When it comes to improving the value of your home and reducing maintenance costs sometimes it’s the little things that matter. The felt support tray can substantially improve the lifespan of the felt underlay above your gutter, as well as the fascia that supports it.
A felt support tray is made of polyvinyl chloride or PVC. This gives it good durability for its weight. It is also water resistant, making it an excellent support for your felt underlay. Not only will the felt support tray hold the underlay out of the gutter, it will also support it above the rafters. This puts much less strain on the underlay. If installed correctly it will also prevent water from getting behind the fascia and causing damage.
You will need:
- Safety gear
- A hammer
- A utility knife
- A tape measure
- Galvanised Shed Felt Nails
- Felt support trays
Before ordering your felt support trays you should make sure to measure your gutter where you will be applying it. Each felt support tray is 1.5m long, and will require overlaps with the next one of 150mm where they meet. They should overlap at the rafters always. This is because the trays are going to get nailed in at the rafters. You want those nails to be at the overlaps for maximum security.
After determining how many you need, shorten the final tray so that it fits using a utility knife if necessary.
The tray has three sections – a 170mm body, a 30mm join, and a 40mm flap. The body should be laid so that it is under the felt underlay with no gap between them, but over the over fascia vent. The small flap at the bottom should be pointing down, dipping into the gutter.Â
This way, the body will support the felt. Meanwhile, the flap will shield the underside of the fascia from damage.Â
It should be nailed into place with nails at every rafter, especially at the overlaps. You should use galvanised shed felt nails. With their ELH (extra-large head) these have the grip needed to keep the support tray in place. In addition, since these nails are galvanised, they have the zinc coating necessary for water resistance.
