only two colors: white and brown.
Copper soffits are the most expensive, but also the most presentable and durable. They will last for many years without losing their decorative qualities.
So, by choosing soffits from one material or another (depending on your financial capabilities), you can adjust the appearance of your home and create an original architectural ensemble with interesting contrasting elements. And, of course, reliably protect the building from rain, sun and wind.
Corrugated sheet
The lining for overhangs should be chosen so that it not only copes with its functional purpose, but also looks good and is durable.
Despite the fact that corrugated sheeting is, first of all, a roofing material, it has all these qualities, and its wide color palette allows you to choose the color of the lining to match the color of the roof, facade, or, conversely, use contrasting shades. It is even possible to use halftones here - a tone darker or lighter. Lining the overhang with corrugated sheeting is very convenient.
Corrugated sheeting is hemmed using the same method as all other materials. It is durable, easy to use, lightweight, decorative, but does not allow air to pass through, so you need to install ventilation grilles at a certain distance or leave a gap along the wall of the building one wave wide.
Frontal board
After the filing of the new overhangs is completed, the front board is nailed to the ends of the rafter overhangs. Since they are cut obliquely, their cuts are slightly larger than the diameter of the rafter legs. The width of the front board is chosen so that the ends of the overhangs are completely covered. The thickness of the board can be from 20 to 30 mm, because it does not experience strong wind loads, so thicker material is only an additional financial cost for which there is no justification.
The material that was used for lining the overhangs (lining, siding, corrugated...) is mounted on top of the front board. The outer corner of the overhang is covered with the corner that comes with the siding, metal or wood (which is much less common, because it is less resistant to precipitation).
That's it - your roof is finished!
To give the structure a more attractive appearance, a corner is also installed at the junction of the sheathing and the wall of the house - it hides irregularities and places of fastening with screws or nails.
We give a guarantee
The specialists of Moskomplekt LLC have been working in the construction industry for many years, so they have extensive experience in solving any tasks assigned to them. Fitting any roof is not a problem for us! If you need any work done, please call the office, write an email, or leave a message on our website. Managers will promptly contact you, advise you, and advise you on how to conclude an agreement with us. We work quickly, efficiently and always provide a guarantee. Contact us, we will help you.
Price for services
Prices are indicated for 1 p/m
Installation of the frame of cornices and gable overhangs - 220-320 rubles.
Fitting with soffits – 240-365 rubles.
Hemming with boards – 400-510 rubles.
Painting wooden elements in 2 layers – 45-85 rubles.
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When installing a roof, developers are primarily concerned with two things: its aesthetics and reliable protection of the rafter system. It should be noted that both of these issues have the same solution - the roof must be carefully finished.
The last step of installation load-bearing structure and roofing arrangement is the filing of the roof eaves. The options are quite varied. Although this is the finishing touch, however, the overall impression of the house largely depends on it. Therefore, it is so important to carefully select the material for lining the roof overhangs. Next, we will analyze in more detail the basic technologies and subtleties of the work, or, as they say, the device of the box.
Features of the overhang device
One of the most important functions The roof is protective; it must protect the inside of the building from precipitation. However, walls undoubtedly also need protection from wind and moisture. Therefore, overhangs protruding beyond the walls are necessary:
- cornice (side) - by 0.5–0.6 m;
- frontal – up to 1 m/
The exact amount of offset is determined by calculation, taking into account the height of the house and the width of the foundation blind area.
The design of the box is also important in that it includes the elements necessary for ventilation of the under-roof space, and a drain is also attached to it.
Preparation for finishing the cornices occupies an intermediate position between the installation of the rafter system and the installation of sheathing for the roof covering. In particular, the lower ends of the protruding rafter legs are sawed off, placing them along a line running strictly parallel to the wall of the building on which the work is being carried out.
Directly lining the roof eaves with corrugated sheets, siding or other material is usually performed upon completion of the installation of the roofing system, as well as after completing the external insulation, waterproofing and cladding.
Before filing the roof eaves, it is necessary to insulate the outside walls of the building. This is necessary so that the entire wall is insulated, and if you do the hemming first, the upper part will remain uninsulated.
Box design options
The choice of method for sheathing cornices is dictated by specific conditions, however, if we put it together general provisions For most roofing structures, two main ones can be distinguished:
- along the rafters. This option is acceptable for structures with a small angle of inclination, since in this case the slopes of the slopes and the cladding must coincide. The essence of this method is that finishing material it is stuffed directly onto the ends of the rafters in a direction parallel to the wall or at 90⁰ to the plane of the rafters. This is why the bottom cut of the rafters must be perfectly aligned.
Installation is carried out in several simple steps:
- lay the first and last trim strips;
- a marking thread is pulled from one edge to the other, which serves as a guide for mounting the remaining workpieces;
- When designing the joints of the slopes, the finishing parts are attached to the corner rafters on both sides.
- The second method is used for steeper slopes. For example, hemming of overhangs is mainly carried out using this technology.
- In this case, the rafters are cut both vertically and horizontally and a front board is placed along their bottom.
- Another beam is installed on the wall. It should be about 1 cm higher than the windshield to prevent water from entering the structure.
- From the junction of the slopes to the corners of the building, boards are nailed and reinforced with bars packed at right angles to the wall.
- For overhangs larger than 0.45 m, an additional longitudinal beam is installed in the middle.
The resulting structure is quite reliable, and its stability is completely independent of the strength of the wall. It not only facilitates installation, but also allows you to significantly save on material.
photo: lining the roof eaves with soffits
One of the simplest universal methods that is suitable for any type of roof is to use soffits for finishing overhangs.
See how easy it is to file in the video.
There are three options for lining the front roof overhang. The basis for the cladding can be:
- sheathing;
- rafter leg;
- guides.
For example, hemming a gable roof overhang onto the sheathing is done like this: along the gables, beams or boards are attached to it, onto which the finishing is stuffed.
It should be noted that gable and side overhangs can be sheathed in various ways.
Selection of cladding material
Lining and other types of wood
The modern market offers developers a lot various options for covering cornices, each of which has its own positive and negative sides. An important factor is the appearance and service life.
When finishing the roof of a wooden house, it would be advisable to use natural wood. There are mainly three options used:
- edged board;
- clapboard;
- planken - a board planed on four sides with a rounded or beveled side.
The structure made from edged boards is not resistant to precipitation, wind and other similar natural influences, therefore
- Before installation, the finishing material must be carefully processed;
- To avoid deformation, in particular, twisting, it is necessary to ensure the most reliable fastening. To do this, as a rule, two screws are used on both sides for each fastening point, and for wide boards - another one in the center;
- To avoid double joints along the length in the sheathing of boards, they need to be joined in a checkerboard pattern. The exception is the corners in which the boards are sawn off at the required angle, usually 45⁰;
- When hemming the overhang, the boards are laid with a gap of 1.0–1.5 cm for ventilation.
The lining is delivered to the market already processed. For the overhang, it is better to use moisture-resistant material intended for outdoor use. It should not be very thin, about 20 mm. Before installation, it is recommended to keep the lining outside for about an additional month.
Note
The cost of covering the eaves of a roof with clapboard is much higher than the cost of finishing with similar panels, but made of polymers.
Lining overhangs with planken is reminiscent of wooden lining, however, undoubtedly, there are quite important differences:
- Planken, unlike lining, is installed with a small gap;
- it is absolutely moisture resistant, so it lasts longer;
- if the board is damaged, you can only replace it, and not, as in the case of lining, completely disassemble the structure.
Siding
One of the most affordable cladding options is PVC siding. It is installed perpendicular to the wall, fixing it at several points (2–4 depending on the width of the overhang). The installation kit should include U-shaped strips used to trim the edges, corners for fastening the joints of the planks and ventilation grilles.
Attention!
It is not recommended to lay PVC panels parallel to the wall, since they are significantly inferior to wooden planks in terms of rigidity and can bend. It won't even save large number fastenings.
You can get more durable sheathing by covering the eaves with metal siding. It is not as easy to install as plastic, but it is much stronger and lasts much longer. A wide range of colors allows you to choose the finish in accordance with the roof design.
Its only drawback, perhaps, is the scourge of all metal products corrosion. Over time, metal panels may develop rust stains.
We use corrugated sheets
The polymer coating of the material reliably protects the galvanized steel base from moisture, significantly reducing the likelihood of corrosion. Its assortment, like siding, includes samples of a wide variety of colors, so there is always the opportunity to sheathe the eaves to match the roof.
Corrugated sheets are resistant to high mechanical loads and sudden temperature fluctuations. A sufficient degree of rigidity and strength make it resistant to strong gusts of wind.
Installing the sheathing is quite simple if you know how to cut metal.
- The arrangement of the overhang begins with the installation of the box: two bars are attached in parallel at the level of the overhang - one on the wall, the other along the rafters;
- Cut strips of corrugated sheets and attach them to the bars using self-tapping screws.
- The joints are decorated with special corner strips, external and internal.
- Profiled sheets are quite heavy, so before starting installation work You definitely need to make sure that the frame is strong enough. If necessary, it is strengthened whenever possible.
As you can see, corrugated sheeting is one of the most expensive materials used for lining overhangs. This is justified, because the production process and technology are much more complex, and accordingly, their performance characteristics are much better.
Note
The cost of lining overhangs fluctuates on average between 350–400 rubles/sq. m. regardless of the finishing material used.
It is quite possible to sheathe roof overhangs yourself. Watch how the work is done with your own hands in the video.
They often plan to finish the roof overhang later or skip this stage altogether. However, such a simple manipulation will not only give the roof an aesthetically complete look, but will also help to more reliably fix other structural elements. If you don’t want to bother too much, then you can resort to one of the simplest and most accessible operations - filing the roof overhangs.
Very quickly, without much effort and special skills, you can finish finishing the entire house yourself. After which both the roof and the house as a whole will be transformed. In addition, the entire structure will become stronger, and the facade will be protected from excess sunlight and precipitation. Below we will consider in detail: what is roof overhang lining, how it is done, and what materials will be needed.
Roof overhangs: main purpose
An overhang or eaves is the lower part of the roof, which necessarily protrudes beyond the walls of the house. In other words, an additional canopy over the house. They perform a protective function. Firstly, overhangs protect from summer sun rays. At the same time, the winter sun warms up the rooms. Secondly, they protect external walls and foundations from leaking. And snow or icicles won’t fall on your head. As a rule, their width varies from 40 cm to 1 meter.
It is believed that this part of the house does not require mandatory filing. But it is worth considering that in this case the windage of the structure will increase, a strong gust of wind can break the eaves. And it also depends on how the overhangs were installed. In some cases, they are not specifically hemmed so that the decorative supports that serve as part of the exterior are visible. Then the work is done as carefully as possible. But it’s better to hide the rough work under a file so that friends and neighbors don’t point their fingers at the roof every time. The lining will also improve the thermal insulation of the house.
Types of overhangs: cornice and front
There are two types of eaves: they can be eaves or frontal. A design option when the overhang is formed by the lower part of a sloping roof is usually called eaves. The front overhang is formed by the side of the slope.
Eaves roof overhang
This type of construction complements the lower part of the sloped roof. It is designed in such a way that air can reach higher under the roof. As a rule, this works on attic roof options. In mansard roof types, air leaks through the air layer of the roofing pie (a system of several layers of roofing material), right up to the ridge, ventilating the entire roof.
If air channels are not provided, the ventilation process will be completely impossible, which is extremely bad. The filing should not be done “tightly”. But it's still worth doing. Otherwise, there is a risk that mice, birds, insects or other living creatures will get under the roof. And then the rafters will have to be carefully treated with water-repellent paint, otherwise moisture will spoil them over time.
This is important! The eaves overhang must have a ventilation system.
There are several ways to install a ventilation system:
- The easiest thing to do is to leave a small gap between the walls of the house and the sheathing. For corrugated sheets, the minimum thickness of the slots is 6 mm, the maximum is 12 mm. The gap under the lining or siding should be 10-15 mm.
- There are special grilles that allow air to enter, which are inserted directly into the cladding material. They can be used with almost all types of hems.
- In cases where the overhang is sheathed with boards, it simply leaves small gaps (5-10 mm) between them.
- Small holes can be made in the soffit panel, which will serve to ventilate the entire roof.
Note to the master. Tip 1: the totality of ventilation holes must be at least 1/500 of the total area to be ventilated. When working with bitumen or seam roofing, the width of the holes should be larger than for clay tile roofing, as it has the ability to “breathe”.
Note to the master. Tip 2: Ventilation holes must be covered with a grille (in the case of cracks, with a mesh). Otherwise, the holes will quickly become clogged with insects, small animals, dust or anything else.
Front roof overhang
When using a frontal system, the overhang is formed by the side part of the slope, which is located on a slope. Which turns off ventilation problems. But strong wind or moisture can damage the structure. Most often in such cases, the insulation suffers. If it becomes saturated with moisture, it will not perform its function.
This is important! When working with a front canopy, everything must be done hermetically.
Roof overhang: edge treatment
Both types of overhangs have open elements at the ends. At the front overhang, the ends of the sheathing are unprotected, and at the eaves, these are the end parts of the rafters. In order to prolong the life of the entire structure, these parts should be treated. The eaves overhangs still need to install additional drainage paths along them. In this case, the protection of the end area will be the edge finishing. The protective layer is made depending on the roofing material used. Manufacturers usually include a special edge protection kit in the packaging.
Before installing the sheathing, one more step must be taken: all protruding rafters and fillies should be trimmed vertically (strictly along one contour). At the same time, the distance from the wall should be the same, this is important. Afterwards, the ends of the stops need to be connected with a strapping wooden panel, on which the front board is then nailed. Most often a metal board is used. Metal, ceramic or bitumen tiles, include a frontal board. If you don’t have one at hand, then you can make it yourself from wood. Only the board will have to be carefully treated with a water-repellent compound, since drainage paths will be installed on it. 
The procedure for processing the front overhang is as follows:
- First, all protruding sheathing boards need to be trimmed. It is important that the edge contour is transverse to the wall.
- The next step will be installing the end panel. We nail a board of wood or metal to the end of the ridge beam and the aligned edges of the sheathing structure.
- Finally, the end area of the board should be covered with roofing material. The length of the roofing sheet must correspond to the length of the eaves.
The most popular options for filing eaves
The roof overhang can be hemmed in different ways. To do this, they came up with a lot of ways: parallel or perpendicular to the eaves, using solid sheets or individual strips, using certain materials and fastening systems. But these are all variations of the two main filing methods.
Roof overhang: lining directly along the rafters
This method is the easiest. There is only one nuance: the lower ends of the rafters must have one common plane. As a rule, this method is used to hem structures for roofs with a slight slope (up to 30 degrees) and the offset should be 40-50 cm. We attach the sheathing to the rafter posts. Any wooden planks or beams are suitable for its manufacture. Hemming panels can be screwed transversely to the wall, along the end of the rafters, or perpendicular to the surface of the rafters. You need to look at the situation. 
Sewing horizontally
This method is ideal for steeply sloped roofs. The installation process takes significantly less time and material is used more economically. To do this, you will need several pieces of beams, from which you need to twist a small structure called a box. Next, it is attached to the rafters and the wall (top and bottom). So that splashes of water that fall on the overhang can drain off easily. The beam, which on the wall should be 1 cm higher than the beam on the rafters. After that, boards are nailed between the corners of the roof and the house. There is important nuance: if the overhang is more than 45 cm, then an additional longitudinal beam will need to be installed in the middle. Other longitudinal beams need to be reinforced with bars, securing them with nails perpendicular to the surface of the wall. 
The front overhang is hemmed exclusively along the sheathing
The roof overhang can be finished in any way. Planks or beams are attached directly to the sheathing. After this, sheathing strips are attached to them.
Choosing material for hemming
The material can be chosen at your discretion. The only thing is that you need to choose it to match the style of your home. Because white plastic will not match a wooden house in any way.
Which board is best?
It is better to give preference to planed coniferous boards, and if this is not available, then you can use edged boards of any species. The width of the board should be between 50-250 mm and a thickness of 17-22 mm. It wouldn't hurt to treat the boards with paint or varnish. Ideally, before installation, the boards should lie for 25-30 days under a canopy outside. Then they will have the optimal degree of humidity.
When covering, it is important to remember to leave gaps (10-15 mm) between the boards so that air can circulate. With perpendicular installation, the boards are attached on both sides. When the overhang is larger than usual, you can add a third screw in the center. If the installation is parallel, then the boards are fixed after 1 meter.
Board is a relatively inexpensive material. A cubic meter will cost from 6,000 rub.m3. 
Wooden lining
The lining has one big advantage over the board - it is treated with an antiseptic. There is a moisture-resistant type of lining. Considering that it will be used outdoors, it is better to choose this one. Before installation, the lining must also spend 25-30 days under a canopy outside. Otherwise, the installation of the lining proceeds in the same way as the boards. You just don't have to leave any air gaps. When working with lining, you can use special ventilation grilles. They are placed at intervals of 1.5 m.
The lining costs from 300 rubles per sq. m. 
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) siding
Siding must be moisture resistant. Making hemming using siding is very convenient. Because you can purchase various fastening systems, corners, air grilles and everything you might need for it.
The roof overhang is finished with slats installed perpendicular to the walls. Depending on the width of the eaves, they are attached in several places (2-3-4). It is not advisable to mount the planks along the wall, since this material is not as rough as wood, so they may sag, or a significant number of fasteners will be needed.
Square meter of PVC planks - from 250 rubles.
Corrugated sheet (profiled sheet)
The main advantage of this material is that the installation process takes little time, since it is placed large sheets, and is attached according to the same principle as the board. The height of the corrugated sheet profile can vary from 8 mm to 20 mm. When hemming, a gap of 6-12 mm should be left. There is a special grille for the ventilation system.
A square meter will cost 500 rubles. 
Sheet metal
The composition of metal sheets may vary. Among them there are sheets of galvanized or polymer steel, copper and aluminum. The length of such sheets is up to 6 meters. Ventilation can be done using a special grille or perforated pieces of metal. Steel sheets must be treated with an anti-corrosion coating in the cut areas. Aluminum and copper do not need this. The disadvantage of metal sheets is that they are quite difficult to cut. You will need a special tool.
The price of one square meter is from 300 rubles.
Plywood and OSB
When choosing plywood sheets for overhangs, use grades with water-resistant properties. The material is quite rigid, so it allows the use of large slabs for installation. However, you will have to assemble a wooden box from blocks, to which sheets of plywood will be screwed every 1-1.5 m. For ventilation, ready-made grilles are sewn into the sheets. Plywood does not look very attractive, so it is advisable to paint the finished overhang.
Plywood will cost 350 rubles per square meter, OSB from 600 rubles. 
Fitting overhangs with soffit is the fastest and most durable way
Soffits are usually called strips made for lining overhangs, so working with them is the most convenient. They are made from various materials: metal (copper, aluminum, steel), PVC. Which have a wide color palette and rich texture, thereby allowing you to select soffits for any home design.
The set of spotlights consists of the following elements:
- Soffit panels.
- Frontal planks (chamfers).
- Profiles with J-shaped grooves.
- End strips.
Many manufacturers produce spotlights and their components, so they may differ in appearance.
According to their characteristics, soffit panels come with one layer, double, triple, perforated (eaves) and solid (for front-line work). Anyone with minimal experience working with wood, fasteners and construction tools can install soffits. You need to cut the panels and install them perpendicular to the wall of the house.
PVC planks are sold at a price of 600-700 rubles per square meter. The rest are several times cheaper.
Cost table for panels for lining overhangs
Do-it-yourself soffit filing: detailed instructions
There is no strict standard for fitting soffits, so the installation process may vary slightly. Before installation, be sure to read the instructions. Below we will discuss the installation process using vinyl soffits as an example. 
As a rule, soffits are installed horizontally, but in some cases longitudinal fastening along the rafters is used. Horizontal fastening involves the construction of a special lathing frame. Instructions for its manufacture are given above in the text. Afterwards, all other elements for installation are attached to the sheathing. 
Video How to make a roof overhang with soffits
The role of a quality roof in creating comfortable atmosphere in the house is difficult to overestimate. A good, properly assembled roof protects living quarters from all weather conditions and reduces heat loss throughout the building. When installing a roof, you need to pay attention not only to its main elements, but also to small details - for example, cornices, which extend the life of the roof and increase its reliability. How to make a roof cornice with your own hands will be discussed in this article.
Construction and purpose of the roof eaves
The roof eaves are a continuation of the slopes in their lower part. Cornices are formed at the stage of installation of the rafter system in one of two ways: the first involves increasing the length of the rafter legs and moving them beyond the roof, the other requires the installation of special fillies. The upper part of the eaves is covered with roofing, and the lower part is sheathed various materials. It is the design of the roof eaves that we will consider in this article.
A self-assembled house roof cornice performs the following functions:
- Protecting building walls from moisture. The eaves hang over the top of the building frame, protecting the walls from water and dirt flowing from the roof. This allows you to extend the life of the structure and preserve its visual qualities.
- Protecting the building foundation from erosion. Eaves overhangs extend beyond the roof and the perimeter of the foundation, so water and snow, rushing down from the roof, fall at some distance from the building. As a result, the blind area and the foundation of the building receive good protection from erosion.
- Improving the visual performance of a building. Eaves overhangs give the entire roof a finished look. By choosing the right materials and thinking a little about the design of the cornices, you can achieve a very harmonious architectural picture.
Installation of the roof eaves is mandatory when installing any type of roof. Of course, visual characteristics can sometimes be neglected, but the practical functions of curtain rods are too important and cannot be ignored.
Types of roof eaves
Before installing roof eaves with your own hands, you need to study all their types, features and installation technology. Once the theoretical aspects have been studied, all that remains is to bring the designed idea to life - and this is quite simple, given the simplicity of the design of the cornices.
All cornices are divided into two main categories:
- Pediment. As the name implies, this type of eaves overhangs is mounted on the sides with gables. You need to understand how to make a cornice on a pediment correctly. The length of gable cornices is usually short, and their formation occurs due to the elements of the sheathing and the front board, which provides the necessary shape to the cornice.
- Cornice. Such cornices are located under the roof slopes. Eaves overhangs are considered to be areas of the roof that extend beyond the perimeter of the walls. The length of the eaves overhangs is quite long - these elements are necessary to protect the walls from the effects of water flowing from the roof.
Before you make a cornice at home with your own hands, you need to calculate the load on it. The overhangs are located at the bottom of the slope, so the snow load on them is minimal, but there are additional elements (for example, a drainage system or snow retainers) that change the distribution of loads.
Methods for forming cornices - how to do it
To arrange eaves overhangs, you can use one of the following methods:
- Extension of rafters. This method is extremely simple. In this case, the cornices are formed by long rafter legs, the edges of which protrude beyond the slopes. To increase the length of the overhang, it is enough to select longer beams for the rafters. The main problem with this design is the increase in the weight of the rafter system, which has a greater impact on the foundation.
- Extension of rafters with fillies. This method of forming eaves overhangs is somewhat more complicated than the previous one, but also very simple. In this case, the edges of the rafters are lengthened using fillets - extendable elements, which are usually made from thinner boards. The use of fillies allows you to reduce total weight designs.
The choice of method for forming the cornice depends on the parameters of the roofing structure and the length of the slopes. If the planned length of the slopes is less than 6 m, then it is quite possible to use the method of lengthening the rafters - standard 6-meter boards will be quite enough, and their total weight will not overload the roof. In all other cases, fillies will be quite appropriate.
Choosing the size of the eaves at home
In order for a metal roof cornice to effectively perform its functions, it is necessary to correctly calculate its size. A cornice that is too narrow will certainly cause a reduction in the service life of the main element of the building - the foundation.
When choosing the length of the cornice, you need to take into account the following number of factors:
- Climatic conditions. The amount of precipitation must be taken into account first. The relationship between the size of the cornice and the level of precipitation is direct - for snowier regions, a longer overhang is needed. The minimum extension of the cornice beyond the slopes is about 50 cm. The maximum length of the overhang is not limited, but making it more than 1 meter is pointless - such dimensions are enough for the snowiest regions.
- Slope angle. Steep slopes require wider eaves - water and snow in this case fall a short distance from the walls, so they need to be protected. If the slopes are located at a slight angle, then the cornice may be smaller.
- Building proportions. The large width of the roof eaves of the house in combination with the flat roof visually makes the house lower. Small-width eaves installed on a steep roof have the opposite effect - the building ends up appearing taller.
How to sheathe a cornice with your own hands
Finished eaves overhangs must be hemmed - this will allow the entire structure to fully perform its functions and look good. Before sheathing the roof eaves, you need to decide on the technology of this process and select the appropriate material.
Do-it-yourself roof eaves can be done using two technologies:
- Straight filing. This method of filing involves creating a box that is located at a right angle relative to the wall of the building. It is to this box that the sheathing material is attached. This method is quite simple, but requires additional costs for building materials.
- Diagonal hem. The eaves are hemmed so that the sheathing material is parallel to the roof slopes. This method is excellent for lining steep roofs with a short slope length. The diagonal method requires more effort than straight hemming, but in most cases it will be justified.
The foundation for the eaves overhangs is laid at the very end of the installation of the rafter system. When the sheathing is ready, the rafters are aligned to the same level, after which the wind board can be attached to them.
Materials for installing cornices
Hemming the roof eaves can be done using the following materials:
- Boards. For hemming eaves overhangs, ordinary edged boards are often used. The advantages of this material are obvious - low cost, light weight and ease of installation. However, there is also a drawback, and a significant one - wooden elements are exposed to moisture and actively rot. In order for the hemming to last at least for some time, it must be regularly covered with a protective layer of paint, and even in this case the wood will deteriorate, so after a few years the cornices will have to be hemmed again.
- Siding. Lining the cornice with siding is a very good solution. The arsenal of advantages of this material includes ease of installation, the ability to withstand any weather conditions, long term service and good visual performance. The main problem that arises when using siding is the disruption of roof ventilation, which causes rafter system begins to collapse.
- Soffits. Soffits are a material designed specifically for lining cornices. A distinctive feature of soffits is a perforated surface that allows air to pass through but prevents the passage of moisture. Considering the importance of ventilation for maintaining the roof in working condition, this material should be given preference. In addition, the large width of the spotlights greatly simplifies installation.
Conclusion
Making cornices at home with your own hands is not difficult - you just need to understand their types, choose the optimal material and study the installation technology. Properly created eaves overhangs with good ventilation will reliably protect the roof from premature destruction.
