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Fascia wood rot - how best to replace or repair?

4K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  EvilNCarnate 
#1 ·
I have a flat roof section and it has 4 layers of 1x6 fascia wood, numbered on the pictures as 1, 2, 3, 4 from top to bottom respectively.

The top fascia is mostly hidden by the drip edge of the roof.





Due to the direction the rain hits and the intersection wood structure, the fascia number 3 and 4 have rotted, it has rotted so badly it feels spongy if I apply pressure with my fingers.

However, I am not sure how best to remove this piece of fascia. The way it is nailed, I can't remove fascia 3 without removing fascia 2, and can't remove fascia 2 unless I remove fascia 1, and can't remove fascia 1 unless I completely pry out the drip edge of the roof.

Anyone has any creative way to make the repair without removing everything?

Can I use a circular saw sideways to cut fascia 3 flushed with the bottom of fascia 2 and go from there? Although I feel a bit nervous using a circular saw hang down from the roof holding it sideways, not to mention probably the saw will have some bulky parts that get in the way so flush cut is not possible.

Thanks in advance for any comments.
 
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#2 ·
Can you use a reciprocating saw (sawzall) to cut the nails?
Pry #2 out slightly, reach in with sawzall and cut nails, then remove 3 and 4.
From your description I understand that #2 is nailed through #3. You could use a cats paw to remove the nails, then you would have to patch the gouge made by the cats paw.
Perhaps prying #2 our slightly to raise the nails, then tap the board in leaving the nails out and pul the nails.
 
#3 ·
There is no way to fix this except to remove them all.
Want to prevent it from happening agin? Then add a gutter so the water does not run down the wall.
Instead of wood replace it with James Hardee boards, looks the same once painted but will not rot like wood.
 
#4 ·
That's an easy job if you have the patience. First of all, it would be crazy to get up there with a saw when those boards will split so easily.

Tools needed: a cat's paw, a flat bar and a hammer.

Start with board #3. Set the teeth of the cat paw's short leg halfway up the board, near one of the ends, and along the grain. Hit it with the hammer (you will be wedging the cat's paw into the board). The board will split. Follow the split and keep extending it until the bottom half of the board is gone. Repeat further up the board, about a half inch below board #2. Chances are that some splits will extend diagonally upwards instead of horizontally, which is good for you. Once you only have a bit of board #3 left, get the flat bar up under what's left of board #3 and use it as a lever to loosen the nails holding what's left of board #3 (carefully so that you don't split board #2). At that point, with a little wiggling, a little digging and a little splitting edgewise (perhaps with the additional help of a flat screwdriver) you can get rid of what's left of board #3. If there are nails that don't go also through board #2, you can get them out either by bending-prying or, worse case scenario, cutting them with a hack saw blade.

With board #3 gone, removing board #4 will be a breeze.
 
#5 ·
I have often found in older material I can remove nails without marring the wood much by smacking the wood near the nail (not on the nail head) to cause some bounce or force the wood back down. Often over time the expansion and contraction pushes the wood away from its mounting surface a little bit. Then I use my flat bar (wonder bar) to pull the nails. I use a scrap of wood or magazine under the heel/tip of the bar to keep from marring the wood while I pry the nail out. Also if the wood wont bounce and bring the heads up I will tap the wonder bar under the edge, give it a little bounce then give the wood a tap back down leaving the nail heads risen for pulling. If I cant get one of these methods to work, unless the nails are hidden it typically does, I use my reciprocating saw and just cut through any nails. I normally have to cut nails when I am removing multiple pieces or there isnt enough space to access the nail heads for easy pulling.
 
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