Vaulted Ceiling Roof Framing

For example in texas where stick framing is common there are entire crews specializing only in framing roofs.

Vaulted ceiling roof framing.

Some of these can support the roof and prevent ridge sagging and wall spreading. There are several options for installing insulation in a vaulted ceiling among the easiest options is to install rigid insulation sheets over the rafters which not only provides insulation but also the structural function of enclosing the roof. 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. A plain flat ceiling gable is actually a procession of light trusses usually spaced 16 in.

To avoid these problems in a structure with a cathedral ceiling it helps to understand how a typical roof frame works. When those ceiling members are removed they must be replaced. The trick in framing a vaulted ceiling is figuring out what to do with the ceiling joists. An engineer must determine rafter size placement and pitch.

Without joists the walls can bow outward and the roof ridge line may sag. However constructing a stick framed roof is not always easy. These horizontal framing members tie a building s outer walls together and resist the outward force exerted by the roof rafters in conventional framing. Builders sometimes also prefer this construction method when they want to provide a large attic space or high vaulted ceilings often called cathedral ceilings.

Contributing editor scott mcbride replies. Collar ties rafter ties tension beams structural ridge beams.