The timber fascia boards on this Runcorn house had reached the point where paint alone would not save them. On the front dormer the paint was flaking off in long strips, leaving bare, weathered wood along the sloping boards under the ridge tiles.
We replaced the old timber with dark brown UPVC, a colour that sits well with the existing brown window frames and the orange tile hanging on the dormer. Our UPVC fascias, soffits and guttering page has more on this type of work.
Before: rot and flaking paint
The before photo of the dormer tells the story. The bargeboards, the angled boards that run up each side of a gable, had lost most of their paint, and the timber underneath was grey and open to the weather. Once water gets into bare wood like that it soaks in, the board starts to rot, and repainting only buys a little time.
The fascias along the eaves, which carry the gutters, are exposed in the same way. Swapping all of this for UPVC means there is no paint to fail in future.
Fitting the new UPVC
The rotten timber came off and new UPVC boards went up in its place. On the dormer gable the new bargeboards follow the pitch neatly up to the round-topped finial tile at the peak, sitting tidily under the verge tiles. Along the side of the dormer a new brown fascia carries a matching gutter, finishing cleanly against the tile hanging and the lead flashing where the dormer meets the main roof.
Lower down, the bay window at the front has its own dark brown fascia under the small tiled bay roof, so the colour carries through the whole front of the house.
- Flaking timber bargeboards removed from the dormer gable
- New dark brown UPVC bargeboards fitted up to the peak
- Brown UPVC fascia and gutter along the dormer side
- Colour matched to the existing brown window frames
Questions About This Kind of Job
Why replace timber fascias rather than repaint them?
Once the paint has gone and the wood is bare, water gets in and rot follows. UPVC does not need painting, so that cycle stops.
What is the difference between a fascia and a bargeboard?
A fascia runs horizontally along the eaves and usually carries the gutter. A bargeboard runs up the sloping edge of a gable, as on this dormer.
Can UPVC fascias come in colours other than white?
Yes. On this Runcorn house we used dark brown to match the window frames, and other colours and finishes are available.
Do you work on other roof problems in Runcorn?
We do. Our roof repairs in Runcorn page covers the wider work we carry out in the town. Get in touch to arrange a visit.