Question Cupola Height (dream coming true)

[jhillvt]

I am having a 16x18 sugar house built. I have a 20" x 66" Maple pro. I would like to have the evaporator offset to have adequate walking room on the side where I plan a 24" counter. As such I'm thinking of making the cupola 3' x 6' with 2 feet on one side of the ridge pole and 1 foot on the the other. We were thinking of have the sides of the cupola be 3 feet high on the 1 foot side. Is there a proper height for the Cupola that will perform best? Does anyone have any thoughts or concerns about the effectiveness of this plan. I would appreciate any all input. First crack at this and likely my last... Thanks

[heus]

I would just put it in the middle like every other cupola ever made. The steam will find its way out.

[StayinLowTech]

What I've read is that the cupola square footage should equal the square footage of the evaporator, so you have plenty of area. My 2x6 evaporator is offset to also gain more work room on one side of the floor and my cupola is a little larger in area and centered on the ridge line and I have no problem with steam finding its way out. 3' above the roof sounds a little high - draw it in proportion on a piece of paper to get the looks right and remember the doors of the cupola will get heavier the taller they are. Good luck.

[adk1]

My cupola is more toward the back but not of my sugarhouse than that front. My evap will be offset to one side a few feet (not directly under it).

[peacemaker]

put the cupola centered in the roof and i like to pull it a closer to the stack side of the building

[bigschuss]

I agree...there's really no need to offset the cupola.

[jhillvt]

49784977Thanks for the input. Will go with a 3' x 6' cupola (centered) and a height of 2'. I found a pamphlet on the University of Vermont Extension service site, that discusses sugar house construction. They indicated that the cupola is often 1/2 the length of the building. It should at least be the lenght of the evaporator. They recommended a minimum width of 3' and a door opening height of 2' for small rigs and 3' for large rigs. Thanks again, for your suggestions. I hope to get the cupola framed today.

I'm using rough cut lumber from a mill just 3 miles down the road from me. He delivered hemlock for the framing and pine for the siding. I'm Having a blast and can't wait to finish ! Will try to add some pictures.

[RC Maple]

I read the same thing you did about cupola width and height. My doors were going to be 2 foot tall as well - until I saw they wouldn't clear the 2x6 facia on the overhang. I went to 2x4 facia and still had to have 18" doors. My cupola roof is 6/12 which matches my main roof pitch and with the overhang of 6" that cuts into your space for the door to swing down. I've learned to cope and got over it quickly and am now happy with my 18" doors but I was planning for 24". In some other web bucket photos when looking for ideas I wondered why the cupola facia was smaller than the rest of the building - and now I know.

[adk1]

That sounds about right. I believe that the measurements of length and height of cupola door openings is to be big enough for steam to escape with only one door open if it is needed due to wind direction.

[GramaCindy]

OUTSTANDING SHACK Jhillvt! Keep the photos coming.
49784977Thanks for the input. Will go with a 3' x 6' cupola (centered) and a height of 2'. I found a pamphlet on the University of Vermont Extension service site, that discusses sugar house construction. They indicated that the cupola is often 1/2 the length of the building. It should at least be the lenght of the evaporator. They recommended a minimum width of 3' and a door opening height of 2' for small rigs and 3' for large rigs. Thanks again, for your suggestions. I hope to get the cupola framed today.

I'm using rough cut lumber from a mill just 3 miles down the road from me. He delivered hemlock for the framing and pine for the siding. I'm Having a blast and can't wait to finish ! Will try to add some pictures.

[jhillvt]

thanks for the information on the door swing. Didn't factor that in, but now will as we haven't yet framed the cupola.