9 Types of Soffit (and Their Uses)

Getting your roof put together is a huge deal, especially when you’re talking about the rooftops. However, it’s important to remember that the overhang of a roof often needs a little help too. That’s where soffit comes in. Soffit is the material that’s installed in the roof overhang to help protect the roof against the elements. There are many types of soffit to choose from, so if you’re new to roofing, you might need a little help.

Any type of soffit is better than none at all, but it’s still important to know what to choose from. The most important types include:

Vinyl is one of the most common materials used in soffit, and it looks just like most people’s home exteriors. This is a durable material that’s easy to install, easier to clean than most others, and remarkably good for matching with almost any home type you may have. This is a popular go-to because it can be cut into any shape, and can also come in almost any texture you want.

People who are very particular about home stylings will be happy to know that this soffit is available in a wide range of different colors. So, you can get it to match your home, no matter what your home’s color is. Since it’s water-resistant, this is the best choice for high-moisture environments.

Aluminum looks just like most other types of soffit, but it has the reputation of being super durable and easy to wash compared to other types. As one of the oldest types of soffit still used in modern architecture, this is a good go-to for people who want a blend of affordability with style. If you want to hide imperfections, then going for aluminum is a good move.

Like vinyl, aluminum has the perk of being able to withstand a lot of dings and dents. It also can be painted any color of the rainbow. While it’s more affordable than vinyl, it does have one drawback: moisture. Aluminum is prone to rust in extremely high moisture areas after several decades, so avoid this if you live in a place like Louisiana. With that said, it’s rot-proof and non-combustible so it’s super-durable in most other ways.

Steel is, by and large, the most durable option for soffit. It won’t rust, won’t rot, won’t dent, and won’t grow mold. It’s easy to clean and lasts longer than aluminum. This is why most professional builders want to have steel soffit for their homes. However, there are issues that make this a mismatch for a handful of homes.

Steel soffit has to be precut, which means that if you want to get this option, you have to have a roof overhang that matches the measurements of the soffit. Moreover, finding the exact match to your paint can be somewhat harder than with other materials. While it is hard to find a good paint match, the truth is that most people will still find a compatible look for their home.

A bigger issue people have is the pricing. Steel is expensive, and so is soffit made from it. So, prepare to have a hit to your wallet when you choose this option.

Wood is about as traditional as you can get in terms of soffit material. It’s beautiful, works wonderful with cabin looks, and can be stained any color that you want. Most people love the fact that wood can be trimmed to any size, and that it can be a remarkably nice accent to a home. You will need to get an oil-based primer or a water-resistant coating if you want to paint it, but it’s so worth it.

Along with being pricey, there are several downsides to having a wooden soffit. The biggest issue is durability. It can break pretty easily, and it’s also not flame-resistant. Wood burns pretty fast compared to most of the other materials. It’s also difficult to clean, prone to mold, and can rot in moisture-heavy areas. So, it’s a give-take.

Engineered wood is a lot like wood, but better. This material is made from wood strands and fiber glued together by industrial mixers, then pressed together. Once that’s done, the wood is treated with a wide variety of waxes that increase water resistance and also reduce the chance of mold growth. This makes engineered wood a similar choice to wood, but better.

Believe it or not, engineered wood is about the same price as wood at times. It depends on the wood type. Either way, if you want to get a look similar to wood with easier maintenance and better durability, go for this. While it’s more durable, it’s still combustible. After all, it is wood.

There is something so gorgeous about having a soffit that is completely and totally smooth, isn’t there? It’s a look that can only be achieved with fiber cement. This is a building material that’s part wood, part Portland cement. This mixture is blended together into a slurry, then sculpted into the soffit that you need.

This is a great way to get a smooth and seamless soffit that looks modern. While it can be difficult to get this material in unique colors, there are ways to get it painted to reflect your own personal taste. It’s primed, ready to paint, and highly durable. It won’t be harmed by moisture, heat, insects, or mold. So, overall, it’s a highly respectable choice.

When you want to talk about premium-grade engineered wood or fiber-cement soffits, you need to talk about prefinished soffits. Prefinished soffits are treated with upgraded finishes that help increase durability. These finishes make the soffit easier to clean, not to mention even more resistant to the elements.

Prefinished soffit is great if you want to have a soffit that lasts and lasts. It’s the best way to get a lifespan close to steel, without having to worry about paying for steel prices. It’s also good to know that prefinished soffit is also more eco-friendly than most other soffits on the market. So, you’ll also be kind to Mother Earth with this option.

The big issue with prefinished soffit is that you can’t really paint or stain the soffit yourself. It’s prefinished, after all. So if you want to have a home with lots of quirky colors, this is not the choice you should make.

Vented soffits are soffits that have portions that have holes drilled into them. This is done as a way to help ensure proper airflow from your roof. Getting vented soffits is a smart idea if you are worried about moisture getting trapped inside your roof, or if you want to optimize the air circulation in your home.

Most of the time, having some vented soffits is a must. How many soffits you’ll need to direct airflow can vary, but it’s best to make sure that you get something rather than nothing at all.

Solid soffits are soffits that do not come with holes pre-drilled into them. Most homes will have at least some solid soffits—though vented soffits often will be present as well. If you choose to have an all-solid soffit setup, then you will need to make sure that you are going to have to figure out how to vent your roof.

Most people who want to get an all-solid soffit system install a roof ventilation system that uses the bathroom exhaust to get any excess moisture out. Regardless of what you decide to do, this is going to cost more and it may be a bigger project than you expect it to be. Our advice? Stick to using solid soffits as an accent rather than the whole enchilada.

The price of your soffit can vary greatly based on the manufacturer as well as the material used. You should expect the soffit to cost anywhere from $10 to $25 per 12-foot section. This translates to $1 to $3.50 per linear foot in most situations. That makes it a relatively affordable building material.

Of course, most people don’t do a DIY soffit installation. This is primarily due to the fact that it’s labor-intensive and often requires a certain amount of skill to do. When you factor in labor costs, the price to install your soffit can be anywhere from $6 to a whopping $20 per square foot.

If you want to save some money when you’re shopping for soffit, you’re not alone. This is actually why vinyl soffit is one of the most popular types of soffit available. Vinyl is the most affordable type of soffit that you can buy on both the labor costs and the material cost front. A close second would be aluminum.

It’s important to remember that vinyl is cheap, but it is not a bad material. While it is affordable, it still stands up to weather well, is easy to install, and will last for at least two decades when cares for well.

While most homes look great with soffit, the truth is that they are not always necessary. If you don’t have a roof overhang, or if you have a different ventilation system, there is no need for soffit. With that said, each roof is different. If you aren’t sure whether you need to get soffit for your home, ask a roofer.

At the end of the day, soffit is there to help protect your roof and vent things out. It’s a good way to ensure that you won’t end up having leaks in your roof or worry about your roof rotting away. So, when in doubt, invest in it.

Related Questions

What’s the difference between a soffit and an eave?

It’s fairly easy to see why people would get confused. They both refer to the portion of the roof that hangs over the rooftop. However, there is a difference in connotations. Eaves tend to refer to the top of the overhang—the part that is covered with shingles, in most cases. The soffit is the underside of an eave.Though the two have different connotations, most of us use the terms almost interchangeably.

What happens if a roof isn’t vented well?

If your roof isn’t vented well, both heat and condensation will start to build up in your roof. Initially, this won’t cause damage. However, as time goes by, the condensation will continue to build up and eventually rot your roof. This can cause issues like mold buildup, structural problems, as well as leaks.Most of the time, you can tell when a roof isn’t vented well because you end up seeing a lot of problems revolving around the roof, your ceiling, or even the structure of your own home. If you are worried that your roof isn’t ventilated, you need to nip it in the bud. Call a roofer as soon as you can.