Vaulted Ceiling Roof Framing

Vaulted ceiling with collar ties as long as you have the traditional rafter and beam setup you can add a vaulted ceiling to your existing home.

Vaulted ceiling roof framing.

There are variations of this design to create numerous unique ceilings. These trusses feature unique shapes and configurations that allow for intricate roof lines and impressive cathedral or vaulted ceilings. But keep in mind those existing horizontal joists located just above the ceiling do more than just hold the ceiling drywall in place. These horizontal framing members tie a building s outer walls together and resist the outward force exerted by the roof rafters in conventional framing.

For example in texas where stick framing is common there are entire crews specializing only in framing roofs. An engineer must determine rafter size placement and pitch based on span and. Scissor trusses are designed with a slope on the outside and inside. Vaulted ceiling framing must be able to resist the downward and outward thrust of the roof s weight load.

However constructing a stick framed roof is not always easy. Stick framing a roof with rafters is the old fashioned and still most common method of obtaining a vaulted ceiling. To avoid these problems in a structure with a cathedral ceiling it helps to understand how a typical roof frame works. Several options for alternative structural support include placing a very sturdy strong center roof beam along the roof peak line and attaching all of the rafters to it.

The bottom chords are angled to create vaulted ceilings. Contributing editor scott mcbride replies. A plain flat ceiling gable is actually a procession of light trusses usually spaced 16 in. The trick in framing a vaulted ceiling is figuring out what to do with the ceiling joists.

Vaulted ceilings can be constructed by either stick framing which means attaching each joist and rafter individually or by setting roof trusses that come engineered from a truss manufacturer with.