# Forum Home Renovation General Odds & Sods  Lining soffits with timber

## JB1

Rather than lining the soffits with cement sheeting, I was thinking of lining it with timber. For my new house.     
I haven't decided on what timber or thickness, I'm thinking Spotted Gum or Vic Ash. 
Now how would you install it on a pre fab pine roof truss? 
Also would you have to get a different fascia (gutter) as standard fascias are designed for 6mm cement sheets.

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## Cecile

It looks beautiful.  I would not like to think what it actually costs.

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## Snipper

The colorbond fascia slot could possibly take the tongue of the lining boards or cut the back half of the groove off to slip remaining groove (now a tongue almost) in.depending on thickness.  Ideally the eave width will work full boards as well with out needing to rip one down to start or finish.   Need to frame out the from the truss tails to walls or use droppers if dealing with brickwork.  Even 12mm lining boards should span 900mm as eaves.  
Depending on the width of the timber lining boards chosen,  it could be glued (polyurethane) and secret nailed or if a wider board then face fixed with suitable nails and filled, or use stainless screws as a feature. I've used both cedar and hw lining boards on eaves and alfresco, entry's etc.  The dressed cedar lining boards are very expensive but beautiful in colour mix.

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## Gaza

[IMG]

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## JB1

> [IMG]

  Very nice, do you mind sharing how you secured it and what type of boards you used? 
Looks likes Spotted Gum to me.    

> Ideally the eave width will work full boards as well with out needing to rip one down to start or finish.   Need to frame out the from the truss tails to walls or use droppers if dealing with brickwork.  Even 12mm lining boards should span 900mm as eaves.  
> Depending on the width of the timber lining boards chosen,  it could be glued (polyurethane) and secret nailed or if a wider board then face fixed with suitable nails and filled, or use stainless screws as a feature. I've used both cedar and hw lining boards on eaves and alfresco, entry's etc.  The dressed cedar lining boards are very expensive but beautiful in colour mix.

  Great tips Snipper.  
I think the trick is to frame out from the truss tail to the wall. That way you don't need to rely on the fascia for any support. 
I think it will look better with narrower boards so glue and secret nail if using T&G floorboards or top nail/screws if using decking boards.  
Since the boards will be non structural, what would be the thinnest board you could get away with with 600mm span?

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## Marc

Love the idea of timber eaves. Actually gives me the idea to do it on a veranda that we stripped from asbestos ceiling and is waiting for someone to fit fibro. I can't do the fibro myself but I can certainly do timber ... mm ... 
On another note ... ( A minor) why is an eave a soffit? 
Soffit is italian for ceiling, actually soffitto. So how did it wonder outside?

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## JB1

My understanding is eaves are the overall structure of the roof that overhangs the wall, I.E. protects the wall from the weather. 
Using your Italian example, think of ceiling vs roof.  
I use to call it eaves also, as basically from the ground the soffits is the part of the eaves that you see.  
Call it soffits and maybe 2% of the population will understand what you're talking about (the correct name). 
Maybe call it eave lining and maybe 20% will understand. 
50% won't know what an eave is.

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## joynz

> My understanding is eaves are the overall structure of the roof that overhangs the wall, I.E. protects the wall from the weather.. 
> 50% won't know what an eave is.

  Especially on the outskirts of Melbourne, where so many houses either don't have them or have them just on the front as a facade 'upgrade' for looks rather than function...with nothing down the sides.

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## pharmaboy2

Down the sides lack of eaves will be for a minimum distance off the boundary for the local council most likely ( it's unlikely to be cheaper). Eaves are a good thing for construction ease, especially Windows that sit under them Coz you can be slacker with weather proofing them 
Eaves is for builders, soffits are for posh builders and uni educated project managers/architects/surveyors etc

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## METRIX

> Rather than lining the soffits with cement sheeting, I was thinking of lining it with timber. For my new house.     
> I haven't decided on what timber or thickness, I'm thinking Spotted Gum or Vic Ash. 
> Now how would you install it on a pre fab pine roof truss? 
> Also would you have to get a different fascia (gutter) as standard fascias are designed for 6mm cement sheets.

  I like the timber in the first pic, it suits it, wide eaves, the second one looks wrong, the eaves are too small IMO,

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## METRIX

> [IMG]

  
AHH, Nice to finally see this Gaza, looks great Mate.

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## JB1

In Vic at least the councils don't take into account eaves when calculating area/minimum distance. 
People still go for no eaves because it's cheaper: less tiles, small roof trusses, no soffits, less painting. 
Quite a bit cheaper.

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## joynz

> In Vic at least the councils don't take into account eaves when calculating area/minimum distance. 
> People still go for no eaves because it's cheaper: less tiles, small roof trusses, no soffits, less painting. 
> Quite a bit cheaper.

  Yep, it's a bit more money, but not much compared to the cost of a new house.  But the stone bench top is more desirable than eaves.... 
And then people end up spending  much much more cooling their  houses with air con because there isn't  anything to keep the sun off the brick veneer ... and it heats up and then heats the house up.   
False economy really.

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## r3nov8or

> In Vic at least the councils don't take into account eaves when calculating area/minimum distance. 
> ...

  I'm actually pretty sure they do.

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## METRIX

> Yep, it's a bit more money, but not much compared to the cost of a new house.  But the stone bench top is more desirable than eaves.... 
> And then people end up spending  much much more cooling their  houses with air con because there isn't  anything to keep the sun off the brick veneer ... and it heats up and then heats the house up.   
> False economy really.

  Exactly the same here, build a new project home, as big as you can get it on the block, no eaves, then put a massive central Air in it to keep it somewhat bearable during summer, quite silly when you think about it, BASIX is a load of crap, because it does not take the design of the house into consideration, throw some LED light in, a water tank and your set to get BASIX tick, don't worry about the ongoing costs due to poor initial design.

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## joynz

> I'm actually pretty sure they do.

  For calculating my setback, the measurement was taken from the front wall not the eaves.

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## ringtail

> Exactly the same here, build a new project home, as big as you can get it on the block, no eaves, then put a massive central Air in it to keep it somewhat bearable during summer, quite silly when you think about it, BASIX is a load of crap, because it does not take the design of the house into consideration, throw some LED light in, a water tank and your set to get BASIX tick, don't worry about the ongoing costs due to poor initial design.

  Oh man, I so want to rant but......

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## phild01

> Oh man, I so want to rant but......

  You should, maybe the appropriate eyes might glance this way and see it for the nonsense it can be.

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## r3nov8or

> For calculating my setback, the measurement was taken from the front wall not the eaves.

  I don't think it applies to side 'minimum distance'

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## r3nov8or

> For calculating my setback, the measurement was taken from the front wall not the eaves.

  Also, my home is on an angle, and when adding a carport the set back was calculated to the front-most reach of the carport. Maybe I should have called it a 7m eave?

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## ringtail

> You should, maybe the appropriate eyes might glance this way and see it for the nonsense it can be.

  I'm quite sure the numpties that make the rules know they are total bollocks and know that the rules are written with certain industries in mind (depending on payments alledgedly made to said rule makers on behalf of alleged said industries to ensure said industries remain highly lucrative, allegedly).  :Biggrin:

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## intertd6

> [IMG]

  that is an interesting design, did they have any timber staining problems on the walls?
inter

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## intertd6

> Down the sides lack of eaves will be for a minimum distance off the boundary for the local council most likely ( it's unlikely to be cheaper). Eaves are a good thing for construction ease, especially Windows that sit under them Coz you can be slacker with weather proofing them 
> Eaves is for builders, soffits are for posh builders and uni educated project managers/architects/surveyors etc

  and the interesting thing is you can have an eave without a lined soffit & you can have a soffit without an eave.
inter

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## Sir Stinkalot

> I don't think it applies to side 'minimum distance'

  In Victoria under Clause 54.04-1 Side and Rear Setback Objective they allow for an eave to project up to 500mm into the side/rear setback.  
The trap then is under Clause 54.05-1 Daylight to New Windows Objective, where you have a window you need a minimum area of 3m2 clear to the sky with a minimum dimension of 1m.  
Therefore if you try and obtain the minimum side setback and want a window with an eave you will need to increase your setback to 1m + eave depth. 
As for the front setback - Clause 54.03-1 Street Setback Objective allows an encroachment of 2.5m for porches, pergolas and verandahs. The actual setback distance is boundary to wall. 
Back to the topic at hand, www.woodformarch.com will have some good references and details on timber soffit linings (I used soffit - does that make me a snob?)

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## r3nov8or

Thanks SS, that clears it up

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