Replacing Existing Fascia Board

Everyone will deal with this issue at some point in time during home ownership. Mine came sooner than expected.

What is fascia boards?  Fascia board  in layman's terms is the wood trim around the exterior of your home which traditionally supports your gutter system.  There are many blogs out there about how to replace sections of fascia board (http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/step/0,,20183702_20076509,00.html)  but what if you have to replace all of it. What these blogs fail to state are the steps to take when replacing the fascia.  

Here I am taking you on the steps I did to replace the fascia board on my home.  My home was built in 1964 and we replaced the roof in 2008 (yes the roof was DIY project as well)  at the time of replacing the roof the fascia board was perfectly fine.   But 6 years later sun and water cause the boards to rot.  As you can see mine were severely rotted man I am just lucky animals didn't get in there then it would be a whole different adventure. 

Detecting Rot: 

There is one sure way to find out if you need to replace your fascia: are your gutters loose or sagging?  If you have gutters on your home and you notice that the gutter fastener has come loose from the fascia it is a sure sign that rot has begun to set in on your fascia.  If you do not have gutters closely look at your fascia board, using the handle of a screwdriver tap on the fascia board, if you notice a difference in sound and or hardness you will need to replace that board.  

Replacing the Fascia on a existing roof can be done without calling a roofing company or a contractor. If you are good with using a miter saw, tape measure, nail gun, hammer or drill then you can do this project yourself.  I suggest you get two friends to help you on the bigger jobs. 

Tools:

• Kobalt 8in Stainless Steel  Drywall Taping knife
• Drip Edge (if necessary)
• Miter Saw
• pry bar
• Tape Measure
• Ladder (2 or a scaffolding)
• 2 x 6 x 12 treated lumber (Lowes or local lumber supply)
• Roofing Tar (10oz  All Weather Roofing Cement)
• 1lb-Galvanized Roofing Nails
• 1-lb #10 x 3.5-in Countersinking-Head Polymer-Coated Phillips Deck Screws
• Rubber Mallet
• Hammer
• Hammer Drill with phillips srew bit
• Rotary tool (saw to cut nails if needed)
• Caulk
• building permit (if required)
• Plastic sheeting (in case of weather)

My estimated cost of this project total was $220.00. Yes that is for all the fascia board on the house.

Total time well time is relative after all things come up and so does weather at times. 

Skill Level:  6 (if you can use a saw and know how to read a measuring tape you are suited to do this job)

Getting Started:

First measure the total number of square feet you will need to purchase lumber.  Remember to find the sq.ft. you need to measure the length x width.  Lumber will be your greatest expense. I recommend buying an extra board after you calculate the amount of lumber needed, this will save you time in case you measured wrong or your mitering skills are not great.  

Once you have all the materials needed to get started (a good friend included) start by lifting up the the first row of shingles. I know you are saying What!?!?!  But you must lift up the first row of shingles in order to pull off the bad fascia board.  

Removing The Fascia Board:  can be the longest part of the repair process. If you run  into issues like I did with having the roof decking tied into the nailer board.  If yours is similar you will need to break out the Dremel tool to cut the decking nails from the nailer board, if not then your removal will be easier.

Using the Taping knife, place it at the crease of the drip edge and the shingle. What is Drip edge.  Drip edge is the shiny metal that flashes the joint between the edge of the roof and the top of the fascia board.   Tap the taping knife until it goes between the drip edge and the shingle, be careful not to tear the shingles we are not trying to replace your roof just the fascia boards.  Repeat this step for the section of the boards that you are replacing.  You can do one entire side of the house if you desire to save time.  Lift up on the tapping knife and the tar should break loose under the shingles. 

Take your pry bar and find the roofing nails in the drip edge and remove them. Roofing nails are only about an inch long so you do not need a lot of room. There are usually 4 - 6 roofing nails per drip edge.  Use the pry bar to assist you in removing the nails from the drip edge.  Once the drip edge is removed use the pry bar to pull the fascia board loose from the rafters. Tip start at the edge of the miter joint in the fascia board and pull toward you. the fascia board is typically held in with 3 inch galvanized nails. 


Please note: I did not re-install the nailer board on my house  instead i used a 2 x 6 x 12 board that is used to replace both fascia and nailer board.  Nailer board smailer board who needs it anyway? in 90% of houses they all have nailer boards to offset the placement of gutters.  Me  I am not replacing the nailer board, why?  My reasoning was simple: I am just going to rest the gutters directly under the drip edge, if I choose to use gutters again.  Once you have the nailer board and fascia board off you should be able to see inside your attic area.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO REMOVE THE SOFFITS UNLESS THEY ARE DAMAGED. 

Save the drip edge:  if you are careful in removing the nails holding the drip edge you can reuse them to save you some money. Drip edge can be found at any hardware store and  each rail costs under $10.00.  Since the drip edge is thin, be careful not to bend twist or damage can occur. If you do damage them do not worry, you can tap out some bends and dents using a rubber mallet. Drip edge can be painted so if you mark it up don't worry, just cover it with paint.

Installing New Fascia:
Be safe, work smart and efficiently.  Make sure you place your miter saw on a level surface and use saw horses to help support your lumber. Familiarize yourself with the miter saw before plugging it in and before cutting.  There is something to that old rule measure twice cut once.  You've seen that show on DIY Network? That should explain it all. You don't want to end up with too short of a board when you are up on the ladder. 

Your miter cuts must be 45 degree angles, practice on a piece of the old fascia board before you cut your new lumber.  Miter both ends of the board. Please note: flip the board over to perform the correct 45 degree cut on the opposite end. Miter cuts should butt up against one another.

Instead of nails, I decided to use (3 1/2") screws to attach my fascia board to the rafters. I know, I know, what you are thinking, screws are overkill: but nails pull out during storms and down here we have hurricanes and we are talking about the roof.  Any chance of the wind lifting up the roof will now be reduced.  If I need to remove the fascia (which I shouldn't) I can just unscrew them instead of prying them off as I did during removal. 

If you have a good drill (hammer drill works  better) you do not need to drill a pilot hole. If you do not have a powerful drill you will need to drill pilot holes in the lumber and in the end of the rafters.  Pilot holes should not be the same size as the screw you are using. 

This is a good time to run to the store or send the wife/girlfriend to get food, snacks or beer to bribe your friends over to help you. You will need two people to install the new fascia boards. The length and weight of the boards make them rather cumbersome to lift into place.

Lift the boards into place (2 man lift) and mark the board according to the location of the rafters. Make sure you find the center of the rafter so the nail or screws will have ample area to grab.

Once you have completed replacing the fascia board, re-install the drip edge using new roofing nails.  Because you don't remove the first row of shingles you will need to use your rubber mallet to drive the nails into the roof decking and drip edge.   Take the roofing cement and run a bead of cement under the shingles and on top of the drip edge. If there are any loose shingles secure them back using the roofing cement.

Run a bead of caulk between the fascia board and where it meets the soffits to ensure an energy efficient seal.  If there are any gaps either at the miter joints or the roof line you can use spray foam to seal these gaps to prevent any moisture, insects or animals from entering the house. 

Once you are done  you can paint or stain your new fascia board and re-install your gutters.

Master Bathroom Tiling

Oh what fun it is to spend a beautiful day inside tiling.  No, but seriously when it is all done and over with I will be elated. One because I will have completed a task the professionals say that amateurs should not do, and also that I can take a shower.  I can't tell you how many things of cologne I have gone through in the last two months, LOL. Just teasing.

So anyway, I got the shower walls, ceiling and inside walls done and also got the shower curb and floor tiled. The easiest tiling part I have had so far was the shower floor it only took me about an hour to tile.  So all that is left to do with the shower is grout. But that comes later, first I must continue my bathroom remodel by  tiling the bathroom floor. 

Well I actually gave you a hint as to what I found when trying to start the bathroom floor, do you remember?  Yup MOLD...  When I pulled the tile boarder from around the wall OMG to my nightmare mold had set in... Who BUILT THIS HOUSE the CAT in the HAT?  Things just don't add up.

So here I am with more work ahead of me. No only do I still have to tile, grout I now have to go back to the demolition stage (this was not in the plan).  I got my handy tape measure, a utility knife, a Dremel and had to run back to the store, yup LOWE'S.  I wonder if anyone from Lowe's corporate will see this blog and donate some materials to complete projects. lol  Hey where is that landscape guy that is always asking people if they need help.  I so would put him to work.    Thanks to my brother I purchased the mold resistance sheet rock of green board as we call it. 

Ok back to the bathroom.  Let's start this demo process.  I used my tape measure and marked the wall at 32 inches, snapped a chalk line and using a straight ruler I cut the wall using my utility knife. I put blue painter's tape on the chalk line to make sure I did not damage the wallpaper any further than what I planned on doing. ( I don't know why when I am going to paint it)

Let's Make A Hole:

This is what every kid dreams of doing making a hole in the wall but this time on purpose. The little kid inside of me jumps up and down as take a swing at the wall... KAPAOW!!!! Crash.  Hole made. Since I scored the Sheetrock ahead of time the impact snapped the rest of the sheet rock at the line. 

Now to continue. I know what you are thinking... He should pull out the vanity.  NOPE not going through that hassle of pulling it out. The plan is to cut the sheet rock right on the stud beside the vanity and butt the new piece tightly against it. 
So let's continue ripping out the wall. 

Dang toilet in the way.  I had to remove the tank but only after I turned off the water supply to the tank and drained the toilet. Okay tank removed. It's always funny to me taking pictures of the toilet. Yes, everyone has to go but somethings should remain private.. I know I'm weird.  The mold was not so bad around this wall but as I neared the shower my fear was creeping up thinking I may have to remove every wall. But the mold seemed to have stopped at the 14 inch mark and no remain mold was on the sheet rock so I continued. Though the area near the shower entrance was molded  it was not as bad as the right hand side of the shower.  OMG never seen so much damage. Did the builder think that "oh the wood would just soak up the water," Duh!  Yeah it will and continue and mold will set up in the walls.  Well thankfully I had on gloves and a dust mask, but I can't stop thinking how many spores went into my lungs.  Well Thank God I am still breathing   :-)

Now to rebuild what I destroyed. I score the green board that I bought from Lowe's for 8.75 and using drywall screws secure it to the studs. The tape is just to remind me that I will need to use drywall tape and mud to cover the seams.  It's just painters tape it will come off easily enough.  If you look carefully in the pictures you will notice that the existing bathroom floor is still intact. Yup the withe diamond tile. That is correct because I was not planning to break it up, but instead tile over the existing tile.  How do you say I do this or can I do this? 

Yes you can, though may people don't think it is a good idea to tile over because it will make the floor higher than normal, but it can be done and that is what I plan to do.  So the green board is up and what will I do now. Well I have two choices I can cover the seams well and sand and paint or I can prep the walls to hold tile. Now why did i choose green broad? Because it's a bathroom and usually bathrooms deal with water or moisture so I wanted to minimize any damage or mold growth this time around.  So after prepping the board to support tile and repel moisture at the same time I am ready to get started in tiling the wall up to the 32 inch mark.  Oh you can buy a solution that you can roll onto the Sheetrock from LOWE'S, sorry I forget the name of it right now maybe I will remember shortly, but you can also tile on top of the green board as is.  The mortar will need to be thick and not contain much moisture.  If the mortar or thin-set is to wet the tile will not adhere to the sheet rock and it will also damage the green board itself. Spread a think layer of thin-set onto the green board to give it a rough textured surface. This is a very very thin coat of the thin-set and should dry in as little as 15 minutes. Make sure the entire area is covered with this thin layer, this will also act as a barrier to prevent any moisture from deteriorating the protective surface and also act as a surface the thick layer of thin-set can adhere to the tile.  Again, I did not use spacers on the tiles on the wall. Since the tiles are 12x12 I used spacers (actually pieces of tile  leftover to make sure the bottom row sat at the right height).

Tiling Over Tile:

Now here is the part you been waiting for. That's right tile over the existing tile. First, you should check the clearance of the toilet and the door since the floor will be raised by about 3/8 of an inch when complete. If your door does not have the clearance you will need to shave the door down or trim off the bottom of the door. If you do not want to do this then break out the sledge hammer once more and break up the existing floor.  If the floor is going to raise your toilet above the flange you may have to purchase a closet flange (yup you can get it from Lowe's for about 5.00)  or you can do like me and purchase an extra thick wax ring for the toilet (2.45 @ Lowe's). 

Remove the toilet, grab your gloves because this is going to be nasty. Unbolt the toilet from the floor, I had to rock mine from one side to the next as it had lock-nuts and needed some additional pressure to remove the nuts.  Be careful not to break the toilet or you will be spending an extra 170.00 to replace.  After the toilet is removed using paper towels remove the wax from the bottom of the toilet and the flange and discard. Place a rag in the sewer line so sewer gas will not fill the house. Now time to prep the floor.

Depending on your existing tile you may need to sand it using a belt sander  to score the surface, but you definitely want to remove all debris and any wax on the floor surface. So get your dollars out and go to the store and by a stripper. Ok bad joke.  But seriously purchase a good stripping compound to strip the wax off the surface of the floor.  Since my floor had no wax and no cracks and was in good shape I just needed to sweep and use the Swiffer wet mop on the floor to clean it. 

I made up some more thin-set and spread a thin layer across the floor using the 1/4 inch notch trowel. You want to make small trowel lines in the thin-set at least two sizes smaller than the tile you are going to be placing down. This will give a textured surface for the floor to adhere to.  Let the thin-set setup over night or at least a day without walking on it or getting it wet.  The next day we can begin to tile.  Make up more thin-set and spread it on the area you are going to work with. 

Now remember, I said in the previous entry that laying out the tile was important. It will save you time and energy and allow you to plan where you need to make cuts in the tile. Nothing worse than stopping in the middle and going to make additional cuts on the tile saw.  You will thank yourself later if you do a correct layout and cut all the tiles prior to placing them down.  Work from the corner of the bathroom or if you have a large bathroom work from the center outwards. This leaves you an escape route so you wont get yourself hemmed in when tiling.

Now just like making toast, butter that tile making sure it has good coverage.  The threshold is easy to finish you can either use a thicker marble threshold or you can use the mortar to make a new threshold as I did on my floor. I was not about to spend 14.00 on a 5 foot piece of marble when I only needed 15 inches or so.   Remember notch lines should be in the opposite direction of the ones on floor.  Once you have done this, stay off the tile for at least 16 hours.

 After the tile is set you can use a damp rag to clean up the mortar that got on the tiles.  This just takes some elbow grease. Make sure the mortar is has not squeezed between the tiles, if it has take a slotted (flat head) screwdriver and clean out the access. This will allow for the grout to have an even coat through the floor.

Grouting-Oh what Joy:

Grouting is the stage where you know your project has almost come to an end and you can breathe a sigh of relief.  Make sure you choose your grout wisely: sanded or un-sanded grout. Sanded grout is great for grout lines thicker than 3/8 inch and up un-sanded is great for less than 1/4 inch. But either way you will need to seal the grout lines to protect against water, stains and mold.   Now they have sealers you can use after your grout but this is like triple your effort. These usually have you grouting, cleaning off the grout and tracing the grout lines with the product or using an aerosol can to spray on the sealer.  So forget that didn't I tell you that I am lazy.  Well I did some research and there is a product called Grout Boost that is used instead of water to mix the grout. It protects, seals all at the same time so no need to use those other sealers. This does it all in one.  Make sure you pick the one you need depending on the grout you chose (sanded / un-sanded).   Make sure you follow the manufactures instructions of the grout you use.  Some sets up in as less than 12 hours others may take 24 hours. 

Cleaning the tile is time consuming and can make your arms sore, but use a damp sponge and clean water to clean up the residue from the grout.  Also you will need a clean towel to buff the tiles of any additional residue. Here's is a tip ( too bad I didn't have one to use but if you do use it) use a car buffer and buff the tiles this will save you a bunch of time and energy. 

 Whew I am finally done there are only a few things I need to tidy up but for the most part my bathroom tiling is complete.   :-)

Now on to my next project whatever that may be.  Here are some shots of the bathroom as it is today and I will place up the final picture this evening.