The soffit – a soffit panel is a very important roof finishing element. It is mounted on the outer side of the roof – under the eaves. It not only increases the building’s aesthetic value, but also plays an important role in protecting the roof against pests, insects, birds or rodents, and adverse weather conditions. One of the materials used to make soffits is steel sheet. Let’s get acquainted with its properties, application, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this solution.
Steel roof soffits – most important information
Steel soffits are made of galvanized steel sheets. The surfaces of such soffit systems are protected with primer and topcoat paints. They provide protection against all kinds of mechanical damage and adverse weather conditions. They also allow the use of various colours and finishing methods for such soffits, e.g. imitating wood.
Steel soffits can be used together with a steel roofing – metal roofing tiles, but this is not a rule. They can also be used under the eaves of roofs covered with ceramic or concrete tiles. This solution is a relatively new one on the market, but it effectively competes with wooden or plastic soffits.
Advantages of steel roof soffits
Steel soffits have many advantages that lead investors to deciding in favor of this solution. The strengths of steel soffits include:
- high aesthetic value – the possibility of using both traditional, as well as modern house arrangements,
- a large selection of solutions in terms of finishing style, as well as a large range of colours,
- high durability and sturdiness of the steel material – resistance to mechanical damage, scratches, etc.
- relatively low price compared to other soffit materials,
- does not require additional maintenance or regular care,
- the installation of a steel soffit does not leave large amounts of waste, as is the case with plastic soffits,
- a steel soffit is highly resistant to adverse weather conditions,
- a steel sheet, even coated with paint, is not susceptible to discoloration.
Disadvantage of steel roof soffits
However, like any material used in construction, roof soffits are also not without drawbacks. Among them, special attention should be paid to aspects such as:
- longer waiting times for manufacturing a steel soffit compared to soffits made of other materials,
- areas where the protective coating is scratched may be susceptible to corrosion, as is the case with roofing.
