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Replacing Gutters and Fascia

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

March 14, 2002

Q. From the way my gutter and the fascia board to which it is attached are hanging, I'm sure they have to be replaced. Since my house is about 50 years old, I suspect that boards will have to be sistered to the roof rafters so that there will be something to which the stuff can be securely attached. (I watch a lot of HGTV and PBS. I just don't trust myself to try any of this.) Whom do I call? A gutter guy, a roofer, a home repair man, Dean Johnson?

-Jay L. Rogoff, Bethpage

A. Don't worry. This is a rather simple repair; I've done it myself more than a couple of times. First, the fascia board is a flat front board that is nailed to the end of the rafters, above the roof edge. The fascia encloses the roof overhang under the eave that runs along the roof edge. The gutters are attached to the fascia board.

As for "sistering" (reinforcing a framing member by joining another piece of lumber alongside it), relax. I think you might be watching too much TV. The fascia is nailed to the rafter ends rather than sistered. To replace the fascia, you'll need a pry bar, a good framing hammer, a sturdy ladder and some muscle. You might have someone hold your ladder and act as a go-fer, too.

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To begin, pull off the old gutters and the rotted fascia board with the pry bar. Save the pieces; you can use them to get the correct measurements for your replacements. To replace the fascia, purchase from your favorite lumber yard or home center a piece of exterior grade lumber cut to the same thickness and width of the old fascia board. Also, purchase your replacement gutter pieces. Usually, you can get K-style gutter components in white, brown and almond at home centers and building-supply stores.

These gutter components snap together to virtually eliminate the need for cutting with snips and riveting. (I still prefer a riveting gun to connect most pieces, including downspouts, elbows, inside and outside corners and downspout ends.) My column on gutter components (Aug. 23, 2001) might be helpful. It details gutter repair and how to make the most of the newer components, including three different types of hangers.

After removing the old fascia board and gutters, measure and cut the new fascia board to length. A circular saw is handy here, but a sharp combination hand saw is fine. If two long pieces of fascia board are needed, run them end to end, leaving about 1/16 of an inch between the end pieces. Use an exterior caulk to seal the space.

Nail the fascia board to the rafter end pieces, using common nails. The size and type of nail is probably 8d common, but to be safe, keep a couple of nails from the pieces that were removed. Bring them along to the lumber yard and buy a new box.

A couple of other tips:

Use an exterior primer on all exposed pieces of fascia board. To make things easier, after making sure the fascia board fits, do all painting - including applying the exterior color - on the ground before attaching the new board(s).

Use a helper for holding long runs of gutter and fascia board.

If you don't think you can handle this, call a handyman. Generally speaking, it's extremely difficult to find someone to do these smaller repairs. Rely on references from neighbors and friends, and make sure the person you hire is licensed and insured. Most roofing and siding companies with larger crews avoid such small jobs because there isn't enough money in them.

My guess is that you can do it, especially if you have some good reference material.