What is a soffit?
A soffit is the finished underside of a roof overhang (the eave) — the horizontal surface that closes off the space beneath the edge of the roof.
Soffits cover and protect the exposed rafter tails and the underside of the eave from weather and pests, while giving the roofline a finished look. The vertical board at the edge of the overhang is the fascia.
Soffits are often vented: intake air enters at the soffit and exhausts near the ridge, ventilating the attic. The same word also describes a dropped boxed-in area on a ceiling, such as over kitchen cabinets.
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