How to Build a Wood Cupola

Why not try building your very own wood cupola to add elegance and style to your home? Wood cupolas are usually placed on rooftops of barns or some garages. Now, though, they are becoming popular on home rooftops as well.

Generally, wood cupolas provide ornamental decoration to add style to your home. Some cupolas also provide ventilation into attic spaces or serve as light sources, in some cases. A weather vane sometimes tops off a wood cupola.

These directions show you how to build a simple, non-venting cupola.

Wood Choices

Before you get started on this project, you need to think about what kind of wood you will use to build your cupola. Cedar or pressure-treated lumber are good choices because they are weather-resistant and rot-resistant.

You could use hardwoods such as oak or cherry, but they cost more and don't have that traditional or country-style look.

Step 1 - Size It Correctly

If you make the cupola too small, it may look awkward as a bird house on your rooftop. If you make it too big, it may overpower other architectural elements of your house. A good size for most applications would be about 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep. The height should be about 3 feet or slightly less, not including the weather vane or finial.

Step 2 - Build the Sill

The sill portion of your wood cupola sits on the roof itself. Cut the 8-foot lumber into four equal pieces (each about 2 feet long). Cut two angled sections that will ride over the ridge of your roof. Two other straight pieces will run horizontal with the roof. These four pieces will form a box-shaped base for the cupola.

Use a table saw or skill saw to make your cuts. Then wrap this sill with roof flashing and tar it in place with your putty knife. Use tin snips to make your cuts.

Step 3 - Secure the Base

Using the L-brackets and screw gun, secure the base to the roof. Attach it with roof tar and stainless steel screws too.

Now cut a small piece of plywood to place on top of the box in order to make a flat base.

Step 4 - Build a Plywood Box

Next build a plywood box with four pieces of plywood. The box will be 2 feet wide, deep, and high. Cut a hole in each section of plywood to mount your louvered vent. Put this together with stainless steel screws and caulking. Use additional L-brackets to mount this box onto your sill base. Add brick mold if you desire.

Step 5 - Cut Curved Plywood Pieces

Cut out one curved piece from your plywood. Use it as a template to make three other identical cuts. The idea is to make a pagoda look. The four sections will look like a portion of an octagon. These should be about 18 inches high. Secure the curved pieces together with the flat L-brackets on the inside and silicon caulking on the outside.

Step 6 - Mount Your Weather Vane

Mount your weather vane on the top of the cupola with stainless steel screws.