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What is the best way to make a dome for a roof? The surface it will go on will be a rectangle. If you can give me some blueprints or the like, that would be awesome. I can figure the rest out from there, although any help is appreciate.

http://www.plotz.co.uk/

The top half of a sphere is a dome, so this works great. The larger you can make it, the less "square" it will look.

Thanks, that might work do you have any ideas on putting that on a rectangular roof? I will try that but I'm not sure if it will work, I'll see what I can do.

Quote from Sad_Pandaman

Thanks, that might work do you have any ideas on putting that on a rectangular roof? I will try that but I'm not sure if it will work, I'll see what I can do.

All I can think of is a gradual transition of stepping in at the very corner blocks at little more frequently than at the "sides" - gradually converting the base shape to the sort of one you see for the Wizard Tower and Lighthouse. And then just leaving off the peak of the Wizard Tower model.

Quote from UpUp_Away95

All I can think of is a gradual transition of stepping in at the very corner blocks at little more frequently than at the "sides" - gradually converting the base shape to the sort of one you see for the Wizard Tower and Lighthouse. And then just leaving off the peak of the Wizard Tower model.

That should work great! Thanks for all the help!

Are you wanting a circular dome in the middle of the rectangular roof, or are you wanting to turn a rectangle into a dome?

circle in the middle is easy, radius will be half the width of the rectangle.

turning a rectangle into a dome... is quite a bit different. But let me see if I can word this so it's understandable... Image is at the bottom.

I'll use this image as reference, and I'll assume a 7x15 roof, just to have something to reference (that isn't too huge).

start with just a semi-circle with diameter equal to the width of the rectangle (7), put this in the very center of the building lengthwise, with the center being the actual roof of the building so for my example the apex would be 3 squares up from the roof. with the outer edge just being a single block higher than the roof.

So now on that edge, you'll want to find a circle that creates the appropriate arc, the arc being 2 high (1 block up from the roof), and 15 blocks across. Which you'll find to be the circle with a 35 diameter, since the roof is our first layer (full), we only need the top layer, which is 4 blocks to either side of the block on the roof. (You can repeat this for both sides, since it'll be symmetrical). (Red Layer)

Now we step in a slice, and again find a proper arc being 3 high (2 blocks up from the roof), and 15 blocks wide. Which will be the circle with a 23 diameter. This time we'll have to do 2 layers, the uppermost being 3 blocks to either side, then down a level, and 2 blocks further to either side. (Yellow Layer)

Now we're at the center, with these final three slices all being equal. Proper arc will be 4 high (3 blocks up from the roof) and 15 blocks wide. Circle with the 19 diameter produces this arc. So for the top 3 blocks to either side, down a level, 2 blocks further.. and for right above the roof, just 1 block further. (Green Layer)

This is the first I've seen or heard of plotz, so thanks for that. I quite like getting an idea and just building on it as I go. I always used this chart: http://www.minecraftcircle.com/ to get started and now, most of the time I can pretty much layout the circles by memory. As for the dome, it's much more time consuming and tricky than just a round tower. I start by determining how large I want the dome, and build two arches(half circles essentially) that intersect at the top. So if you were looking at it from above it would look like a cross. If you're going for a perfect spherical dome, the circle size you've chosen for the arches should be the same as the circle you will use for the base. Start from the bottom building your circles and gradually reduce the width of each circle up to the top. Depending on how large the dome you are building, you may build the same size circle several time before reducing the circle size. It may take some tweaking along the way but with enough patience and effort you'll have yourself a dome. The first few domes I completed mostly by trial and error, with exception of the circle guide I posted above, and gave me a nice feeling of accomplishment. Because they are quite time consuming, even if you were going by a guide, I tend to avoid domes. However, one of my favorite I've ever done was my own mock up of a biodome farm built of mostly glass. Complete with trees, a small plot of wheat, and a mix of cows and pigs.

I made a "Biome Dome" and basically it was a pedestal out of stone and a glass dome with a few birch and oak trees, a little river and a house, etc. And what I did for a circle is on one "end" were six blocks, go down one and out two, three times, (down and out two 3 times) and then down one and out one (another three times then go ninety degrees and up one and out two, same as last time but the other way. Then after the 3 two's, you have a ninety-degree end on ur circle, the six blocks. I would make a picture, but im not sure how. :/

the basic strategy for a dome is to draw a circle on the ground.

Now mentally bi-sect it, and build that half-circle in a vertical standing along the center axis of the circle. From above, you'd built it twice so it looks like your circle has a + on it. From the side, it looks like your circle has arches over it.

These arches are your reference point. At each elevation, the arch goes up from the previous layer. it also either goes directly on top the previous layer, or it indents into the circle (as compared to the previous layer). Repeat that mimicry pattern for each block in the "current" layer, until you finish at the top.

You will then have a dome.

Or just google up Minecraft dome.
there are programs that generate the plan for circles and stuff.