GBA Logo horizontal Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram YouTube Icon Navigation Search Icon Main Search Icon Video Play Icon Plus Icon Minus Icon Picture icon Hamburger Icon Close Icon Sorted

Community and Q&A

Adding a soffit overhang to gables of an attached 4-season room

William Sherman| Posted inGeneral Questionson

I’m currently having the roof of my attached 4-season room replaced. The roof leaked in heavy rain and there was a measly 1″ of XPS on the inside of the roof. The new roof will have 6″ of polyiso on top of the timber frame rafters.

In order to protect the exterior wood (trim, windows, etc.) on both sides (“gables”) of the room, I’d like to have a soffit added. The issue is that the soffit would end up extending beyond the corner boards of the house proper. I’m not sure that having the top of the soffit hanging in mid air wold look good. Looking for a compromise that protects the porch but also doesn’t look like it was created by Escher.

Any thoughts?

GBA Prime

Join the leading community of building science experts

Become a GBA Prime member and get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay||#1

    William,
    The sides of the roof under discussion are called the rakes, not the gables.

    This is an aesthetic matter, as I'm sure you know. There are various ways to proceed -- including building an exaggerated rake overhang, and then creating an opposing slope from the peak down toward the main section of the house, so that the rake overhang turns into a kind of saltbox roof.

    Attractive? Only you can decide. Talk to a designer or an architect if you want to see other trim solutions.

  2. Steve Knapp CZ 3A Georgia||#2

    It looks like the rest of your house has pretty minimal overhangs. I think you should live with the potential extra maintenance and keep your sun room as-is.

    Houzz might be a better site to post this type of design question BTW.

Log in or create an account to post an answer.

Community

Recent Questions and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |