An eave is the edge of the roof that overhangs the exterior siding. Parts of an eave include the soffit, which is the underside of your roof's eaves, and the fascia, the vertical facing board.
There are three basic types of eave styles that home builders and architects typically use:
Closed eave: An overhang with a soffit that closes and finishes the underside of the eaves
Open eave: An overhang with an exposed underside and visible rafters
Box eave: An overhang enclosed with a soffit and a build-up of ornamental molding so the rafters are no longer visible
