How to Repair a Roof's Fly Rafter

Position a ladder underneath the roof’s overhang, or eave. Remove the gutter, overhang section and any roofing shingles that hang over the roof. Use a prybar to remove overhang structures. The overhang section includes a fascia board, which runs along the underside of the eave. The fascia board also has a supporting beam — also known as a soffit — that runs to the wall of the house.

Remove the fly rafter board with a prybar. Roof shingles hanging above the fly rafter may also require removal.

Cut fly rafter sections with a circular saw based on the dimensions of the existing fly rafter board. In general, fly rafters should be one size smaller than the roof rafters. So, roof rafters sized at 2-by-10 would require a 2-by-8 size fly rafter board.

Nail the fly rafter board to the roof rafters using galvanized steel nails. Use two nails for each roof rafter.

Replace the row of shingles removed. Use galvanized nails to secure shingles to the roof surface. Apply roof sealant where nails pass through shingle materials.

Replace soffit and fascia boards. Because the soffit board provides the bracing for the overhang structure, a rotting board may warrant replacement. So check the condition of the board beforehand.

Replace the gutters using a hammer and nails.