The Widow's Walk

When you were a kid there was nothing like going up on the roof on a hot day and looking over the landscape, with the warm wind whipping through your hair. Of course this was dangerous and most parents do not allow this and never did. Ours never allowed it either. We were just quiet!

The widow's walk is a structure usually built around the chimney on an old home with a mansard roof. It got its name after the wives of mariners who, during the time of sailing ships, would stand on the lofty platforms and watch out to sea for their husbands. Many of these spouses never returned but the women would still watch with forlorn hope.

Today, a widow's walk is a great way to have a deck with a great view. Many of them incorporate retractable attic steps and then have another set of stairs to the roof. There is a hatch to the roof (usually fiberglassed), much like a ship's hatch where the edges prevent water from getting in the interior.The platform can be as big as you want depending on the structure of the home.

A widow's walk is also called a cupola but the latter usually denotes an actual structure with a covered surface whereas a widow's walk is like an open patio.

This is not a DIY project as there are many items to consider. However, you can check the codes in your area as well as get a structural analysis from an engineer. In addition, the roof should be covered with a long-lasting material first because to re-roof you might have to disassemble your perch.

As for materials, remember that wood rots so have composite, cedar or vinyl materials.