Measuring for vinyl soffit involves calculating the total square footage of the area beneath your eaves to determine how much material you will need.
To measure vinyl soffit, you need to determine the area directly under the eaves of your roofline. This area is typically rectangular.
Steps for Measuring Soffit
According to standard practice, including guidance found in resources for calculating materials:
- Measure soffit areas.
- Take length and width measurements in the area underneath your eaves. Measure the length of each section of eave and the width (the distance from the wall to the fascia board).
- Multiply length by width for each area to get the square footage for that specific section. (The reference states "Multiply height by width for each area," but in the context of a flat soffit area, this refers to multiplying the two dimensions, commonly understood as length and width).
- Add to get total soffit square footage needed. Sum the square footage of all individual soffit sections around your house to find the total required amount.
Example Calculation
Imagine your house has three main eave sections requiring soffit:
- Section 1: Length = 40 ft, Width = 1.5 ft
- Section 2: Length = 30 ft, Width = 1.5 ft
- Section 3: Length = 20 ft, Width = 1.5 ft
Here's how you would calculate the area for each section and the total:
| Section | Length (ft) | Width (ft) | Area (sq ft) = Length × Width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | 40 | 1.5 | 60 |
| Section 2 | 30 | 1.5 | 45 |
| Section 3 | 20 | 1.5 | 30 |
| Total | 135 |
In this example, the total soffit square footage needed would be 135 sq ft.
Practical Tips for Measuring
- Use a reliable tape measure.
- Measure each section of the eave separately, especially if widths vary or there are corners and transitions.
- Be precise with your measurements to ensure accurate material calculation.
- It's often recommended to add a percentage (e.g., 10-15%) for waste when purchasing materials, although the core measurement for square footage is done as described above.
By following these steps, you can accurately measure the square footage required for your vinyl soffit project based on the dimensions under your eaves.
