Wood choice for Soffit/facias

[woof]

Hello all,
Advice required please. I would like to replace the rotten facias and soffits holding the guttering round the house. We do have some uPVC elsewhere (front of house) but loathe it with a passion, so would like to replace the rotten wood with fresh. What wood type would you all recommend? How would you treat it to help prevent it rotting prior to painting?

Thanks in advance,
Mark

 

[George_N]

What about marine ply?

 

[rjb]

Hi,

I'm afraid the only material I'd use for this is uPVC. I had all mine replaced with it about 5 years ago and it looks like new still. I love wood as much as anyone, but I don't see the point of being a slave to all that maintenance when there's a maintenance free alternative ...life's too short - or maybe I'm just lazy. I believe uPVC is specified by latest building reg's too.

RJB

 

[Woody Alan]

I used a rosewood plastic substitute, don't regret it for one minute fit and forget. I love wood but house maintenance not my idea of fun.
Alan

 

[skipdiver]

We used to use marine ply years ago,which was then coated with a stain varnish(can't for the life of me remember the name of it) but obviously you are restricted in length and need several joints.Bog standard p.s.e. doesn't last and needs lots of maintenance which leaves uPVC.A lot of people (and fitters who should know better) simply nail cappit board over the existing and this shouldn't really be done.Much better to remove all the old stuff and use"buffalo" board which is much thicker than cappit board.Soffits are usually a choice between "air" board or flat board.This you can buy vented if you wish to have airflow in your roofspace.Another thing to consider is putting eave boards under old felt which has usually rotted above the old fascia and no longer goes into the gutter as it should.These are pieces of plastic about a metre long and 450 wide that slide under the tiles and under the felt.

 

[woof]

Thanks for the advice, although everyone seems to be going uPVC!

There is uPVC at the front of house, but this is now green through algae growth. I have to get up there some time and wash it down - and if so, thought well why not have proper wood if you end up maintaing plastic!