We install the roof eaves with our own hands in 3 stages

It is probably not necessary to explain what a roof cornice is: almost everyone knows that this is the name of a special bar at the end of the slope. But if you undertook the independent construction of the roof, then you need to thoroughly understand the design of the cornice and the method of its construction.

This article will help you, which I prepared, based on my experience in roofing.

edge technology

Why do you need a cornice and what does it consist of?

So that melt or rainwater flowing down the slope does not fall on the walls of the house and does not undermine the foundation, a roof overhang is formed - a part of the slope that protrudes beyond the plane of the wall. At the same time, special parts are installed on the roof overhang, which are responsible for the implementation of very important functions:

• effective removal of moisture from the walls (both flowing down the roofing material and condensation);
• roof space protection from blowing out drops;

At the same time, it is important to maintain ventilation, so that a complete overlap is excluded!

• strengthening the cornice overhang, which allows it to withstand significant wind and snow loads;
• roofing cake disguise and improving the appearance of the roof.

All this is provided by the installation of the eaves. Roof cornices can have a very different structure, but the general scheme of the device will include the following elements:

Illustration	Element of the truss system
	Frame. It is formed by the removal of the edge of the rafters beyond the boundaries of the walls. In this case, the ends of the rafters are cut so as to form the plane necessary for attaching the elements of the eaves.
	Cornice boards. They are mounted on the rafters both on the roof overhangs and on the gable extension. They are used for fastening elements responsible for moisture removal, as well as for mechanical strengthening of the structure.
	Dropper. Metal profiled bar, which is placed directly on the rafters. The function is based - the removal of condensation moisture from the waterproofing.
	Ventilation bar. Covers the gap between the rafters covered with waterproofing and the roofing material. Provides air circulation under the roof, while protecting the space from debris.
	Cornice planks. They are placed on the edge of the roof. In the lower part of the slope, the cornice strip itself is mounted, along the edge of the frontal overhang - the wind strip.
	Overhang lining. It is made either from boards or from reshaped plastic elements - soffits. It is attached to the bottom of the cornice overhang - either to the rafters or to a special crate.

As you can see, the device of the roof eaves is not difficult. In addition, the price of this entire structure will not be even 10% of the total cost of the roof, so it is clearly not worth saving on installation and filing of overhangs!

What do you need to work?

To protect the surfaces of walls and foundations from runoff, even on the simplest roof, it is desirable to make a cornice. If you are making a bathhouse, a cottage or a house, then the edges of the slopes must be drawn up in accordance with all the rules.

For this we will need the following materials:

Illustration	Material
	Frame details. Beams and boards for mounting on rafters. It is advisable to check all parts for defects and treat with an antiseptic.
	Metal strips: eaves; wind; ventilation; droppers.
	Waterproofing materials: film; sealing tape.
	Fixings for the drainage system.
	Materials for cornice filing: wooden lining; plastic perforated soffits.
	Fasteners: roofing nails; self-tapping screws.

Tools and fixtures

Installing a cornice and installing spotlights with your own hands is not the easiest type of work. For their high-quality implementation, we need:

1. Devices for working at height - scaffolding, scaffolding, ladders, etc.
2. Individual fall arrest systems.

Also, do not forget about protective equipment - gloves, goggles and a helmet.

3. Measuring tools - tape measure, level, plumb line, square.
4. wooden templates - used for trimming rafter legs.
5. Wood saw - at least one disk, and one high-quality hacksaw.
6. Screwdrivers rechargeable with magnetic bits.

7. roofing hammer.
8. cutting knife waterproofing.

Cornice sheathing technology

Stage 1. Frame preparation

Now let's figure out how to make cornices under the roof. You need to start with the preparation of the truss system and the installation of supporting elements:

Illustration	Stage of work
	Rafter marking. Using a level, a square and a template, we mark the ends of the rafters for trimming.
	Trimming rafters. We cut off the edges of the rafter legs. In this case, the boards must be aligned so that their ends are strictly in the same plane.
	Installation of the front board. On the ends of the rafters we install frontal boards with a thickness of 25 mm and a width of 150 mm. The cornice board is fastened with nails or self-tapping screws so as to avoid its longitudinal deformation.
	Installation of an additional board on the edge of the overhang. At the edge of the overhang, we make selections in which we lay the board under the edges of the eaves. We fix the board with nails or screws.
	End board installation. After installing the crate on the edges of the removal, we fasten the end board.

Stage 2. Waterproofing and ventilation

Further, the instruction involves the installation of elements that will provide protection from moisture:

Illustration	Stage of work
	Drip installation. We lay the metal profile bar on the cornice and fix it with nails or self-tapping screws. We make the joints of the droppers with an overlap.
	Sticking the sealing tape We mount a sealing self-adhesive tape on top of the dropper.
	Fixing the waterproofing membrane After laying the roofing waterproofing, we fix the edge of the membrane on the upper plane of the drip. For fixing, we use the previously installed self-adhesive tape.
	Installing the ventilation bar In order for the under-roof space to be effectively ventilated, we put a perforated bar on top of the drip and waterproofing around the perimeter.
	Mounts for the drainage system If it is planned to install a drainage system, then under the waterproofing materials we start the edges of the gutter attachment. We fix the fasteners on the cornice boards, taking into account the slope in the direction of the drain.

Stage 3. Installing the slats and filing

Now it remains for us to install the strips on the edges of the slopes and hem the overhangs from below. These works are usually performed after the installation of the roofing material:

Illustration	Stage of work
	Binder frame. We assemble a crate for installing spotlights from wooden beams. We fasten the structure to the rafter legs and to the support beam fixed on the wall.
	Soffit installation. We attach perforated spotlights to the bottom of the crate. We connect the details of the filing with locks, forming a surface without cracks and gaps.
	Cornice plank. We install a cornice bar on the frontal board. We start the upper edge under the overhang of the dropper, the lower one - under the lower edge of the frontal board or beyond the edge of the filing. We fix the part with roofing nails.
	End plank. We put a bar on the edge of the front overhang, which should overlap the roofing material. We fix it to the end board.

Conclusion

Having figured out how to make a roof cornice, you can independently perform the final stage of roofing work. The video in this article will help you understand the nuances of the technology. In addition, the answer to any question on this topic can be obtained in the comments.

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