Cupola Installation Specifications

Cupola Installation Specifications
1449 Georgetown Lane, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Roger Todd, RogerWilsonTodd@gmail.com, 615-869-8389
Table of Contents
Section
Title
1.......... Materials
2.......... Mate Base with Roof
3.......... Create Braces for Base
4.......... Attach Base to Braces
5.......... Attach Mid-Section to Base
6.......... Attach Roof to Mid-Section
7.......... Add Weather Vane
8.......... Clean-Up
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Cupola Installation Specifications
Section 1: Materials
Figure 1.1: Building is 24’x24’, single-story, attached garage with 8.5 pitch, asphalt shingle roof
Figure 1.2: PVC Cupola Base (30” x 30” x 13.5”) Mid-Section (15” H)
Figure 1.3: Copper Roof with Weathervane Rod
Copper Weathervane
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Cupola Installation Specifications
12” Test Piece 78“ Uncut Piece
Figure 1.4: 2”x6” Treated Lumber, Beveled for Use as Brace Material
Additional Materials Provided by Customer
1. Painter’s Tape
2. Qty=22 1.5” stainless steel square-recess screws
3. Qty=4 3/8” x 3” stainless steel hex screws with stainless steel washers
4. Cloth for wiping down metal
Materials Provided by Contractor
1. Roofing adhesive (e.g. Henry 10.3 oz. 209 Elastomastic Sealant)
2. Clear Sealant (e.g. Henry 10.1 oz. 212 Clear All-Purpose Patch)
3. Shingles (if needed to fill gap between roof ridge shingles)
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Cupola Installation Specifications
Section 2: Mate Base with Roof
2.1 Is base beveled at correct angle to match roof pitch?
2.1.1 On base, note beveled edge on base bottom.
2.1.2 Place base level on roof apex.
2.1.3 Inspect point where base comes in contact with roof,
and determine if base bevel matches roof pitch.
2.1.4 If base bevel matches roof pitch, proceed to Step 2.2.
If it does not match, take a picture that shows
situation, show picture to customer, and do not
proceed until customer direction is provided.
Figure 2.1: Cross Section of
Base Bevel Mating to Roof
Pitch
2.2 Does base sit on ridge cap shingles such that, between
roof ridges, there is a gap between base and roof?
2.2.1 With base level on roof apex, visually determine
if, between roof ridges, there is a gap between
base and roof.
2.2.2 If there is no visible gap, proceed to Section 3.
2.2.3 If there IS a visible gap:
2.2.3.1 Place 1” wide painter’s tape on the roof
around base perimeter.
2.2.3.2 Remove base from roof apex.
2.2.3.3 Cleanly cut color-matched shingle pieces of appropriate thickness for all
four sides that fill gap between ridge cap shingles from roof apex
downward to cover painter’s tape.
2.2.3.4 As a test, put the four shingle pieces in
place, return base to its position, level on
apex, and confirm desired fit with clean 1”
shingle reveal around base perimeter.
2.2.3.5 Once adjustments, as needed, are made so
that fit is good, remove base from the
roof, remove painter’s tape, and use
roofing adhesive to adhere the four gapfilling
shingle pieces to the roof.
Figure 2.2: Checking, between roof
ridges, if gap exists between base
and roof
Figure 2.3: Gap-filling shingle with
1" reveal beyond base wall
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Cupola Installation Specifications
2.3 Section 3: Create Braces for Base
3.1 With test brace flat on roof, is brace edge beveled at correct angle against side of base?
3.1.1 With base level on roof apex, place test brace piece on roof, and butt brace up
against base wall.
3.1.2 Inspect point where brace comes in contact with
base wall, and determine if brace bevel is
squarely against base wall.
3.1.3 If brace beveled edge is squarely against base
wall, proceed to Step 3.2.
3.1.4 If brace beveled edge is not squarely against base
wall, take a picture that shows situation, show
picture to customer, and do not proceed until
customer direction is provided.
3.2 From uncut brace piece, cut two 24” long sections and, in
each, drill two 7/32“ pilot holes as shown in figure below.
Figure 8.1: Cross Section of brace
bevel mating with base wall
Figure 3.2: 24" brace with two 7/32" pilot holes
3.3 Test-fit prepared braces against North (courtyard) and
South (neighbor) base walls on roof to confirm fit.
3.4 Use a level to CHECK AND DOUBLE-CHECK positioning
of base on roof apex.
3.5 Apply roofing adhesive liberally to bottom of braces
where they will contact roof, especially around drilled
holes to form a roof penetration water barrier.
3.6 Being careful not to move base, position braces on
roof and snug up against walls of base.
3.7 Once adhesive has sufficiently set, carefully remove
base without disturbing braces.
3.8 Being careful not to move braces, use pilot holes in
braces to drill 7/32” pilot holes on through roof.
3.9 Install 3/8”x3” hex screws with washers into braces
and through roof to secure braces in place.
Figure 3.3: View from above of
braces inside N (courtyard) and S
(neighbor) base walls
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Cupola Installation Specifications
Section 4: Attach Base to Braces
4.1 On two opposing exterior walls of base, note three black
dots.
4.2 Return base to roof and against braces with dotted walls
North (toward courtyard) and South (toward neighbor).
4.3 Use a level to CHECK AND DOUBLE-CHECK base is level.
4.4 On each side of base having black dots, visually judge
whether screws applied through those dots will go securely
into brace beveled edge.
Figure 4.1: Base with 3 black dots
on two opposing exterior walls
4.5 If black dots are judged to be at right height, proceed to Step 4.6.
If black dots are NOT judged to be at right height, take a picture that shows situation,
show picture to customer, and do not proceed until customer direction is provided.
4.6 Drill a 1/8” pilot hole at right
angle to base wall (not parallel to
ground) on ONE black dot, and
confirm drill bit went into wood
brace beveled edge.
4.7 If all looks well, install a 1.5”
screw through that pilot hole and
into brace.
4.8 Confirm that screw appears to be
securely into brace such that
height of black dots is correct.
4.9 If height of black dots is correct,
recheck base level one last time,
then drill 1/8” pilot holes for
remaining qty=5 black dots, and
install qty=5 1.5” screws.
Figure 4.2: Cross section view of screw into base wall
meeting brace beveled edge at correct height
4.10 NEATLY apply clear sealant around base perimeter where base meets roof so as to form
a water/insect barrier.
4.11 Take the following qty=8 pictures, and provide them to customer before proceeding.
4.11.1 A picture from above of each base interior wall. Four pictures total.
4.11.2 A picture from the side of each base exterior wall. Four pictures total.
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Cupola Installation Specifications
Section 5: Attach Mid-Section to Base
5.1 Position mid-section on top of base. No specific orientation is required.
5.2 Center mid-section so all four ledge overhangs from base wall measure 1” to 1 1/16”.
5.3 Attach mid section to base using qty=8 1.5” screws in pre-drilled holes, 2 per side.
Figure 5.1: Mid-section centered on base and attached to base using 2 screws per side
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Cupola Installation Specifications
Section 6: Attach Roof to Mid-Section
6.1 While handling roof, minimize skin contact with metal.
6.2 Position roof on top of mid-section. No specific orientation is required.
6.3 Attach roof to mid-section using qty=8 1.5” screws in pre-drilled holes, 2 per side.
Figure 6.1: Roof attached to mid-section using 2 screws per side
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Cupola Installation Specifications
Section 7: Add Weather Vane
7.1 While handling weathervane, minimize skin contact
with metal.
7.2 Slide large ball onto black rod down to brass retaining
ring.
7.3 Slide interlocking NSEW directionals down black rod,
and gently, temporarily rest them on large ball.
7.4 On small ball, identify ball’s bottom by its larger hole,
and slide small ball down black rod until it rests at
black rod diameter change.
7.5 Vertically position directionals so that they are
approximately halfway between large ball and small
ball, orient North directional toward trunk of
courtyard’s magnolia tree, and tighten both screws
(being careful not to strip screws… maybe use pliers
for final turns).
7.6 Slide eagle onto black rod at top, and confirm eagle
spins freely.
Figure 7.1: Assembled weathervane
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Cupola Installation Specifications
Section 8: Clean-Up
8.1 Remove installation debris from roof.
8.2 Wipe down metal components with dry cloth to minimize oil from fingerprints.
8.3 Verify all cupola components are secure and appear ready for long-term use.
8.4 Review final result with customer.
Figure 8.1: Completed Cupola
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