Eaves are the area of a roof that extends or overhangs a small way over the width of a building. The rafters of the roof extend past the side of the building to distribute and support the load of the roof more evenly, which form eaves. They prevent animals and pests from nesting and aid drainage by directing rainwater away from the property. This is an essential part of the roof’s structure, and has to be finished properly. This guide will help you understand what eaves are made up of and further explore why your house needs them.
Table of contents
What are the eaves on a house?
On a standard domestic house, the term ‘ roof eaves’ typically refers to the combination of soffit and fascia that adorn the overhang of a roof.
Here’s the breakdown:
Fascia closes the gap between the roof and the wall that you’d be able to see if you stood facing the house – which is an easy way to remember which is which! You can find out more about fascia and how to fit it if you head over to our dedicated guide.
Soffits fit under the fascia board, at a 90-degree angle to the walls, to close the gap between the fascia and the wall. You can fix guttering to the fascia board.
What is the purpose of eaves?
Exposed rafters can look messy, rough, and unfinished. Eaves help take care of that effortlessly.
Sometimes, though, you can leave exposed on purpose as a design feature. When this happens, the rafter tails will be refined, sanded and often painted to create a pleasing final look. Naturally, there won’t be any eaves or soffits on either side in the direction that the rafters are in. There will be eaves and soffits to close the gaps though on the gable ends.
If this sounds a bit abstract, consider this example:
The image of this American-built cottage below shows, at the front of the property, exposed rafters that don’t have any eaves or soffits installed. To the right of the house, you can see fascia and soffits on the gable ends. The property still looks complete, and this eaves design is intentional without disrupting their functionality.
Final thoughts
Now you should understand exactly what eaves are, and the main reasons properties have them. You may even be considering the steps to replace, repair, or fit eaves on to your current property. If that is the case, you might want to consider checking out our timber, fascia, soffit, and GRP eaves strips categories, or the products found on the right-hand side of this article.
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