Many people tend to shy away from wood fascias and soffit simply because it is not as durable as the aluminium and vinyl ones sold in the market today. They tend to chip off or the wooden material tends to rot if they get soaked in rain for days. Sometimes, they can also be a breeding ground for termites.
However, natural wood & wood effect fascias and soffits can make the exterior of your home look elegant and charming. These are great compared to aluminium fascias and soffits, which do not really blend well with the exterior of a house unless of course it looks very modern on the outside.
If your main concern is the external wear and tear that the soffit might be exposed to, you can solve that by colouring or painting it. There are also pre painted soffits and fascias available so you will not have to do a lot of work. Then there are the plastic or UPVC types which do not need this kind of care at all.
What is great about having colours on soffit natural wood grain is that it can accentuate the house. It instantly adds brightness to a room. It is like painting the ceiling but only in the external part of your house. In addition to that, it provides protection to the wood. The coloured coating makes the wood waterproof. It prevents it from turning musty or mouldy. It also protects it from the sun and other harsh external elements.
This project is quite small and should not a lot of money. If you want to give the exterior of your home a little oomph, you can always have the soffits coloured. No need to spend a lot of money on expensive roof renovations or similar projects.
Choosing the right colour is also fun and exciting. You can be bold and find a colour that is in contrast to the exterior colour of your home. If not, you can match it with the accents of the windows, doors or sides of your home. Talk to an expert about the right colour that you can pick for you home. Decide which particular shade is more ideal for the natural wood grain that you have used as your soffits and fascias.
How To Find Coloured Soffits
If this is your first time incorporating coloured soffits in your home, you might feel inadequate about choosing the right colour. The safest colour would be the same colour you have used for your gutters, siding, window trim or even your fascia boards. Complementing the accents of these parts of the house can make the exterior of your home look well designed. You can also match the same colour for your soffits with that of your colour siding and opt for a different colour for your gutters and fascia. A complete contrast of colours can draw attention to the lines of your home so the exterior design will look more defined.
Many people also consider the benefits of staining. If you have used high quality wood for the soffit board, you might feel bad about hiding the natural lines and curves of the wood with paint. A sound option would be to stain it. You can still keep the grainy texture of the wood but still make the wood pop out. The only downside to this is that it does not match with the rest of your colour scheme unless you are really going for the natural wood look.
When painting, it is important to take into account the amount of lighting the soffits will get. Because of the UV rays it is exposed to on a daily basis, the colour will fade away fast. You might want to opt for something darker.
There are many benefits of adding colour to your soffit. I highly recommend this project as it really boosts the all over elegance of a house. If you think the soffit board is not noticeable, think again. Many people actually appreciate a home with every nook and cranny properly painted and designed. You can make your home a lot more pleasing to your guests this way if you have inviting fascia boards colours too.