Scalloped Bargeboards
Scalloped Bargeboards
More recent work at Leavenheath and our observations about this village.
Whether they appear on a Wendy house, a shed or on a front gable of your house, Bargeboards with Scallops can make a property much more interesting. With a plethora of different styles from a simple wave pattern as seen on newer estate type homes to some really complex carpentry examples seen traditionally on period homes, they can certainly be the crowning glory on a more modern home.
And while on the subject of Scalopes or Scolopes, I’m never too sure whether I should be talking about the roofline of a house or ordering them as a starter when I’m out for a meal – ah, remember those pre Covid 19 times?
So when we get asked about whether we can supply them, my answer might surprise you. For I have never fitted a purpose made PVC-u scalloped bargeboard.
What I have done – every time in fact is to take down the customers original boards and then use them as a template to cut out an identical board in my PVC-u material.
Here is my reasoning, Firstly, our customer gets – in most cases – an identical copy of their Scalloped Bargeboard, as long of course you can get the old Bargeboard off in one piece. Secondly, the new Scalloped Bargeboard is identical in colour and texture to the other Fascias and Soffit’s being installed, because it’s the same product from the same manufacturer! A purpose made Scalloped Bargeboard, bought over the counter, will always be a different white, surprisingly even if the installer uses the same brand; this is because whereas all roofline boards are extruded – where plastic is shaped by forcing it through a die – Scalloped Bargeboards cannot be made this way so have to be moulded instead.
This then can start up a parallel discussion because extruded and moulded plastic products have totally different properties, the biggest difference for Roofline products being ultraviolet stabilisation. Now cast your mind back before the new style composite door was invented and what did you get a front door made of then? The answer is an always white frame (extruded) with an always white and choose the pattern you wanted inner panel (moulded). There are still thousands of these around to be seen in estates up and down the country today, the outer frame still white and the inner moulded panel faded yellow, anywhere from light cream up to nice shade of English mustard.
And that’s why we do it our way!
- First thing is to use the right access equipment, never work off a ladder to do this or any work at height. Remove and work on one board at a time.
2. Lay out your new plastic Bargeboards, excluding the lip at the bottom, they should be still deeper than the old wooden Bargeboard.
3. Lay the old Bargeboard on top of the new board and using a pencil lightly mark out and transfer the shape to the new board – thanks George!
4. Use a jigsaw to cut out the shape on the new board.
5. One done, one to do!
Left-hand side fitted right-hand side ready to come off.
6. Have added a fillet on the bottom where the pitch of the roof changes on each side to keep to the original shape.
Finished – The End Result!
7. Remember, if you are using a joint or joiner to mask the gap at the top (expansion gap), the last thing you do is drill the top fixing on the second bargeboard after you have glued the joint on – (and glue on one side only) so you can measure the exact place the last nail needs to be, to look symmetrical. And that’s it!
Lovely Leavenheath!
And while working, here are our observations about this village.
Leavenheath is a small community just over 7 miles outside of Colchester. It can be found by driving northwest out of Colchester on the A134, firstly driving through Great Horkesley then passing picturesque Nayland and Stoke-by-Nayland. Then it’s on to Honey Tye and then as you exit, immediately spot the signpost and turn left, then you’ve reached Leavenheath. If you don’t turn left, look to your left and you’ll briefly see a collection of houses huddling politely together model village style, in an adjacent field – that was Leavenheath!
There’s a minimal amount of older houses in Leavenheath so it must have come as a shock to the residents when 700 new homes were proposed, passed and then built in the early 1980’s.
So why am I writing about Leavenheath I hear you ask. Is it special or something?
My answer is a resounding YES, there is something special about Leavenheath. Firstly, it is quiet there, very quiet in fact. And as we’ve spent the best part of a month there working outside it can be said that this is an accurate assessment. It’s a built up area in the middle of the country, where people seem to be either away in the daytime at work or are retired. Either way, nobody is racing round and the result is a pleasant silence with only the occasional dog walker walking by.
And this brings me to my second but main point about what’s special – it is it’s people!
Never have I known such friendly people, everybody passing us said hello, lots of people interested in what we were doing. It really is seemingly the easiest place on the planet to strike up a conversation.
This then is the Essex Fascias viewpoint which could be subjective but from where we’re standing Leavenheath is the most friendliest place around and so we look forward to changing more Roofline – Fascias, Bargeboards, Soffit’s and Guttering there more in the future!
Find out lots more statistical information about Leavenheath by visiting https://www.streetcheck.co.uk/postcode/co64ns
Seemed a good excuse to hire a Cessna for the day to take this picture or did we use Google, I can’t remember!
Two properties recently completed
