What is Rake Trim?
Rake Trim, which follows the line of the gable roof, can easily be forgotten about if you are not a sider or material supplier.
The rake serves to cover the nails and nail flange of the soffit boards on a gable.
The rake board, or rake trim, follows the angle of a gable.
It is sometimes oversized to draw attention to the design elements that the architect wants to be emphasized. Rake trim can be quite distinctive and certain regions of the country may prefer larger or smaller sizes.
Fiber cement is much too brittle to withstand shipping or installation for rake or frieze uses. OSB is too vulnerable to swelling from water penetration on the exposed edges. Primed white wood and cedar are ideal choices for rake trim.
Ideal Materials for Rake Trim
Fiber cement is much too brittle to withstand shipping or installation for rake trim or frieze uses. In addition, it is super heavy and would be a beast to install on second story rake locations.
OSB is too vulnerable to swelling from water penetration on the exposed edges. Primed white wood (PWW) and cedar are ideal choices for rake trim.
Cedar
Cedar is the ideal rake trim product.
It is naturally decay-resistant, stays stable in most environments, and is sturdy enough to withstand shipping and installation in the 1 x 2 size.
However, cedar is expensive. Especially for long runs over large gable ends.
In addition, longer lengths of cedar are harder to come by unless finger-jointed. Finger joining is great because it increases stability, but it also increases the cost for a board that can be a budget-buster.
Cedar is a great choice when the cost is not a driving factor. There are more financially friendly options available for rake trim.
Primed White Wood
Primed white wood, or PWW is a more budget-friendly option for top-of-the-wall finishes and rake trim. It is readily available in 20-foot lengths, sturdy enough to be shipped and is perfect for 1 x 2 inch sized boards to cover nails.
PWW accepts paint coverage very well and as a result, matches siding for a professional finish.
It is important to note that not all PWW producers create a quality product. The methods to apply preservative, if any is used at all, is most important.
Gable ends get exposed to the elements and can take a real beating. It is therefore important to know that XT Trim by Belco has the added protection of wood preservative treatment at no additional cost.
XT Trim is kiln dried to prevent movement and enhance stability, which is most important for small sizes such as 1 x 2 inch trim boards.
It is also primed with an industry-leading primer, ready for the final topcoat once installed.
The critical steps to create XT Trim that comes with a 20-year warranty are detailed in Belco’s Wood Preservative Treatment Process.
Don’t take chances with other subpar primed white woods or blow your budget on cedar.
Choose Preservative Treated XT Trim for your top of-the-wall or rake trim on all your projects.
