Fascia 101
Fascia
Fascia boards, also called skirt boards or rim joist covers, are the thinner non-structural boards that cover the vertical faces of framing.
Fascia boards are available usually as 12" wide by 12 foot long board, and measure somewhere between 1/2" and 7/8" thick.
Fascia boards are also available in 8" nominal widths, which are used on each step as riser boards, and sometimes on the sides of stairs.
Most fascia and riser boards are 12 feet long, and may or may not have the backside capped or matched to the decking color.
Material
Composition
Fascia boards are matched to each decking color, and are formulated from the same material. It is thinner and is not structural, meaning it can't be used as a floorboard, but by square footage costs less than decking.
Capped composite deck boards will have a capped composite fascia board that's between 1/2" and 7/8" thick. PVC deck boards will have a matching fascia board that is the same PVC composition, and is 1/2" thick.
Material
Color and Texture
Each collection of decking will usually have matching fascia boards in an identical texture, color, and streaking pattern. Timbertech's fascia texturing is different than the deck board texturing, and Fiberon Paramount fascia boards are colored to coordinate with the deck boards rather than match them.
This photo shows some of our PaintPro painted fascia color options below three Timbertech Reserve colors.
Composition
Composite fascia
Composite fascia is available for every family of composite decking we sell, and usually measures 11-3/4" wide, and between 5/8" and 7/8" thick. Riser boards are available for most composite board collections, which usually measure about 7-1/2" wide. The extra thickness makes the board more stable, and allows for screws with plugs to be used in place of visible color-matched screws.
Composition
PVC Fascia
Every line of PVC decking will have a 1/2" thick board measuring 11-7/8" wide, with only a few lines offering an 8" riser board. PVC fascia is much easier to install than composite fascia, since it is thinner and lighter. The small screws used on PVC fascia are less noticeable than the large heads used on composite fascia.
Even if you're using a composite deck board, we recommend finding a coordinating PVC fascia board, due to its behavior and ease of installation. PVC fascia is easier to fasten in such a way where thermal movement is inhibited, making it a better fascia option for any deck.
Composition
White Fascia
If you're looking for a fascia option that matches the white trim on your house, or just want a bright clean look, we have white PVC fascia available. We also cut our own deck-efficient widths and lengths of Azek Frontier material to be as efficient with your material as possible. This is especially helpful when covering posts, risers, and stairs (which require 15" of width on the sides).
1/2" thick fascia can be used for a more cost-effective option that would be face-screwed, or a 3/4" thickness version that can be used with screws that get covered by plugs.
Composition
Painted Fascia
We offer Azek Paintpro material for a color-matched and cost-effective fascia choice, either to match your home, decking color, or other outdoor structure. We offer all the deck-efficient sizes we make in white fascia, and in both 1/2" and 3/4" thicknesses.
Installation
Fastening Fascia
Fascia is always installed with screws through the face of the board, with slight differences depending on the material.
Composite fascia needs to have holes pre-drilled for the screws, and the screws used should be a special wide-head screw like a Deckfast screw. The pre-drilling allows for a hole larger than the screw, which keeps the fascia from buckling when it expands or contracts. Many manufacturers also recommend gluing the fascia to the framing. Plugs are available for some brands to cover the large screw heads.
PVC fascia can be installed with shorter screws that have a trim head, not needing any pre-drilling. This is yet another advantage to using PVC over composite material.
Surestone fascia can use either Deckfast screws or cap-head composite decking screws like a Trapease 3.
Review the installation guides for your fascia choice to be sure you are fastening correctly.
Installation
Stair Riser Boards
When working with a composite decking line, generally an 8" wide fascia board is available specifically for risers. These boards usually measure an actual 7-1/2" wide, and are cut into thirds or halves, so each 48" or similarly sized piece can be fastened to the front side of each step. This covers the opening beneath each step, which makes for a safer and cleaner looking stairway.
Installation
Installing PVC Fascia on Stairs
When covering the sides of a stair with fascia, the height of the stringer plus the height of the tread will be wider than the width of a 12" fascia board. When 12" PVC fascia is cut down to 8" strips for risers, there is a 4" piece leftover, that can be used to cover the remainder of the stair stringer, as shown.
Installation
Installing Composite Fascia on Stairs
When covering the sides of a stair with fascia, the height of the stringer plus the height of the tread will be wider than the width of a 12" fascia board. When using composite fascia and riser boards, there are usually 8" riser boards that can be installed next to each other to cover approximately 15" of space on the side of the stair.
This will keep the edges of both pieces covered, since the riser boards won't need to be ripped down to a different width.
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More about aluminum, cable, composite, and glass railings