Cathedral ceilings and rustic beams can be added to any style home.
A cathedral ceiling is a high-peaked ceiling that is actually part of the roof. The insulation and safety issues involved in building a cathedral ceiling are different from a ceiling that is built below the roof and involves trusses and I-joints that create a solid triangle between the roof and ceiling. A cathedral ceiling has it's insulation on the outside of the ceiling and for safety the beams have to be supported by a collar tie, a gusset plate or rest securely on a wall that can handle the weight.
Instructions
1. Attaching the cathedral ceiling's wood beams really starts beneath the floor. When building, dig your foundation and footers with the extra weight in mind. Reinforce the footers with steel rebar. A structural engineer and your county building code will tell you how deep and how wide your footer needs to be to support the beam you are planning.
2. Install large posts at the front and back of your construction to hold the ridge beam that the smaller cathedral ceiling beams or rafters will rest on. The ridge beam is the main beam that extends the length of the cathedral ceiling and supports the whole ceiling. Build the posts from 2-by-6 inch boards. Nail and glue the 6-inch width of the boards (which is actually 5-1/2 inches wide), together leaving a space the height and width of the ridge beam in the center of the post. For a 4-inch wide by 3-foot tall ridge beam use three 2-by-6 boards for the center. The 2 inches are really only 1-1/2 inches, so three 2-by-6s will equal 4-1/2 inches thick when attached together. On either side of the three boards glue and nail one more 2X6 that is 3 feet taller than the center three 2X6. This will give you a tine, like a football goal post, for the ridge beam to rest in. The length of the 2X6 boards will depend on the height of your ceiling. If you prefer, posts can be special-ordered from a lumberyard for your ridge beam's size.
3. Measure and mark on the ridge beam exactly where the perpendicular rafters will be. Several rafters will need to be evenly spaced. Fasten the rafters at the ridge beam with metal joist hangers that are nailed directly to the ridge beam.
4. Set the other end of the rafter on the wall that parallels the ridge beam. Cut a notch in the wall called a bird's-mouth notch for the beam to rest in. The bird's mouth notch should be 1/3 the width of the top of the wall and cut at an angle the same width as the rafter beam, so it will set in the top of the wall securely.
5. Purchase hurricane straps the width and thickness of your rafter beam. Fit the strap under the rafter beam. The metal straps are twisted to fit the beam and against the wall with precut holes for the nails exposed to both the wall and the rafter.
Tags: ridge beam, cathedral ceiling, rafter beam, rafters will, beam rest