How to Install a Cupola and Weathervane

Ron's first stop for this HouseCalls episode finds him traveling through the deep woods along the coast of Maine to a town called Lincolnville Beach. Here, the Novaks, who moved to this picturesque spot several years ago from upstate New York, have almost completed construction on their new garage. Chris Novak has just purchased a beautiful handcrafted brass cupola and weathervane for the roof and he needs a hand installing it. Ron is delighted to help.

Cupola's date back many centuries and were first used to let light and air into cathedrals. The word cupola means "little dome" in Latin. The pronunciation is kyoo-puh-luh.

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

1. Measure roofline:

• Find the centerline of the roof by measuring the roof along the peak and then dividing the number in half.

2. Create a homemade bevel gauge:

• Determine the angle that the base of the cupola will need to be cut so that it will straddle the ridge at the peak of the roof. To do this, take two intersecting 1 x 4's and straddle them over the peak of the roof and clamp them together to create a temporary bevel gauge.

• Lock the bevel gauge in position by securing it with screws. Then, while the gauge is still in position on the roof, use a level to draw a plumb (vertical) line at the intersection of the two arms of the homemade gauge.
• The cupola that was selected for this project was perfectly square so any side could be the front. Locate or select the front of your cupola, and decide how you would like it situated on the roof, then mark the center of one side and use a square to draw a vertical line from top to bottom.

• Align the vertical line you just drew with the vertical line drawn earlier on the bevel gauge. Put the leg of the bevel gauge at the corner of the cupola to assure that the front corner will be flush to the roof. Double-check this alignment with a square.
• Next, draw the line of the inside of the bevel gauge onto the side of the cupola. This will be your cutting line. Duplicate this process for the other side of the cupola, being certain to flip the bevel gauge over.

3. Cut the cupola and set it in place:

• Use a jigsaw to cut along the guidelines.
• Set the cupola in place and use a level to double-check that it sits at the correct angle.

• To keep water from seeping underneath the cupola, Ron recommends using flashing to cover the seam between the roof and the base at the peak of the roof.

4. Attach cupola to the roof:

• Next you will use 2 ½ inch rust-resistant or stainless steel screws to attach four 2 x 4 blocks to the roof right up against the inside edge of the cupola. You will then nail through the side of the cupola base into these blocks to form the attachment to the roof.

• To prevent those screws that penetrate the roof from causing a water leak, Ron recommends that you use a water and ice barrier between the roof and the 2 x 4 blocks. Wrap the sticky side of the barrier around the block. The barrier will provide a watertight seal.

• This cupola was made in three sections. The second section was attached to the base with a nail gun. First they checked to make sure the overhang was equal on all sides. Then the top section was set and nailed into position.

• Attach the first piece of the weathervane to the cupola. Adjust and tighten it with a screw so that North points in the correct direction. You may need a compass for this.
• Add the top piece. This should be allowed to spin freely.

When the Novaks moved to the coast of Maine, they never looked back. That's why it seemed especially appropriate that the crowning glory on top of their new cupola was a solid brass sailboat. What could better represent their new home? Now, they look forward to the winds coming in!