Once upon a time, fascias were largely decorative, part of the ornamentation on ancient Greek and Roman architecture. In fact, a lot of the words we use to describe essential building elements today – soffits, guttering etc – were derived from this period. The difference is, these days they tend to be a lot lighter in weight than the stone originals – though almost as durable.
Fascias, such as the ones available from Bliby Plastics, are widely used on modern houses. They are placed at the top of forward-facing walls, covering the exposed ends of rafters and creating a smooth, continuous layer between the roof edge and outside wall. As well as giving the roof a streamlined appearance, fascias protect the property from wind and rain damage. While they are rare on period properties, owing to aesthetic considerations, they are widely seen on modern properties – particularly those with a single brick skin over breezeblock walls. Properties like this do not resist the elements the way traditionally built ones do.
Plastic fascias and soffits are harder-wearing than their wooden counterparts, but precautions still have to be taken. The trims must be fitted securely, ensuring water can’t get in underneath, and fitted when the building is totally dry. Also, the correct fixings must be used.
Although plastic fascias don’t rot like wood, they can still warp and crack. If this happens, you can just replace the damaged area. However, if you move into a property with plastic fascias and don’t know their history, it’s often best to start with a clean slate, and replace them all. We can provide plastic sheets as well as plastic wall cladding.
