Vaulted Ceiling Roof Framing

Bob helps lay rafters and the ridge pole for the vaulted roof of the lifespan house.

Vaulted ceiling roof framing.

Without joists the walls can bow outward and the roof ridge line may sag. 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. Contributing editor scott mcbride replies. These horizontal framing members tie a building s outer walls together and resist the outward force exerted by the roof rafters in conventional framing.

In traditional framing the framing members that form the ceiling of the building play an important role in keeping the roof stable. 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. A plain flat ceiling gable is actually a procession of light trusses usually spaced 16 in.

Stick framing a roof with rafters is the old fashioned and still most common method of obtaining a vaulted ceiling. Collar ties rafter ties tension beams structural ridge beams. However constructing a stick framed roof is not always easy. Some of these can support the roof and prevent ridge sagging and wall spreading.

Builders sometimes also prefer this construction method when they want to provide a large attic space or high vaulted ceilings often called cathedral ceilings. To avoid these problems in a structure with a cathedral ceiling it helps to understand how a typical roof frame works. For example in texas where stick framing is common there are entire crews specializing only in framing roofs.