Soffits are an important part of your home's exterior, but did you know hiring a professional to install them can cost thousands of dollars?
Luckily, you don't have to be a pro to install your own soffit. We've created a guide for installing your own metal soffit panels. Keep reading to learn more!
How to Install Your Own Metal Soffit Panels
Installing your own exterior metal soffit panels will save you a ton of money.
Since it's so easy to do, there's no reason not to install your own. All it takes is a little bit of patience and time. Here's how you can install your own aluminum soffit panels:
Cut the Aluminum
If you're not sure how to cut metal soffit panels, don't worry, it's not too hard.
It will take some attention to detail as you want them to be cut neatly. You'll need to use a variety of hand and power tools for this. These are:
- A small pair of scissors (first-aid scissors work great)
- Aviation snips
- A sliding compound miter saw
- WD-40
Use the sliding compound miter saw for large cuts and the smaller scissors for trimming and cleaning up the cut. Be careful not to scratch the aluminum as you move it. Also, spray the teeth of the saw with WD-40 between cuts.
Install the J-Channel
The J-channel is the guide for your soffit panel.
The J-channel is probably the most tedious part of installing soffit. Measure the J-channel to make sure the soffit panels will fit in it. Also, if you plan on putting up a stone or brick veneer, leave enough space between the J-channel and the wall for it.
Use chalk as a guide for installing your J-channel. Once it fits neatly, use screws to attach it.
Add the Soffit
Before adding the metal soffit, make sure you measure it in both hot and cold temperatures.
To do this, measure it in the shade then move it into the sun for about 15 minutes. This time in the sun will give it a little time to expand. Measure it again and adjust it if needed to fit in the J-channel.
If you install aluminum without accounting for the fact that it swells with the heat, you'll end up with a deformed and wavy soffit on hot days.
Once you're sure that the soffit will fit comfortably in the J-channel, you can start adding it. As you slide the soffit in and secure it with nails, try to remember to install the nails so they won't show.
Consider adding nails on the lip of the roof so the nail is facing down. This will make it less of an eyesore to people walking in front of it.
Are You Ready to Install Your Metal Soffit?
Choosing to install your metal soffit panels yourself may take some time but you'll be glad you did it when you see how much money you saved.
If you're willing to take the time to cut the panels and measure them with the J-channel, you'll have no problem. If you loved this article, check out our other blog posts!
