How To Size Your Cupola And Create Curb Appeal

Cupolas are often called an architectural wonder. Their elegant impressive elegant design adds stateliness to your buildings exterior, creating curb appeal with an antique finish.

Cupolas were originally built for a variety of reasons: ventilation, to house a bell, provide an area to view the scenery. In most cases today, cupolas are added to buildings primarily as decorative features, but can also be used to provide ventilation. In some cases, the entire main floor can form a cupola where people can sit inside the structure and have a panoramic view of the surrounding areas.

Cupolas can be square, rectangular, octagonal, or round; they can be made out of wood, metal, or vinyl. The type and style of your building's rooftop affects which shape will provide a more balanced effect.

Many wood cupolas are made of cypress, birch, white pine, oak or marine plywood. They can have either cedar shingles, roofing to match the buildings roof, or copper roofing. The copper roofing can be chemically treated for a green finish called patina, or over time it will naturally change to patina.

There are several ways to add a cupola to your building. You can purchase a blue print and build your own, order a kit that contains the materials, or get one completely assembled and sealed against the elements, prior to shipment.

Cupolas are made up of three sections—the base, vents/windows, and the cap. The base must conform to the pitch of the roof to fit properly.

When thinking about purchasing a cupola, be careful not to purchase one without considering the size. Taking a few minutes to measure the roofline is essential to creating a finished look. This causes the cupola to look integrated into the buildings, rather than tacked on.

To assure a quality look, here are some pointers:

- The size of the cupola is determined by the length, width, and wall height, of the building it will be placed on.
- A good rule of thumb is at least one inch of cupola base for every foot of unbroken roofline. Cupolas sizes are rounded up and are usually built in two, four, or six inch increments.
- Once the measurements are obtained, you can determine the size of the base.
- The bases of cupolas are cut to fit the pitch of the roof. Typically, a cupola will fit a six or twelve degree pitch. This is a ratio for every inch a roof drops over every inch it extends horizontally.
- Window cupolas will always appear smaller than the same size louvered cupola on any building.
- Multiple cupolas are recommended if the building is greater than 100 feet. For instance, have a large cupola in the middle of the roof, flanked by two smaller cupolas at each end or place two cupolas of equal size at each end.
- When a cupola is placed where there is adjourning buildings, you could go one to two sizes larger.
- With a custom cupola, you can create something unique and one of a kind. The possibilities are endless when it comes to designing and decorating a custom cupola. Just visit with the manufacture what you have in mind.

One important thing to remember is that how a cupola looks when it is sitting on the ground is different from when it is placed on the roof. A good way to visualize what it will look like is to find a cardboard box the size of the cupola and place it on the roof. Once you get on the ground and view, you will have a fairly accurate picture of what it will look like once the cupola is in place. By walking around the building you will be able to view from all angles.

A properly sealed, dimensional cupola will add a finishing touch to both new construction and existing buildings. Adding the right accent transforms buildings and enhances the value for years to come.


Copyright (c) 2009 Elda Titus