ᐅ 30 cm roof overhang at the gable without visible rafters or fascia board

Hello.

Since I don’t want any visible rafters or visible purlins on the exterior of the gable, I’m considering whether this can work.

The roof structure is "cold," meaning the ceiling is insulated.

The text notes the following:

- Roof eaves at the main roof area with visible rafter tails but without a horizontal fascia board (cornice).
- Eave area with blocking boards between the rafters (where technically possible).
- Roof eaves at the gable without fly rafters and without visible purlins.

I have seen this on some houses, and on our shed I simply extended the battens 30cm (12 inches) beyond the plastered masonry and installed a three-layer panel underneath.

The verge tiles of the Frankfurter tile design covered this without any issue, and I did not install a vertical blocking board.

However, the boards look unattractive after a few years and need to be repainted, so I would not want to expose them directly to the weather.

But I’m not sure if this is professionally correct; I have done it like this many times, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right way.

Can this be carried out like this?

Unfortunately, I don’t have a better picture. I took this somewhere on the way today...

Regards

Ralf1980 schrieb:

The boards look unattractive after a few years and need repainting, so I wouldn’t expose them directly to the weather.

If you properly treat the boards, nothing like that will happen. I have about 80 cm (31.5 inches) of roof overhang with an additional outer rafter. It was covered in 2009 and except for some darkening, everything still looks like new today.

I primed the wood and painted it with Bondex wood paint Pine. It is a breathable stain, but I applied it five times using a spray gun. Even on the weather-facing side there have been no issues.

A 30 cm (12 inches) roof overhang is also fine, even without an additional rafter.

I would definitely avoid a solid stain or any gel paints. I don’t want to repaint my fascia boards every 10 years. The problem is always with white paint and similar. It looks great, sure, but doesn’t last long. Then you have to sand down and repaint. It’s the same as with wooden windows.

Buchsbaum schrieb:

Then it means sanding down and repainting. It’s the same as with wooden windows.

Do not paint weathered wood; instead, oil it. It can be recoated without sanding, and the wood can still release moisture. Additionally, it does not peel off.

Is it possible to create a 30cm (12 inches) roof overhang without rafters, using only battens, and then attach a cladding of about 20-25mm (0.8-1 inch) thickness (board, three-layer panel) to the bottom of the battens and call it done?

The Frankfurter tile covers 80mm (3 inches) on the side, so that should work without a side board.

Or does the board have a function in wind or snow protection?

How much roof overhang at the gable is possible using only battens?

The rafter is attached to the inside of the gable wall, and from there the battens are "on their own" or rest directly on the masonry.

Regards,
Ralf

A 30cm (12 inches) roof overhang is definitely feasible. I wouldn’t recommend going any larger, as the roof battens might start to bend under the weight. There could also be additional snow load to consider.

You probably won’t be able to avoid using a bargeboard. I wouldn’t skip it either.

The underlay membrane will be installed on the rafters first, followed by the counter battens, and then the roof battens.

Both the counter battens and roof battens are likely 4 x 6cm (1.5 x 2.5 inches), so together you already have about 8cm (3 inches). For a 30cm (12 inches) roof overhang, I would definitely use these roof battens. The counter battens are missing in your picture. This setup will be tight, especially when you consider wind-driven rain and similar weather conditions.

I would install a bargeboard and cover it with slate tiles. It looks excellent and lasts for ages. It effectively keeps moisture away from the roof.