Vaulted Ceiling Roof Framing

Collar ties rafter ties tension beams structural ridge beams.

Vaulted ceiling roof framing. An engineer must determine rafter size placement and pitch. 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. Without joists the walls can bow outward and the roof ridge line may sag. 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.

This article describes and illustrates the different types of support that prevents roof sagging and wall bulging at buildings including definitions of collar ties rafter ties and structural ridge beams. 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. Builders sometimes also prefer this construction method when they want to provide a large attic space or high vaulted ceilings often called cathedral ceilings.

For example in texas where stick framing is common there are entire crews specializing only in framing roofs. Stick framing a roof with rafters is the old fashioned and still most common method of obtaining a vaulted ceiling. Some of these can support the roof and prevent ridge sagging and wall spreading. These horizontal framing members tie a building s outer walls together and resist the outward force exerted by the roof rafters in conventional framing.

Contributing editor scott mcbride replies. To avoid these problems in a structure with a cathedral ceiling it helps to understand how a typical roof frame works.