How to Take Care of Exterior Wood Trim & Fascia
Wind, hail, rain, ice, ultraviolet radiation, and the seasonal cycles of expansion and contraction; all of these forces conspire to deteriorate your exterior wood trim and fascia. The weakest points on most of our homes here in Alexandria is the trim around the windows and doors, so it is important to keep them in good shape. And the fascia, well, it holds up our gutters and soffits, so we don’t want it falling apart.
So, what do you need to do to keep these vital parts of the home in good shape? Well, there are a few different ways to maintain your trim and fascia; some of them take more time to do in the beginning, but will hold up longer and be a better long-term investment.
1 - Painting, Caulking, and Repairing
You can maintain your wooden trim and fascia by checking them every year and repainting, caulking, and/or repairing as needed. If you do the minor maintenance when necessary, this is not usually very much work all at once. However, since the wood will rot if it’s exposed to water, this does need to be done faithfully.
2 - PVC Trim
A longer-term solution is to replace the wood trim around your windows and doors with PVC trim. PVC (poly-vinyl chloride) is a type of plastic, so it will not rot, but it can be cut, shaped and painted just like wood. This option would involve replacing all your trim, but afterwards would require only very minimal maintenance. Azek is a great brand for PVC trim.
3 - Aluminum Fascia Wrap
A long-term option for protecting your fascia is aluminum wrap, which will preserve it from a lot of wear and tear in all kinds of weather. You can simply install it over your wood fascia, and it comes in a variety of colors. Although it takes time to install, it can be a very good investment since it keeps out moisture and bugs, and it doesn't need to be painted.
Carpentry and Painting in Alexandria, Virginia
An experienced homeowner with the right tools and skills can maintain or replace their own trim and fascia, but it takes a good amount of time and effort. However, when you hire a professional painter or caprenter, they can do it all; you get the good-looking results that last for years, with no inconvenience.
If you would like to have your trim and/or fascia painted or replaced, Williams Professional Painting would be happy to help you! Based in Alexandria, Virginia, we have served Annandale, Arlington, Burke, Clifton, and Falls Church since 1979. We offer a wide range of services including Carpentry, Interior painting, Exterior painting, Popcorn ceiling removal and repair, and many others. Feel free to call if you have any questions or click here to schedule a free estimate today!
