DO-IT-YOURSELF: You can be a beginning handyman and easily put a cupola on
your home. Follow these instructions using hammer, saw, screwdriver and screws,
and optional drill. You can paint the cupola to match your home's color scheme. Use
oil base primer on all surfaces to protect wood from moisture.
  

BASIC COMPONENTS OF CUPOLAS

   A.  Find the roof pitch by laying a piece of scrap wood along
        each side of the roof at the peak. (See Fig. A) Criss-cross
        them at the top and mark one piece of wood where the
        other piece crosses it. Put two nails in the piece as shown
        to hold the angle for marking the cutting line on the base.

  
  B.  Find the center line of the base (e in Fig. B). Lay he roof
       pitch template on the cupola base. The top point of the
       template should be centered on the center line of the
       cupola base so the cutting lines end at the outer corners
       (See Fig; B). Draw lines at a, b, c, d on the cupola base.

  C.  Use a hand saw or
       power saw to cut along
       lines a and b as shown
       in Fig. C. Turn the base
       around and repeat the
       use of the template on
       the opposite side of the
       base. Be certain to
       center the peak of the
       template on the center
       line you have drawn. Cut
       along lines c and d that
       you have drawn on the
       back.

INSTALLATION OF LOCATOR BLOCKS

  D.  Installation of locator blocks
       The 4 or 6 1" x 1 1/8" x 8" pieces of wood in the top of our
       cupola carton are "Locator Blocks".
       It is important that the locator blocks be installed correctly
       in order for the tower section to be centered on the base
       and for the tower to be attached securely to the base.

  1.  Place the Tower on the ground so the bottom of the tower
       (side with the Sill) is facing upward. (Fig. D.)

  2.  Place the Base on the Sill so the holes in the Base are
       downward. (The holes are for screws to attach the Base to
       the locator.) Line up all the miters in the Base with all the
       miters in the Sill. (Fig. E)

  3.  Using a pencil or other marking device, make a line on the
       Sill on the inside of the base. You are tracing the inside of
       the Base onto the Sill. This line will determine where the
       locator block is placed so it must be accurate. (Fig. F)

  4.  Remove the Base
       assembly from the
       Tower.

  5.  Using a ruler, find the
       center of the lines
       you first traced on
       the Sill. Make a
       pencil mark at the
       center on each of the
       four lines. (Fig. F & G)

  6.  Place the locator blocks on the Sill with the outside of the
       locator block aligned with the line you drew on the sill.
       Center the locator block on the center line marked on the
       sill.

  7.  Drill pilot holes through the holes in the locator blocks into
       the sill - use a drill bit with a smaller diameter than the
       screws to be used. Using the (8) eight screws provided,
       attach the four locator blocks to the four sides of the sill.
       (Fig. G)

CUPOLA NOT USED FOR VENTILATION

  E.  Carefully place the cupola base section on the ridge of the
       roof as shown. (See Fig. H) Some fitting may be required to
       adjust for the particular roof ridge. The top of the base
       should be level in both directions. Use a level to be certain.

CUPOLA USED FOR VENTILATION

  E-a. Determine the exact position that is best for the cupola
         on the roof. Using the base set temporarily in place, mark
         the perimeter of the ventilation hole to be cut in the roof.
         This should be at least 5 inches away from the base on
         all sides (See Fig. I). Using a sharp knife, cut on the
         hole's perimeter line and remove the shingles. The roof
         sheathing may be 5/16" or 5/8" or near that. If a circular
         saw is to be used to cut out the sheathing, set the depth
         of cut for the depth to just cut the sheathing. This will
         insure that the ridge board or truss joint will remain intact.

INSTALL TOWER

  G.  Place the Tower section onto the Base. The locator blocks
        under the tower must fit into the top of the base (See Fig.
        K). Be certain the sill is against the base all the way
        around. You may want to drill pilot holes for the screws.
        Put the four 1 1/2" screws in the pre-drilled holes in the
        base to attach the Tower securely to the Base. There is
        one hole on each side.

INSTALL CUPOLA ROOF

Place the roof onto the tower. Be certain that the roof is settled down on the tower as far as it will go.

  H-a. Flat-sloped roofs have one hole drilled into each roof cleat.
         The hole is for a 1 1/2" screw to be screwed into the post
         next to it. (Fig. N) You may want to drill pilot holes for the
         screws.

  H-b. Pagoda roofs have
         aluminum tabs in
         each corner. Attach
         the tabs to the
         posts with 3/4"
         screws (Fig. O).
         You can drill
         through the
         aluminum tabs or
         use a nail to punch
                                                                a hole to start the
                                                                screws.

SCREWS FOR CUPOLA ASSEMBLY
AND INSTALLATION

Use to attach Locator Blocks to Sill. Use to attach Cupola Roof to Cupola Tower. Use the pre-drilled holes in the roof cleats.

Use to attach Cupola Base to Cupola Tower. Use the pre-drilled holes in the base. Position the Tower so that the 1" x 1 1/8" blocks are against the holes.

Use to attach Cupola Base to Home Roof. Remember to put some caulking (preferably silicone) into the holes drilled in the roof before starting the screws.

(Only for Pagoda Type)
Use to attach Cupola Roof (via aluminum strips) to Cupola Tower. Tap a hole in the aluminum strips with a #8 nail before starting the screws. Or, you may want to use a drill and make pilot holes.

NOTE: It is usually easier to pre-drill each hole before starting a screw. Be certain the drill bit has a slightly smaller diameter than the screw to be used.

INSTALL BASE

F.  Pre-drill screw holes for base mounting scr4ews. Put the 3"
       screws into the pre-drilled holes in the base to attach the
       base securely to the house roof (See Fig. J). You may
       want to drill pilot holes into the roof before starting the
       screws. The drill should enter the roof at 90° to the roof. Be
       certain to use a drill bit that is smaller than the screw
       diameter. You are advised to put some caulking around the
       drill holes before starting the screws into the holes.

NOTE: Do not flash or caulk uncut sides of base, could cause water trap.

  H-c. Pagoda roofs also have crown mould to be applied under
         the overhang of the roof. Position one piece of pre-mitered
         crown mould against two posts so that the corners of the
         posts and the corners of the miters are aligned. Using #6
         nails temporarily nail the crown mould piece to the Tower.
         You may want to drill pilot holes before nailing. Add the
         other three pieces and then make the necessary
         adjustments until the molding fits properly. Some crown
         moldings are pre-assembled. All you need to do in that
         case is to raise it into position, drill pilot holes for the
         nails, and nail it to the posts and under the roof.

  I.  Install weathervanes according to instructions with the
      weathervane box