How to Build a Cupola: Materials List

Most home centers and lumberyards carry everything you need to build a cupola. Here's your shopping list.

From The Family Handyman

One 8-ft. cedar 4x4 (actual size is 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 in.)
Three 10-ft. cedar 2x6s
One 8-ft. 2x2 (1-1/2 x 1-1/2 in.)
One 4x8 sheet of 3/8-in. plywood
One 4x8 sheet of 3/4-in.pressure-treated plywood
Four 8-ft. pieces of brick mold. Vinyl brick mold is maintenance-free, but it holds
paint poorly and is usually available only in white. If you want a different color, you’ll have to use wood brick mold.
Four 12 x 12-in. vinyl or aluminum gable vents. The dimensions refer to the louvered area, not the vent’s frame. Our 12 x 12-in. vents measured 14-1/2 x 14-3/4 in. Metal vents, which are usually white, can be spray painted. For a lasting paint job, lightly sand the vents with 220-grit sandpaper first.
One bundle of shingles. Home centers usually stock a few common colors and can special-order many others.
One 10-ft. long roll of aluminum flashing. Painted flashing usually comes with one side white, the other dark brown. But you can lightly sand and spray paint it after it’s applied to the saddle. The width of the flashing you need depends on the pitch of your roof; the steeper your roof, the longer the sides of the saddle.
Galvanized screws (1-1/4, 2 and 3 in.), 1/2-in. self-tapping sheet metal screws, 1-in. galvanized nails, 3/4-in. roofing nails, construction adhesive, acrylic caulk, roof cement (two tubes).

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