Fascia Structure

Abstract

A fascia structure for attachment about the roof of a flat roofed building. A support is attached to the building and a fascia element is coupled to the support so that the support and the element define a duct permitting ventilation air to flow to and from openings in the support in registration with roof insulation. Layers of weatherproof material are attached to the support by nailing through the layers into a forward face of a wood strip forming part of the support.

Description

This invention relates to a fascia structure for use on buildings having flat roofs.

Fascia structures are used to protect the edge of a flat roofed building and to provide a lip around the roof to contain rain water. During a rain storm the sewers in a city are often overloaded by sudden increases in water running off roofs, sidewalks and the like. Fascia structures are now built to dam water on roofs and roof drains are provided which are capable of controlling the rate of flow of water off the roof. The drains therefore limit the quantity of water which the sewers must handle during the storm and then permit the dammed water to flow off the roofs after the rain has stopped.

Fascia structures should contain storm water and be unaffected if the water on the roof flows over the fascia structure and down the wall of the building. Further, because of wind effects, the fascia structure should prevent water creeping upwardly behind the fascia and under layers of weather-proof material on the roof. As a result of these considerations, it is desirable to provide a fascia structure which is attached to the roof in such a manner that it does not include nails, screws and the like which puncture, or in any other manner damage the weather-proof materials on the roof.

There are several fascia structures available of different types. One of the types has a metallic strip which can be screwed through a flashing and into a wood cant strip. The screws hold the metal strip tightly against the flashing and a fascia element is hooked over the top of the metal strip to further weather proof and improve the appearance of the structure. While this type is commonly water tight when first assembled, there is a tendency for it to loosen due to temperature fluctuations and also due to the flashing deteriorating with age. As a result, water seeps under the metal strip and then through the screw holes and under the flashing.

A second type of fascia structure which is presently available includes screws or nails which pass through upper portions of the structure. While this structure is satisfactory for low water levels, should the water flow over the fascia structure and down the outer wall of the building, there will be a tendency for the water to seep through the screw holes and under the felt layers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fascia structure for a roof and which eliminates the use of nails or screws in areas where water seepage would be detrimental to the roof.

Present fascia structures also tend to be difficult to assemble on a building. In some instances it is essential to have proper alignment of the fascia structure on the edge of a roof to ensure good sealing. Should misalignment take place there is a tendency for water to seep under the fascia structure and into the building roof.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a fascia structure which is readily assembled and wherein the water sealing properties of the structure are such that accuracy of assembly is less critical than with prior art fascia structures.

Many roofs nowadays are prepared with a layer of foamed plastic insulation or the like on which weatherproof felt layers are applied. Because of temperature and moisture variations there is a tendency for moist air to penetrate the insulation thereby affecting its performance. Also, upon heating, the trapped moist air expands and causes ripples in the felt layers. An attempt has been made to overcome this by providing the insulation in boards which are lap jointed one to another such that a passage exists between the boards. Vent stacks are provided at the intersection of the boards to allow air to enter and leave the insulation. Movement of air is however minimal because the air must enter downwardly through the stack and leave upwardly. It would be better if the air could move more freely.

Accordingly, it is yet another object of the present invention to provide a fascia structure having means for combining with vent stacks to permit air to enter or leave an adjacent insulation layer thereby providing a more positive air circulation through the insulation layer.

Once assembled, fascia structures often suffer from wind forces which tend to break the structure and force water upwardly on the outer building wall. The water then finds a way behind the structure. Upward movement of water is a particular problem in very large buildings where up-draughts are commonly found having relatively high velocities and pressures.

Accordingly, it is still a further object of the present invention, to provide a fascia structure incorporating a sealing means to limit the effect of wind up-draughts which tend to force the fascia structure off the building and send water behind the structure.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective sectional view of a fascia structure according to the invention and assembled on a building; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of the fascia structure.

Reference is first made to FIG. 1 in which a fascia structure 10 comprises a support 12 attached to the top of a building wall 14 at the edge of a roof 16. The support 12 has a wood strip 18 to which are nailed felt layers 20 which terminate adjacent a lower outer edge of the wood strip 18. A fascia element 22 covers the layers and extends downwardly and over the wall 14 terminating at a conventional protective layer 24 of gravel held together by a bonding agent such as asphalt. An insulation layer 25 extends outwardly from above roof 16 and supports both a cant strip 26 adjacent the support 12 and the layers 20. Support 12 is attached to an anchor assembly 27 set in the wall 14.

Support 12 includes an attachment section 28 having a horizontal part 30 and an upright part 32 extending upwardly from an outer edge of the part 30. Part 32 is welded to an upright portion 34 of a forward section 36. The section 36 also has a top 38 extending forwardly from an upper extremity of the portion 34 and a bottom 40 extending outwardly from a lower extremity of the section 34. Bottom 40 terminates in a downwardly extending lip 42 which engages in a channel 44 in fascia element 22 as will be described. The wood strip 18 is attached by screws 46 passing outwardly through portion 34 and positioned so that the wood strip is engaged against the underside of the top 38.

The support 12 may be attached to the wall 14 in any conventional manner such as by the anchor assembly 27 which consists of spikes 48 set in the wall and welded to a plate 50 extending along the wall. Part 30 is spot welded to the plate 50. The rear face of the portion 34 is assembled clear of the wall 14 to accommodate a weather strip 52 which is conveniently self-adhesive on the rearward facing side of the portion 34. During assembly the strip 52 is applied tightly against the wall 14 to seal the clearance.

Fascia element 22 consists of a front 54, cover portion 56, and back 58, and rearwardly extending skirt 60. The front 54 and the back 58 are generally parallel and spaced sufficiently apart to contain an upward part of the portion 34, the several thicknesses of felt 20, and the wood strip 18. The front 54 and back 58 are spaced apart such that the fascia element is a close fit when in place to reduce the risk of wind causing rattling and other detrimental effects.

The front 54 of fascia element 22 terminates at an upwardly extending portion 62 which together with the front 54 defines the channel 44. At the other extremity of the fascia element 22, the skirt 60 includes an upright portion 64 and a forwardly extending end portion 66 angled to engage in face-to-face relation with an outermost one of the felt layers 20. The skirt 60 is preferably formed such that when assembled, the end portion 66 is biased downwardly into engagement with the layers 20. The upright portion 64 is proportioned to act as a stop for the protective layer 24 and also to indicate the thickness of the layer to aid in ensuring a uniform layer thickness over the felt layers 20.

The insulation layer 25 consists of boards 67 meeting at lap joints 69 and defining ventilation channels 71. Vent stacks (not shown) are commonly provided at some of the intersections of the boards to connect with the channels 71 for ventilating the insulation layer 25. In the present invention, respective holes 73, 75 are provided at intervals along the support portion 34 and support part 32 to permit air to enter and leave the channels 71 with fluctuations in roof temperature. Preferably, vent stacks are also provided so that air has an easier path into and out of the insulation layer.

To assemble the fascia structure 10, the anchor assembly 27 is first built into the wall 14 in preparation for the addition of the structure 10. Next, the support 12 is spot welded to the anchor assembly plate 50 with the weather strip 52 engaged tightly against wall 14. The insulation layer 25 is then placed on the roof 16 leaving clearance between the layer 25 and the part 32 for air movement through holes 73 and into channels 71. Next the cant strip 26 is engaged on the insulation in abutment against the rearward facing side of the support part 32. The felt layers 20 are then placed one by one on the roof insulation 25 and run up cant strip 26 and over the top 38 of the support 12. The length of the felt layers 20 is not critical provided that sufficient length is available to permit nails 68 to be passed through the layers and into the wood strips 18. Because of the difficulty of cutting the layers 20 accurately it may be preferable to sever them below the wood strip 18 and allow a part of the layers to hang between the upright portion 34 of the support 12 and the front 54 of the fascia element 22. After the layers have been nailed to the wood strip 18, the fascia element 22 is added. To this end, gaps 70 are provided in the lip 42 so that the element 22 can be added by first positioning the skirt 60 with the front 54 hanging downwardly and the upwardly extending portion 62 forwardly of the lip 42. An end of the portion 62 is engaged through the gap 70 and the whole element is moved along the construction to feed the portion 62 behind the lip 42. The fascia element 22 is then moved until it abuts with the previously assembled element and positioned so that gaps 70 do not occur at ends of the fascia elements.

Finally the protective layer 24 is added. Once the fascia structure is assembled, air is free to move in a duct 72 formed between the support 12 and fascia element 22, and through holes 73, 75 as previously explained.

Should water build up over the protective layer 24, it will be dammed by the fascia structure. If water should seep under the skirt 60 or any other part of the fascia element, it will reach the layers 20 and will therefore be prevented from passing down to the insulation 25. The only punctures in the layers 20 occur outwardly of the wood strip 18 so that in the unlikely event that water would seep through holes created by the nails 68, the water would tend downwardly inside the duct 72 where it would be drained off without creating damage to the roof structure.

Reference is next made to FIG. 2 which shows an alternative structure in which parts similar to those previously described are given primed numerals. In this embodiment the felt layers 20' terminate adjacent the upper extremity of cant strip 26' and a flexible flashing 74 of butyl rubber and the like extends from under protective layer 24', upwardly above the cant strip 26' in contact with the layers 20' and then over the top 38' of the support 12'. Nails 68' are then used to attach the flashing 74 to the wood strip 18'. The skirt 60 (FIG. 1) can be omitted because the flexible flashing 74 is sufficient protection for the outer parts of the layers 20' where they extend over the cant strip 26'. As a result, fascia element 22' terminates at a lower edge of back 58' adjacent ends of the felt layers 20'.

This embodiment also differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that the anchor assembly 27 shown in FIG. 1 has been replaced by a wood strip 76 set in the wall 14'. Screws 78 extend downwardly through part 30' of support 12' and engage in the strip 76 to hold the support 12' in place on the wall. However, because of the possibility of the wood strip 76 twisting or warping while it is in position in the wall, it is preferable to use the anchor assembly 27 shown in FIG. 1.

The building described was exemplary and can be varied. The fascia structures shown require a generally horizontal surface for attachment of the support 12 and a generally vertical surface against which the weather strip 52 bears. Any building having these surfaces can use fascia sections according to the invention.

Claims

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A fascia structure for attachment to a building of a type having a roof extending inwardly from an outer wall, the roof and the wall defining generally horizontal and vertical surfaces, a layer of insulation on said horizontal surface having an outer end adjacent said vertical surface, layers of weatherproof material extending above said insulation layer, and attachment means for connecting said fascia structure to said horizontal surface, the fascia structure comprising:

a support comprising: a horizontal part adapted to extend above said horizontal surface adjacent said vertical surface for combining with said attachment means to connect said fascia structure to said building; an upright portion coupled to said horizontal part; a top extending forwardly from an upper extremity of said upright portion; a wood attachment strip defining a forward face and extending generally longitudinally of said support; said attachment strip positioned in engagement with the underside of said top and means attaching said attachment strip to said upright portion adjacent an upper edge of the upright portion, said attachment strip being adapted to receive nails, screws and the like for attaching said weatherproof material to said attachment strip, the weatherproof material being wrapped over the said upright portion upper edge and over the attachment strip, and terminating at said forward face;

said upright portion defining ventilation holes for horizontal alignment with said outer end of the insulation layer;

a fascia element adapted to be releasably coupled to said support and including: a cover portion for extending over the weatherproof material above the strip means; a back for extending downwardly from the cover portion and overlying a portion of the weatherproof material adjacent said upright portion upper edge; and a front extending downwardly from the cover portion; and

the support and the fascia element combining to define coupling means at the respective bottom ends thereof to attach the fascia element to the support, the fascia element front being spaced from the support upright portion to define a duct in communication with the ventilation openings for permitting movement of air to and from the ventilation openings.

2. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a cant strip positionable on said horizontal surface adjacent said upright portion, for receiving layers of weatherproof material on an inclined surface of said cant strip, and in which said upright portion extends upwardly above said cant strip.

3. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said upright portion extends downwardly below said horizontal part and in which said attachment means comprises: a bottom extending outwardly from a lower extremity of the upright portion of the support; a lip extending downwardly from a forward extremity of the bottom; an upwardly extending portion projecting from a lower extremity of the front of the fascia element, the front and the upwardly extending portion together defining a channel behind the front for receiving said lip to engage said fascia element on said support.

4. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 3 in which said fascia element further comprises a skirt extending downwardly and rearwardly from a lower extremity of the back, the cover portion, front, back and skirt being proportioned to protect the layers of weatherproof material on the cant strip, upright portion, top, and said forward face.