Advice for soffit replacement?

[bankruatsteve]

The genius that did my ceilings apparently decided to use the same gypsum board (I call sheet rock) for the soffits. Which I didn't know at the time but find out after 3 years catching the weather and one section came CRASHING down.

So, what material would I want to use to replace? At the home centers, I find 60cm boards intended for use as soffit but the width in my case is 90cm. So, I'm thinking of getting 4'x8' and cutting to size. But, the only similar material I see is also gypsum (according to sales guy) although a much firmer version than sheet rock. There are two sizes (guessing): about 6mm and another about 11mm

Is that what I should use? And then thinking of using rivets to fasten.

Thanks.

[kamalabob2]

I have Elephant brand fiber cement wood as the soffit at my home. I have a different sheet of Elephant brand fiber cement board with ventilation holes on the garage and pool house as a soffit. In both cases there is aluminum insect screen under the soffit to prevent insects from getting into that area. The boards come plain or already painted and in several widths at any builders merchant store. The boards are spaced just a bit apart to allow air flow. After 7 years no problems with the Elephant brand soffit boards or Elephant brand soffit sheets.

[Crossy]

Ours are Shera board (mai Shera) fixed to a lightweight metal frame (the stuff that holds up ceilings) using an air nailer.

Weatherproof and reasonably priced.

EDIT Great minds KB

[bankruatsteve]

What size are the 'boards' you all refer to? As you can maybe see in the photos, the support design (for lack of a better word) is probably only going to work for large sized pieces.

Is the Elephant and Shera available at Global or the like?

I don't have a nail gun but do have a rivet 'gun'. Any comments for using that?

[weegee]

If you have enough supports, you can use 4mm Villa board (Cement type)....definitely not gypsum board here. Paint it both sides BEFORE you put it up. Buy it in 8 x 4 sheets and cut to width you need. Not expensive either. Use a diamond blade for cutting tiles, in a 4 inch grinder, to cut....

YES you can pop rivet this stuff successfully. Drill The villa board with drill bit made for drilling concrete the right size for rivot, but use a steel bit for drilling the steel supports you have. Buy a wide circumference rivet to spread the load a bit, on each rivot......

Hope this helps..

Edited February 24, 2015 by weegee

[kamalabob2]

Global sells Dura wood which is the lower cost, slightly lower spec version of Elephant wood. Dura wood is made by SCG as a lower cost option. Elephant is the premium brand of SCG. Global might have other brands such as Conwood or Shera Wood. The house builders used screws at my home and the painters did the putty on the screw heads, then sanded it all down prior to primer and then 2 coats of paint on either the Elephant sheets or the Elephant long boards. Thaiwatsadu has a good selection of these soffit boards. The catalogs will show how it is suppose to be installed and will have drawings to clue in your workers. I agree that gypsum board is not the best option for an outdoor soffit.

[IMHO]

They go sideways

Just use fiber cement boards as everyone else has suggested. Using ventilated boards will keep your roof space much cooler, but will need some mesh installed to keep your roof from becoming a nest.

[kamalabob2]

The less expensive way is via the fiber board sheets, and they did put insect screen under the sheets. There are many brands of this type of soffit as well as the soffit that looks like a piece of wood. The OP looks like he has enough metal frame work to hold these sheets that have ventilation slots or even the cut pieces of cement board.

[bankruatsteve]

Thank you all for replies.

[bankruatsteve]

Hey guys one more question...

I finally got some Shera boards (60x120cm - 45 baht) at Global. My span is 90cm so hopefully there will be a way to use the 30cm cut-offs.

Anyway... I notice one side of the board is textured and the other smooth. Are these things designed for one side or the other to be exposed (outside) or is it just a matter of personal preference?

Thks.

[Crossy]

I think it's personal preference, but most people have the wood grain side showing

[bankruatsteve]

Ah, wood grain. How could I have missed that? These will be 7-8m up so probably doesn't matter then. Cheers.

[weegee]

Ah, wood grain. How could I have missed that? These will be 7-8m up so probably doesn't matter then. Cheers.

Looks a lot neater with the smooth side out....I have always used the smooth side out both here and back in OZ....

If you have the time...It's a good move to paint both sides of the sheet before you install it....

[bankruatsteve]

Ah, wood grain. How could I have missed that? These will be 7-8m up so probably doesn't matter then. Cheers.

Looks a lot neater with the smooth side out....I have always used the smooth side out both here and back in OZ....

If you have the time...It's a good move to paint both sides of the sheet before you install it....

Thanks. Why paint both sides then?