[akimbo]

Bought a 1950 house that has a nice wide overhang on the roof. Sadly the soffits are plywood with metal floor heating-style grates for ventilation. The plywood is sagging and showing some water damage in places. Have just installed a new roof and now the soffits really look ugly. I have access to a lot of cherry wood and wonder if someone has a plan for making wood-slat soffits. I presume they would need to overlap at the edges? and would need to have some holes drilled at intervals for ventilation. Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[Thurman]

First observation is that there are no soffit vents. Wood slat soffits are new to me. The issue would be how to fasten wood slats to the rafters? Personally, I would go back with plywood soffits and the appropriate soffit vents. Thanks, David

 

[johnk]

Why not run a continuous soffit.Cut the slots,install a nice finished wood over the plywood and screw continuous soffit over the new wood.Or make your own out of screen.There is alot of ways to do this and make it look nice.

 

[akimbo]

Yes there are soffit vents. Black metal ones that look like interior floor vents. Just not seen in those pics. I have seen some nice wood soffits and I have a lot of wood to get rid of so I'll avoid going the plywood or vinyl route if I can. -- famous last words.

 

[Gary in WA]

Here is a good article, go back a few pages:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Z8...=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9#PRA1-PA616,M1

Notice the vents angle both ways, install next to fascia board.

How to figure NFA when you cut your vents:

http://www.cornerstoneinspectionsdfw.com/Attic_Ventilation.html Be safe, G

 

[Ed the Roofer]

They manufacture and sell Tongue And Groove Bead Board for Soffits.

The circular vents do not do much par Intake NFVA. A 4.5" Round Diameter only provides aout 3.00 Square Inches of Net Free Air Intake, which would require them to be installed butted right next to each other to provide close to 9 square Inches per Lineal Foot, which is recommended.

You would be better off with 8" x 16" Rectangular Under Eave Vents, which provide 56 Square Inches of NFVA per Vent location installed.

Ed

 

[akimbo]

Thanks Ed, Gbar, John K, Thurman, Good ideas and references. Those prefab soffits are looking better all the time.

 

[Ed the Roofer]

If you are referring to the Aluminum Soffit Panels, you should install 100% continuous Vented Panels under the eave edge soffits.

For them to properly vent as Intake portals, you will need to also cut out the existing wood soffit material away.

Ed

 

[jpike3211]

Have you removed the plywood? I did on my house and exposed this nice overhang with the original attic vents. Sometimes these planks cover up the real ventilation to the attic and that's where your problems start.