Does anyone know of a commercial product that acts as a vinyl sleeve over 2 x 4’s, much like the 4×4 ones for decks?

user-227802 | Posted in General Questions on October 10, 2011 09:44am

It would only have to cover three sides in my case: the two braod sides and one edge. I want to wrap the exposed rafter tails on a gambrel roof. Second best would be the best techique to bend aluminum stock to do this job.

Answer

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Replies

GBA Editor

Martin Holladay | Oct 10, 2011 10:00am | #1
Mark,
Exposed rafter tails are a bad idea.

If you have an existing house with the problem, the standard solution is to flash the rafter tails with soldered copper caps. (Vinyl is not an appropriate material for roof flashing, since it is degraded by UV light.)

Any good sheet metal shop should be able to help you.
wjrobinson | Oct 10, 2011 02:51pm | #2
Our local HD rents metal brakes. Very easy to use. Practice on scrap, watch a you tube clip... You also could stop at a siding project and ask them to bend up your needs. I have in the past and the cost was so low that I paid over the asking price.
kevin_in_denver | Oct 10, 2011 03:30pm | #3
Think about putting in soffits, if appropriate. Soffits need less painting and maintenance, and they are way easier to paint.

I've had to remove about 30 wasp nests in those little cubbies this summer, but I never get wasps on my houses with soffits.
user-227802 | Oct 12, 2011 12:47pm | #4
I'm confused about your comment of exposed rafter tails are a bad idea. Maybe I'm communicating (or understanding) poorly. By "exposed" I mean you can see them from below, not that they stick out past the roof line. See attached photo.
GBA Editor

Martin Holladay | Oct 12, 2011 01:08pm | #5
Mark,
I thought you meant that your rafter tails projected beyond the roof sheathing, the way they do at Greene & Greene's Gamble house.
user-227802 | Oct 12, 2011 03:18pm | #6
Right, Martin. Yes, Gambrel, as in Dutch Colonial, not Gamble. Thanks.
GBA Editor

Martin Holladay | Oct 12, 2011 03:21pm | #7
Sorry, Mark -- you're wrong. It's the Gamble house. Learn more here:
http://www.gamblehouse.org/
user-227802 | Oct 12, 2011 03:35pm | #8
What I am saying is that my house has a gambrel roof.
GBA Editor

Martin Holladay | Oct 12, 2011 03:41pm | #9
Mark,
Got it. I misunderstood your original question. Your house is a gambrel, not a Gamble. And you don't need copper flashing to cap your rafter tails.