Roofing component
What is fascia on a house?
The board that runs along the edge of the roof behind the gutter, and the first piece of wood to go when the edge is not shedding water.
Updated September 12, 2026 · Every figure links to its source · Sources
DefinitionComponentAlso called: fascia board, eaves board
Fascia — the vertical finishing board fixed across the ends of the rafters or trusses at the eave (and along the rake on a gable end), which closes the roof edge, gives the drip edge and the gutter something to fasten to and hides the framing behind it; the NRCA glossary lists it among the trim components of the roof edge.
What it is
Where the roof overhangs the wall, the rafters end in the open air. The fascia is the board nailed across those ends: on most houses a one-by-six or one-by-eight of wood, often over a rougher sub-fascia, and increasingly a composite, PVC or fibre-cement board that does not rot. On houses with aluminium or vinyl trim, the wood fascia is wrapped in bent aluminium coil stock, which is a cladding over the board rather than a replacement for it.
The fascia is not a roofing material in the code's sense — the IRC's roof chapter regulates the drip edge that sits on top of it, not the board itself — but it is the roof edge's structure. The gutter hangers screw into it, the drip edge laps over its top, and the soffit tucks under its bottom edge. "Fascia" is also an anatomical term, which is why a search for the word turns up a great deal that has nothing to do with houses.
Why it matters
A sound fascia keeps water, wind and animals out of the roof edge and holds the gutter straight. A rotten one drops the gutter, lets water into the soffit and the ends of the decking, and gives squirrels and birds a way into the attic. Fascia rots for three reasons: a gutter that overflows or has pulled loose and pours water down the board; a drip edge that is missing, too short or bent so water runs behind it; and ice dams, which push meltwater over the back of the gutter. The IBHS treats the roof edge as the place wind damage starts, and a loose fascia is an edge that wind can work on.
Peeling paint, a gutter that sags between hangers, and dark staining on the soffit below are the signs. Replacing the board without fixing the water path replaces it again in a few years.
What it costs and who does it
Fascia work is priced by the linear foot, with the material (wood, PVC, composite, aluminium wrap), the height of the eave, whether the sub-fascia and rafter tails are also rotten, and the gutter removal and re-hang as the variables. Roofing contractors, exterior-trim and siding contractors and gutter contractors all do it; a roofer is the right choice when the drip edge, decking edge or shingles are involved, and a gutter company when only the board and gutter are. The directory's roof repair cost guide describes how edge repairs are estimated, and its guide to roof repair covers what a repair should include.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers; the sections above carry the detail and the sources.
What is the difference between fascia and soffit?
Why is my fascia rotting behind the gutter?
Should fascia be wrapped in aluminium?
Next step
Find a roofer who does this
Fascia is one of the few roof repairs a homeowner can see from the ground, which makes it a good first job for judging a contractor. The directory lists roofing contractors by state and city.
Sources
- Roofing glossary — National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)
- 2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 9: Roof Assemblies — International Code Council (ICC)
- FORTIFIED Roof: requirements and rated roof covers — Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)