When it comes to installing roofline, it’s always worth reminding yourself of best practice to keep safe and prevent customer call-backs. With this in mind, Freefoam has put together some no-nonsense tips for simple, safe and hassle-free installation.

Fascias

• When fitting fascia, don’t forget to push two rows of tiles back, cut old felt back along the line of the fascia and fold the felt back under the second row of tiles. This will give you access to the rafter feet. You can then use a crowbar to make a gap between the fascia and rafter foot and cut the nails with a reciprocating saw or a pad saw. This makes it easy to take down the fascia.
• Do always use white chalk when using a string line to mark a fixing line for fascias, bargeboards and gutter brackets. Don’t for example use a red one – it’s much harder to rub off and can leave marks round the nails!
• You often need just over five metres of fascia to complete a run. Don’t be tempted to have a small one metre piece at the end! Instead, cut the five metre board so you have a larger space to fill at the end, about 1,500mm. This looks much better and you can use the one metre off-cut on the barge board.
• Do pre-drill and oversize holes when fixing dark or coloured fascia boards and cladding.
• Don’t join fascias between two rafters. Always fix the end of a fascia to a rafter foot, as the join will be much more secure.
• Do remember to fix just one side of a jointer or corner to the fascia, or it will be forced off when the boards expand and contract.
• When using over-fascia vents, don’t forget to allow for a smaller fascia. In many cases the saving you make on the fascia will pay for the over vent.   
• Do ensure you have clearance on side-hung window sashes on the fascia if they are close to the soffit.

Gutters

• When surveying a project do check for a slate or tile undercloak on the gable. There is a good chance that the gable rafter will need replacing. The same is true for the verge because water may have penetrated through all of the joints in the tiles or slates onto the rafter and behind the barge board. The tiles and slates are normally fixed to the barge board, making it very difficult to get the barge board off without destroying the verge. It’s a good idea to price this in the quote.
• Use two screws per bracket or accessory except in areas where exceptional snow load occurs, where three may be required.
• When fitting gutter do make sure the grooves for the sealing gaskets are free from debris or the seals will leak.
• Do remember to fill a gutter installation with water before you leave the job. It only takes a few minutes but will test for leaks and save you a wasted return journey.

General tips

• If you’re working off a ladder or Easi-Dec, do fit the gutter as you fit the runs of fascia. It saves you going back on yourself and it’s much quicker and safer to place the ladder or Easi-Dec once. Leave the gables until last.    
• Do use a dilute mix (50:50) of PVA to prime the under-cloak and tiles when re-bedding a gable. You can also add a small amount of PVA to the mortar mix. This bonds the verge together and prevents slumping.
• Do use dust sheets on the ground when ripping off fascias if there are flower beds under the scaffold. This will make it much easier to clean the area when finished.
• Do use a sliding bevel and boat level to find the angle on a gable.
• Before taking off old barge boards on a gable, do check the undercloak strip isn’t nailed to it. If it is, and you don’t cut the nails, it will break the undercloak strip - the piece of flat material under the mortar bed on the verge tiles.
• Don’t use standard PVC solvent cleaners on woodgrain products. They are too harsh and will remove the acrylic from the surface of the laminate which reduces the UV filtration properties. Use warm soapy water or a proprietary cleaner such as Cosmofen 20.