We have a 9/12 roof with a 36 X36 frame to set the cupola top on. What we are looking for is proper proportionate dimensions because we want windows above the frame. The building is 24X32 and the frame we are putting the above is 12″ above the main ridge. We are planning a 9/12 hip roof above the windows but don’t quite know what size the window wall should be to make it all look right.
Thanks in advance
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Replies
Perhaps you should start by doing some research. See if there are any cupolas in your area and check 'em out. Go online and look at some pix, see what works there. Maybe then you can get a general sense of what the proportions may be. Keep in mind that from the ground, or from the general viewing areas the proportions will seem slightly deifferent. But all in all your decision should be made to make you satisfied, not me from over on the driveway!!
Hey,
My rule of thumb is one inch of cupola width for each foot of ridge width. Height depends on design.
Most people tend to undersize the cupola.
Hope this helps.
DAVE
That rule, one inch per foot of ridge is frequently cited but I feel that it's gives you too small of cupola. We just did a cupola on a pool house with a 20' ridge - the cupola is about 38" square and porportionally looks right. If I went by the rules, the 20" cupola would have been too small.
I've got a couple of questions too.
;)
Are teh windows intended to be for light only, decoration fro the exterior, or with this be a venting operable cupola?
Is the cieling inside leading to it a cathedral cieling? how is it and the roof framed?
How high is the house? a cape that size on the ground is a nice p[roportion, but if two stories already, it looks tall and dominating, so the cupola can either be tall in an attempt to make look like reaching for the sky or it can have horizontal lines to try to help bring it and the house back down to earth.
Are the lines oif the siding narrow and horizontal?
Can yuou post a photo?
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36 inches by 36 inches? that seems very small. My new addition has a cupola that is 6 feet square. The building footprint is about 32 x 20. We used Marvin electric awning windows on two sides and fixed glass on the other sides. Remind me how to post a photo and I'll let you see it.
Edited 10/6/2006 9:27 am ET by smslaw
Edited 10/6/2006 9:28 am ET by smslaw
I am the builder on this and it's a garage. The wall ht. is 9'6", 14" I joists, 52" knee walls, with a total ridge ht. of 23'6". The box that we built for the base was only built so we could properly flash the entire cupola. We are thinking of dropping the ht. of the box above the ridge to symetrically align the windows with the box with out having the entire cupola look to large. The cupola is going to be lighted from the inside but not be exposed from the interior of the building,