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Boss’s false dormers

Gene_Davis | Posted in General Discussion on July 27, 2006 04:33am

Over on the “Boogerin with Boss” thread, it seems as if the GC buying Boss’s truss package will be adding roof dormers that are strictly decorative.  Pasties, sort of.

Here is the rear elevation.

View Image

And here is the second floor plan.

View Image

Although having windows, they won’t be accessible from any living space inside.  Behind them will be just dead air and the roof sheathing.

I have the full set of plans for this house, and even with the stickframed roof structure, as is shown on the plans, the dormers are strictly decorative.

What special treatment do you give windows when doing this?


Edited 7/26/2006 9:40 pm ET by Gene_Davis

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  1. blue_eyed_devil | Jul 27, 2006 04:52am | #1

    We spray paint our windows black on the inside.

    blue

     

    1. User avater
      Sphere | Jul 27, 2006 05:00am | #2

      Did the same in NC a few yrs ago. Still looks fine.

      Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

      " I am not an Activist, I am, a Catalyst. I lay around and do nothing, until another ingredient is added"

  2. DougU | Jul 27, 2006 05:20am | #3

    I trimed out 16 condos once that had either one or two "pasties" on each one, all of them had a black piece of ply nailed behind each window.  I think I like the paint the glass better.

    Doug

  3. dug | Jul 27, 2006 05:32am | #4

    Ive seen em painted black and I've seen em with curtains and or blinds, whatever is on the rest of the house.

  4. User avater
    dieselpig | Jul 27, 2006 05:35am | #5

    I draw a picture of myself on a piece of plywood and nail it up behind the window.  After the GC yells at me, I take the window back out and paint it black.

    View Image
    1. CAGIV | Jul 27, 2006 05:41am | #6

      you should take a color photo copy of your #### next time.

      that would be much funnier

      1. User avater
        dieselpig | Jul 27, 2006 05:47am | #7

        Obviously you've never seen my azz.

        EDIT:  Then again... from a distance....you might confuse it with my face anyway!

        View Image

        Edited 7/26/2006 10:48 pm ET by dieselpig

        1. CAGIV | Jul 27, 2006 05:48am | #8

          that goes back to keeping my fantasies to myself ;)

          1. User avater
            dieselpig | Jul 27, 2006 05:50am | #9

            In like three seconds we're gonna get yelled at for hi-jacking Gene's thread.

            I'm oughta here dude.View Image

          2. CAGIV | Jul 27, 2006 05:54am | #10

            yeah sorry gene...

            but to concur with the others we've done both, painting the glass black, and painting a piece of ply and installing it to the sashes.

  5. User avater
    jazzdogg | Jul 27, 2006 07:11am | #11

    Seems like a travesty to me - both wasteful and superficial!

     

    -Jazzdogg-

    "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie

    1. User avater
      BossHog | Jul 27, 2006 01:58pm | #12

      "Seems like a travesty to me - both wasteful and superficial!"

      A lot of the people in here complain that houses don't have enough character. Then you add some and someone complains that it's a waste of money.

      Hell, it's like trying to keep my Wife happy...
      I don't have any solution, but I certainly admire the problem. [Ashleigh Brilliant]

      1. User avater
        jazzdogg | Jul 27, 2006 07:19pm | #14

        "A lot of the people in here complain that houses don't have enough character. Then you add some and someone complains that it's a waste of money."

        Hi Boss,

        I know you were having fun. Sorry if my reply sounds overly serious, but I find it ironic that you would refer to superficial additions with no function as adding character; it's like a child molester wearing a conservative necktie to court under the belief doing so imbues him with integrity - misleading tactics, founded on a false premise, that inevitably leads to a big let-down.

        One of my favorite definitions, first heard  about 40 years ago, described INTEGRITY as being the same on the outside as you are on the inside.

        I believe you have integrity, Boss. Can't say the same for false dormers.

         -Jazzdogg-

        "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie

        1. User avater
          BossHog | Jul 27, 2006 07:45pm | #15

          So what exactly is character ???Real dormers look pretty much like fake ones from the outside. I've seen a lot of houses with shutters, but none with real ones. Do they add character?The truth is, I think "character" is so subjective that it can't really be defined in broad terms.
          Bumpersticker: My kid knocked up your honor student.

        2. JohnFinn | Jul 28, 2006 06:45am | #18

          From looking at the floor plan, it wouldn't be that difficult to make the dormers functional. Added expense maybe, but your spending about $400.00 min. per dormer anyway on what looks like a fairly pricey house. The added ventilation in the bedroom and bath would be a bonus.

          1. User avater
            jazzdogg | Jul 28, 2006 07:01am | #19

            Thanks for supporting my position.

             -Jazzdogg-

            "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie

  6. GregGibson | Jul 27, 2006 05:45pm | #13

    On my Dad's home, we built a light shaft into the ceiling below (entry foyer)  It's really a great addition, and little cost.  For the second dormer, we decided to install a fan window high on the wall facing into the dead attic space where the dormer is.  We got hold of a scrap pebble glass shower door and mounted it behind the fan window to obscure the attic framing.

    Both versions let a lot of light into the home.

    Greg

  7. JohnSprung | Jul 28, 2006 01:18am | #16

    I've heard those called "California dormers".  But I like "pasties" better.  I like that they add character to the outside of the house, but I'd like it even better if they'd add character to the inside of the attic by making them accessible. 

    It would be better if you had some interior access to check for leaks, and to let the dormer ventilate to the same temperature as the rest of the attic. 

     

     

    -- J.S.

     

    1. User avater
      bstcrpntr | Jul 28, 2006 02:45am | #17

      When we do false dormers we cut the roof decking to allow ventalation.

      Then we hang the blind or curtain.

      After that we normally "close in" all around the inside of the window about 8" back, with black plywood.  Gives a good look I think.I hope Chuck Norris never potato sacks me!!!!

      bstcrpntr ---   I hope to grow into this name.

      1. JohnSprung | Jul 28, 2006 09:30pm | #20

        I like that.  If you make access to work on the curtains, it's not really a false dormer -- it's a really inconvenient dormer, though. ;-) 

         

        -- J.S.

         

        1. User avater
          bstcrpntr | Jul 29, 2006 01:40am | #23

          screw the ply, don't nail it.

          if you need repainting or curtain cleaning it's no problem.I hope Chuck Norris never potato sacks me!!!!

          bstcrpntr ---   I hope to grow into this name.

  8. deskguy | Jul 28, 2006 11:57pm | #21

    I saw the plan on Boss's site a while back and really disliked those skinny dormers.  On the Back of the house they look silly to me.  On the front, the bonus room,  all they do is create two long, unuseable tunnels. 

    If I were to build the house I would put a single, wide dormer on both the front and back of the bonus room.  In fact, that's what i did on my own house. (pic. 2305)  It would really give them a nicer room.

    Found pics of the finished room and the truss's . 

    As for the one's on the back.  I think if you could center them in the bedrooms, and possibly use a shorter shed dormer with higher windows???  I think the one on the left may complicate it since it would be half on and half off the porch roof line below??  But it would really make the two bedrooms nicer. more natural light coming in.

    All it takes is more money  :)

    1. User avater
      Gene_Davis | Jul 29, 2006 01:05am | #22

      You're right, Deskguy, but, hey, ya gotta realize, it's a Donald Gardner plan.  All about the icing, and no cake inside.

      You may not have seen the pics I posted of the house in my 'hood that got built per this plan, but the builder did at least one thing right.  He did the dormers for the bonus-room-over-garage (why do they call them "bonus') as wide single sheds, front and back, just as you did.

      Except he did it the (more or less expensive, depending on labor, etc.) stickframed way.

      You are right about the rear dormers as well, but the local builder here deleted them completely.  Done shorter and repositioned, they could have offered some nice needed light into what are otherwise poopy little under-roof bedroom spaces.

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