Attaching an awning to fascia board, advice please.

[giddyup]

I want to attach a blind to the fibre board fascia and need to know A what kind of drill do I need, and B will I be able to use normal screws to screw into the pilot hole? I would preferably like to use something like a cup hook type screw to support the blind.

Edited April 5, 2019 by giddyup

[farcanell]

Any small drill will do.... for fiber board, you won’t need a “hammer” setting.... but you will likely need a masonry drill bit.

 

the best screw option would probably be a butterfly screw.... I’m pretty sure you can get them with cup hook ends.

 

that said.... fixing anything directly to a facia board is potentially asking for trouble, as the facia board may well be pulled off the building (re awnings, even if its lightweight, because of wind stress related flapping)

 

the best idea is to try to fix your screws directly into whatever the facia is attached too.... or perhaps to the eve support structure, just inward of the facia (perhaps better waterproofing this way, as well).... it’s always what’s behind that matters

Edited April 5, 2019 by farcanell

[giddyup]

I tried to drill fibre board in the past using a masonry drill and it wouldn't touch it, that's why I thought it needed a specialist drill bit. Thanks for advice re attaching to fascia board though.

Edited April 5, 2019 by giddyup

[Kwasaki]

47 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I tried to drill fibre board in the past using a masonry drill and it wouldn't touch it, that's why I thought it needed a specialist drill bit. Thanks for advice re attaching to fascia board though.

A steel bit will go but it will sod it up, if you have a good DIY store for drilling through cement-fiber it drills properly with a carbide drill bit, as opposed to a regular steel drill bit.

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

A steel bit will go but it will sod it up, if you have a good DIY store for drilling through cement-fiber it drills properly with a carbide drill bit, as opposed to a regular steel drill bit.

Cheers

[canopy]

16 hours ago, giddyup said:

I tried to drill fibre board in the past using a masonry drill and it wouldn't touch it, that's why I thought it needed a specialist drill bit. Thanks for advice re attaching to fascia board though.

Don't use masonry bits (doesn't work) and don't use steel bits (blunts very quickly). The hardware stores carry another type of bit specifically for fiber board and the like. These composite bits go through quick and the bits are long lasting.

 

Fiber boards should not be attempted to be fixed together using screws. They will pull out. They also need a slight spacing between for sealant to provide a weatherproof joint. Put up some sturdy framing on the wall; just a board will do. Then attach to that.

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

17 hours ago, giddyup said:

I want to attach a blind to the fibre board fascia and need to know A what kind of drill do I need, and B will I be able to use normal screws to screw into the pilot hole? I would preferably like to use something like a cup hook type screw to support the blind.

For moderate loads the easiest fitting to use is the plastic butterfly, they have an excellent holding power and unlike the metal one showing above need a smaller hole and the screw is not captive.

[longball53098]

I read a tungsten carbide bit is the recommended drill bit for cement boards,,,,,,,,,no experience here so just a DIY site

[sammieuk1]

This wont help at all but are you on good terms with your neighbours as the season for things disappearing is looming????

[Andrew Dwyer]

Last year I put up some guttering onto my fascia boards.

I wanted to drill a pilot hole ( 3 mm ) and use regular screws.

Usually a scrap piece of conwood I quickly found that a HSS drill would become blunt very quickly but using a masonry drill in a hammer drill I could drill through adequately. The secret is to keep the speed down and not let the tip overheat , I destroyed the first masonry bit until I employed this method.

 

NOTE: your fascia board is probably fastened to the steel frame of your roof using a nail gun.

By drilling through the fascia and the roof steel in various places ( 1m apart ) I spread the weight of the guttering by fastening every other bracket into the steel as well.

( similar to post #2 )

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

 NOTE: your fascia board is probably fastened to the steel frame of your roof using a nail gun.

By drilling through the fascia and the roof steel in various places ( 1m apart ) I spread the weight of the guttering by fastening every other bracket into the steel as well.

( similar to post #2 )

The fascia is fixed to the steel frame, but the frame has pieces of wood fixed into the ends of the beams so the fascia can be nailed into the wood.

[Andrew Dwyer]

The fascia is fixed to the steel frame, but the frame has pieces of wood fixed into the ends of the beams so the fascia can be nailed into the wood.

Okay, yours is easier to affix your awning then, mine was a little difficult drilling thru the fascia then thru the steel ( masonry then HSS drill bits ).

Good luck.

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Okay, yours is easier to affix your awning then, mine was a little difficult drilling thru the fascia then thru the steel ( masonry then HSS drill bits ).

Good luck.

The trick will be finding where the fascia is nailed.

[Andrew Dwyer]

The trick will be finding where the fascia is nailed.

Yes, I stuck my head thru the hatch to see the situation initially and then looking closely at the fascia I could see where the nails were.

I only hope you are doing this on a single story house !!

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yes, I stuck my head thru the hatch to see the situation initially and then looking closely at the fascia I could see where the nails were.

I only hope you are doing this on a single story house !!

It is, but there is no access to inside the fascia and the nail holes are very well hidden, I can't see one. I might have to go to Plan B.

[farcanell]

???????????? does plan b involve drinking large quantities of alcohol?

[giddyup]

36 minutes ago, farcanell said:

???????????? does plan b involve drinking large quantities of alcohol?

Plan B would involve stretching some cable wire between two posts on the balcony and suspend the awning from the wire.

[canopy]

3 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

The secret is to keep the speed down and not let the tip overheat , I destroyed the first masonry bit until I employed this method.

The real secret is to use a fiber cement drill bit which is designed for this job. They are cheap, readily available, and go through fiber cement board like a knife through butter. But I look forward to your next bit of advice of how to use a screw driver to pound nails you discover after destroying a screw driver and finding it's still awfully slow and inadequate.

 

[farcanell]

Is that a concrete ring beam above the posts?

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, farcanell said:

Is that a concrete ring beam above the posts?

 

Not sure what you mean by "ring beam" but it is certainly a concrete support beam. I'm loathe to start drilling into that though, I'm a little concerned about striking steel reinforcement or causing cracking of the beam.

Edited April 6, 2019 by giddyup

[farcanell]

Drill fixing into concrete is normal.... hitting steel does happen, but it isn’t a deal breaker.... I’d say it’s a better option than stringing wire up, which would still require drilling into concrete, but would look more messy

 

i know you said that you couldn’t clearly determine where the facia was fixed, but what about any indication of where the eve lining is fixed (with a view to attaching supports a foot or so back from the gutter)

 

also, “stud finders” are a cheap electronic hand held device that you can use to locate the support frame behind the wood/plasterboard eve... this one is about 700 bt.

 

[giddyup]

18 minutes ago, farcanell said:

Drill fixing into concrete is normal.... hitting steel does happen, but it isn’t a deal breaker.... I’d say it’s a better option than stringing wire up, which would still require drilling into concrete, but would look more messy

 

i know you said that you couldn’t clearly determine where the facia was fixed, but what about any indication of where the eve lining is fixed (with a view to attaching supports a foot or so back from the gutter)

 

also, “stud finders” are a cheap electronic hand held device that you can use to locate the support frame behind the wood/plasterboard eve... this one is about 700 bt.

 

Thanks, never thought about drilling into the roof supports.

Edited April 6, 2019 by giddyup