Nailing up aluminum fascia cover

pstasuik · 01-25-2009, 10:31 PM

I am installing aluminum fascia cover on existing 1 x 6 fascia boards, while nailing though the aluminum I seem to get slight flaws or ripples in them. These covers are 10' long what is the suggested method for nailing them up?

tomstruble · 01-25-2009, 10:46 PM

lots of things you can try,pre drill holes slightly larger than your trim nails,dont nail to tight,dont push your trim pc up to tight just try to float it on the wood.You can do all these things and more, then the sun will hit it and expansion will most likely cause ripples.you can also have the facia made with a hem or fold at the top that will help.It seems like a simple thing but it takes some experience to get it flat.Are you going to install a gutter over the fascia?Then the small ripples dont really matter good luck

jaros bros. · 01-25-2009, 11:05 PM

You only need to use 3 to 4 nails tops to hold the fascia on and they should never be nailed in the face. Only nail on the bottom lip underneath. Sometimes a shingle nail sticks out underneath the drip edge and doesn't allow the fascia metal to slide up...or even a sliver of wood. The only other cause for ripples is the fascia not being straight. Metal will ripple when bending it like a banana. You may have to cheat it so you don't have the ripple.

Josh Jaros

tomstruble · 01-25-2009, 11:20 PM

good tips josh

pstasuik · 01-25-2009, 11:25 PM

Thanks guys!! Just to clarify I should never nail the fascia horizontally just vertically? I perhaps forgot to mention that I am using the fascia cover as a cheater "J" trim to support alumiunum vented soffit, if I nail up through the bottom will this not interfere with sliding in or installing the soffit? By the way I will be adding gutters so that will hide most of the ripples. To date I have been using 4 alumiumum nails per 10' section of fascia in the face or horizontally my thinking was they would be hidden by gutters or drip edge.

jaros bros. · 01-25-2009, 11:34 PM

You should have installed the soffit first. The only time you install it first is for the prefab and the rolled soffit which I don't think is even made any more. The soffit should be nailed in place to keep the wind from blowing it around and that will be hard to do with it covered up on the end.

Josh Jaros

tomstruble · 01-26-2009, 12:16 AM

Josh is right .In your situation you want to nail your soffit to the 1x6.If you have the trim on aready you can take a nail punch and punch the trim nails right thru the aluminum,install your soffit then the aluminum facia you can fill the small holes you punched thru with a trim nail or alittle caulk then install your gutter.good luck

the roofing god · 02-10-2009, 07:21 AM

most don`t nail thru the bottom lip of the fascia cover,thru the soffit up--nail the soffit to the bottom edge of the fascia,the put the fascia cover in place,and nail it when you have the whole piece in place,and yes 4-5 nails are plenty,nail where the gutter will cover,and make sure not to nail thru 2 pieces at laps,as it will bubble out

AndrewF · 03-19-2009, 04:53 PM

I just put vinyl sofit up on my pole barn. I nailed each piece to the 2x6 fascia board, then went back with the facisa metal and nailed it only from the bottom approximaetly every 3'. This helped to reduce the ripples in the aluminum. There are some, but the will be covered by the gutters.

On the gable ends, it is the same process, except for I had to put two nails in at the peak to ensure the pieces stay put.

If you nailed into the front of the fascia metal, as the temperature changes outside, the aluminium cant move with the wood and will really buckle and ripple up.