Advice On Materials? Replacing Old TNG Beadboard Soffits

jordanski

hi guys.

I'm doing my first soffit replacement on a very tall 100 yr. old house. The house is a drop-in youth center, lots of cool architectural details that are cost prohibitive to replace, such as dental work all the way around the house at 23 ft. I need to replace the soffits and do a bunch of trim replacement before taking down to bare wood and re-painting, skirts, some siding, rail caps, some casing etc etc... House has been overdue on repairs so there's a LOT to do, everything has failed paint.

I'm tearing out the original soffit: TNG bead boards, and the dental work at the soffit-wall transition. The dental will get replaced with some basic in stock trim piece (the dental would need to get stripped b4 painting, too costly). I need to replace the soffits with a sound yet cost effective material that's a quick install. The soffits are high with difficult ladder placements, very hard to get to in some spots, pump jacks won't work, so spending the least amount of time up there is paramount. I'm doing the painting and carpentry so I'm going to prepaint, install, caulk gaps/nail holes with dap sidewinder, touch-up same day, and done. I'm also figuring there will be some possible sistering on some of the rafter ends.

There's sheeting that looks like the tng bead, also thinking of AC plywood. I'm a good painter so anything that goes up with be totally encapsulated for ext moisture issues. I need to install some venting so a sheet material seems ideal, I see it a lot around here, the combo
of plywood with those screened flange vents, you cut out the holes with the jigsaw, screw in and done.

Also, the client wants a wood material, so no hardi or vinyl here, I need a carpenter's recommendation. I just want something sound that will last, no fancy millwork, that is a quick install. I can't stress enough the trickiness of just getting up there, hence the pre-painting with 24 hr. oil primer and 40 year latex.

Can anyone help me with a little advice?

If I go with a sheet material I'm thinking I'll get it set in place with the nailer then use treated screws, sound crazy?

thanks,
jojo

dino195

Hmm... I've never seen soffit screwed before. I've always nailed it, as that is how I was taught. Not sure what to tell you on material. I usually go with existing on repairs or what the customer can afford otherwise. Also, a hole saw will work much better for making your cutouts for the vents.

jordanski

just thinking of screwing as a painting issue, I know you're supposed to nail, just an idea...

the hole saw and mini circular vents I thought of as well...

thanks for the opinion though,

Ed the Roofer

Bead board panels are still available, but you probably already know that, and your question is more of a budget and technique question.

Whatever gets used, do a 100 % continuous strip vent for proper intake ventilation. It is more important in the entire ventilation scenario than the roof top exhaust ventilation even.

Ed

jordanski

hey man,

I thought of that, beadboard panel was my first thought, although I need to look into the different qualities available. Lining up the panel lines with the continuous strip of venting sounds tricky to line up clean (the house looks pretty wonky from the ground). That would mean each panel would need to be installed as two pieces right (large strip-venting-skinny strip)? The strip is usually in the center or outside third of the soffit, is that just an aesthetic thing? I'm assuming so. Guess my question is, the placement of the vent strip from inside to outside doesn't affect the draw ratio to the ridge venting? I need to figure this out as we're bringing in a roofer as well. Thanks for gettin' me on the right track...
jojo

Ed the Roofer

I don't remember my source for the accuracy, but I read an informative article regarding intake venting using contiuous strio vents. The most ideal situation would be to have the strip vent located as far away from the wall where the heated interior environment is located and to be as close to the fascia board/crouwn moulding edge as possible.

Also, it is not extremely tricky to install the bead board, I believe it is individual pieces with an integral line in the center giving the appearance of seperate individual boards, and they are tongue and groove on the attachment sides. We typically, (always as far as I can recollect), run the pattern perpendicular to the wall vs runing them parrallel to the wall, if I understood your concern about the difficulty of installing them aesthetically.

Paint first and let dry at least one full day, and wear latex gloves when installing them, (dirty hands leave dark hand prints requiring an additional painting after installation, learned the hard way), then all you have to do in use your finish nailer or brad or staple gun for attachment. Screws are not necessary, and then all you have is a little touch up painting to do.

Ed

jordanski

appreciate the advice, I assumed I'd be using bigger nails, I'm looking into it more this week, that does sound quick.

jordan

Ed the Roofer

Nothing on a two story scaffold plank is "quick", so charge accordingly.

Ed

P.S. Add for an additional grunt on the ground so you do not have to go up and down for every little item each step of the way.