How to Install Aluminum Fascia Cladding: Bending, Fastening, Expansion and Corners
Aluminum wrap turns a painted wood fascia into a low-maintenance edge. It works only over sound wood, and only if the metal can move.
- Advanced
- 1 to 2 days for a typical house
- Updated
The short answer
Install aluminum fascia cladding over sound, dry wood by cutting pre-painted coil stock to the fascia height plus the top and bottom returns, bending it on a brake with a hem at the drip edge, and fastening with aluminum or stainless nails every 16 inches through the face into the rafter tails. Allow room for expansion at joints, lap ends about 1 inch, and form corners with mitres or folds.
Aluminum fascia cladding, often called fascia wrap or capping, is a thin sheet of pre-painted aluminum bent to cover the face and bottom edge of a wood fascia, and sometimes the top. It stops the wood from needing paint, stops rain from attacking the face, and gives a clean finished edge that matches the gutters and soffit.
It is not a cure for rot. Wrap over wet or decayed fascia and the wood rots unseen under the metal. The wood must be sound, dry and primed, and the top edge must be protected by drip edge or gutter apron. If the board is soft, replace it first with how to replace a rotten fascia board.
The other trap is movement. Aluminum expands and contracts with temperature much more than wood does. Fasten it wrong and it buckles, rattles and pulls its fasteners out. This guide covers bending on a brake, hemming, fastening, expansion, joints and corners. For the brake itself, see how to bend flashing on a sheet metal brake.
Tools
- Portable sheet metal brake
- Tin snips and aviation snips
- Hand seamer
- Tape measure and square
- Utility knife for scoring
- Hammer or finish nailer
- Drill
- Level and chalk line
- Cut-resistant gloves
Materials
- Pre-painted aluminum coil stock, commonly .019 or .024 inch thick, 24 inches wide or as needed
- Aluminum or stainless trim nails, 1-1/2 to 2 inch, colour-matched
- Exterior-grade sealant
- Drip edge or gutter apron
- Touch-up paint
- Foam or backer strip where the fascia has a gap
Safety first
- Cut aluminum edges are razor sharp. Wear cut-resistant gloves and eye protection when cutting and bending.
- Work from a stable platform tied off at the eave. Long pieces of coil stock catch wind like a sail.
- Do not wrap over lead paint without a plan for dust. Test paint on houses built before about 1990.
- Keep the brake stable and on level ground. A tipped brake pinches fingers.
Step by Step
Step 1: Check the wood and prepare the fascia
Press a screwdriver into the wood along the full length. Soft spots must be replaced first. Nail down loose boards, set proud nail heads, and scrape any loose paint. Prime bare wood and cut ends. Metal over bad wood hides rot until the damage is large.
Check that the fascia face is flat. Aluminum is thin and shows every bump, so plane high spots and shim low ones where it matters.
Step 2: Measure and cut the coil stock to size
Work out the profile: the face height, plus a top return that slides under the drip edge or shingle (commonly 1 to 2 inches), and a bottom return that wraps under the board with a hem of about 1/2 inch (the drip kick). Add these to get the coil width, and cut lengths to the run between corners plus a lap.
Score with a utility knife and bend to break, or cut with snips. Keep lengths manageable, typically 10 to 12 feet, since longer pieces bend in wind and are harder to handle.
Step 3: Bend the profile on the brake
Set the stock in the brake and bend the lower return and hem first, then the top return. A hem, folded back about 1/2 inch on the bottom edge, stiffens the metal and gives a clean drip edge that water leaves cleanly. Make a test piece and hold it up to the board. Adjust the bend angles, and then cut the rest.
Handle pre-painted stock carefully, because scratches show. Wear gloves and keep the painted side clear of grit.
Tip: Bend all pieces of one run at once so every bend is the same. Mismatched depths show along the edge.
Step 4: Install the drip edge or apron first
The top edge must be protected. Drip edge goes on the roof deck at the eaves under the underlayment, as in how to install drip edge. The cladding's top return tucks up under the drip edge leg, so water runs over the top of the cladding and not behind it. If the roof is already done, the return slides under the flashing leg and is fastened in place.
Step 5: Fasten with expansion in mind
Put nails into the rafter tails or solid wood, about 16 inches apart and near the top, and keep them back from the ends. Drive nails so the head is snug but does not dimple the metal. Aluminum expands about 1/8 inch over 10 feet with an 80 degree Fahrenheit (about 45 degree Celsius) swing, which a dark fascia sees between a winter night and a summer afternoon, so do not pin it rigidly. Slotted holes or a slightly oversize hole at one end allow movement.
Use colour-matched nails or touch up heads with paint. Do not use steel nails that rust or galvanized nails that react with aluminum.
Step 6: Lap the joints and leave room to move
Overlap each piece about 1 inch at the joint, or use a hidden joint plate. Face the lap so the upper piece runs over the lower in the direction of the prevailing rain, so wind-driven water does not enter. Do not seal the joint solid, because the metal needs to slide. A small bead of flexible sealant behind the lap is enough.
Step 7: Form the corners
For outside corners, notch the stock and fold it around the corner, or cut a mitre and cover the joint with a separate corner piece. For inside corners, lap one piece over the other with a neat mitre. Use a hand seamer to close folds tight. Seal the joint with a thin bead of sealant and touch up any scratches with paint.
Step 8: Check the finished line and rehang the gutters
View the wrap from the ground and from several angles, and fix oil-canning, which is a wavy look, by adding fasteners or rebending. Remove shavings, which rust and stain the paint. Hang the gutters and check that the back lip sits under the apron leg, as in how to install gutter apron.
Gauge and Finish
- .019 inch: common for fascia wrap, light and easy to bend, but it dents easily.
- .024 inch: stiffer, better on long runs and where ladders or gutters press.
- Pre-painted coil: baked-on finish, and needs little touch-up. Cut ends and scratches should be touched up.
- Colour-matched fasteners: reduce the visible dots on the face.
Wrap or Replace?
Wrapping sound wood in aluminum gives a long-lasting, low-maintenance finish. On rotten wood it only hides the damage. The usual sequence is to repair or replace the wood first, prime it, and then wrap. See how to replace a rotten fascia board and the fascia and soffit page for the wider work.
Common Mistakes
- Wrapping rotten wood. The rot spreads unseen behind the metal.
- Pinning the metal rigidly. Tight nails and sealed butt joints buckle and tear when the aluminum expands.
- Using steel or galvanized nails. They rust or react with the aluminum and stain the finish.
- No protection on top. Without drip edge or apron, water runs behind the cladding.
- Long single pieces. Wind and handling bend them, and they oil-can.
- Leaving shavings on the metal. They rust and leave stains.
When to Call a Professional
Bending and fitting aluminum takes a brake and practice, and mistakes show along the whole roofline. If the eaves are high, the corners are complex, the wood behind is questionable, or the gutters are in place, call a contractor.
A contractor can also check and replace fascia and soffit, and install the drip edge and gutter in the correct order.
Fraser Roofing does free roof inspections across the Fraser Valley, from Hope to Abbotsford. See our Fascia and Soffit service or the towns we cover.
How to Install Aluminum Fascia Cladding: Questions
How do you install aluminum fascia wrap?
Make sure the wood is sound and primed, cut coil stock to the fascia height plus returns, bend it on a brake with a hemmed drip edge at the bottom, tuck the top under the drip edge, and fasten with aluminum or stainless nails about every 16 inches. Lap end joints about 1 inch and leave room for expansion.
Does aluminum fascia cover rotten wood?
It covers it, but does not fix it. Wood under the metal stays damp and rots unseen, and the damage spreads to the rafter tails and soffit. Replace any soft fascia first, prime the wood, protect the top with drip edge, and then wrap. Aluminum is a finish, not a repair.
What gauge aluminum is used for fascia?
Fascia wrap is commonly made from pre-painted aluminum coil of about .019 to .024 inch thick. The thinner gauge is easier to bend and cheaper but dents more easily. The thicker gauge is stiffer and suits long runs and exposed locations. The coil is usually 24 inches wide, cut and bent to the fascia profile.
How do you allow for expansion of aluminum fascia?
Aluminum moves more than wood as temperature changes, roughly 1/8 inch over 10 feet across a large swing. Fasten it with nails that are snug but not jammed tight, use slotted holes at one end of long pieces, and lap the joints about 1 inch without sealing them solid. That way the metal can slide.
Can aluminum fascia be installed over existing fascia?
Yes, if the existing wood is sound, dry and flat. Scrape loose paint, prime any bare spots, fix loose boards and set nails. The wrap then goes over the face and bottom edge, with the top tucked under the drip edge. If the wood is soft, repair or replace it first.
Related Guides
All Roof Edges, Fascia and Soffit guides|The full How-To Library
This guide is general education. Always follow the product manufacturer's installation instructions, the BC Building Code and WorkSafeBC requirements, which take priority over anything written here.
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