What's the difference between a vaulted ceiling and a cathedral ceiling?

What Is the Difference Between a Vaulted and Cathedral Ceiling? The sides of cathedral ceilings have equal slopes, reach to the highest peak of the room, and attach to the roof trusses, whereas vaulted ceilings have unequal sides meeting at a room's high point.

In this regard, what is the difference between a vaulted ceiling vs cathedral ceiling?

A cathedral ceiling is two equal, sloping sides that are parallel to the pitch of the roof where the two sides slope and meet at a ridge that runs across the length of the room. A vaulted ceiling does not have two equal, sloping sides that are parallel to the roof's pitch.

Subsequently, question is, are vaulted ceilings good? Vaulted ceilings do allow for good skylight placement. Inside, they do a great job of displaying wood beams. Rather than hanging low (and at an awkward angle to be viewed), on the vaulted ceiling they are raised higher and angled better to be seen.

Also, what is considered a vaulted ceiling?

Vaulted ceilings are known by quite a few names, high ceilings and raised ceilings being a few. By definition, vaulted ceilings are arched. But, it isn't necessary for a vaulted ceiling to be so. Any raised ceiling with the height of no less than 8 feet is considered a vaulted ceiling.

Do cathedral ceilings cost more?

Building Cost Vaulted ceilings cost more to build because they require more building materials and more labor. Larger ceilings can create a steeper roof line. Vaulted ceilings can also require special insulation, more beams and non-standard framing material -- all of which are more costly.

36 Related Question Answers Found

Is vaulting a ceiling worth it?

But a higher ceiling may mean higher construction and energy costs. Find out why—and if it's worth it. While any room can be vaulted, depending on your personal preference, most homeowners choose to vault the ceiling in a family room or great room where the effect can be fully appreciated.

How much does a cathedral ceiling cost?

You'll just have to live with some of the costs associated with a vaulted ceiling, however. For a 20-foot by 20-foot room, a vaulted ceiling can easily cost $18,000 to $25,000.

Are tray ceilings out of style?

Tray ceilings are certainly not outdated in this day and age. They can, however, look outdated if executed incorrectly. Modern design allows for the incorporation of tray ceilings, even in contemporary homes. Let's take a look at tray ceilings and how it can be used today.

Do vaulted ceilings add value?

Vaulted ceilings can add value to your home. However, in warm climates, rooms with vaulted ceilings and large windows heat up more quickly than rooms with smaller windows, which means you may have to make more use of your air conditioner. Regardless of the energy costs, vaulted ceilings generally add value to a home.

What is a sloped ceiling called?

It's generally called vaulted ceiling.

What does a cathedral ceiling look like?

By architectural definition, a cathedral ceiling is defined by symmetry with equal steeply sloping sides, meeting at a ridge in the middle of a room and normally mirroring the pitch of the roof structure. The DrummondHousePlans photo gallery includes a good example of a cathedral ceiling.

What is the average height of a vaulted ceiling?

13 feet

How high is a typical vaulted ceiling?

Definition: Vault = an arched form extruded into the third dimension used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. For the sake of argument, however, this article refers to vaulted ceilings as any ceiling that is higher than the standard 8'-10' ceiling height (arched aspect not necessary).

What is a vaulted living room?

A vaulted ceiling is an architectural term used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The simplest kind of vault is the barrel vault, which is generally semicircular in shape. There is a lot more design potential for vaulted ceilings than this though. Below are a few vaulted ceiling living room design ideas.

How much does a tray ceiling cost?

Cost to Install a Tray Ceiling. Generally, it is much cheaper to install tray ceilings during the home's construction than to go back and have the work done later. Prices vary dramatically based on your location, the size of the home, the detail work and more, but generally plan on $500 to $1,500 per ceiling.

What are the different types of ceilings?

Ceiling designs have evolved over the years, and these are some of the most common types:

Conventional ceiling. This is the ceiling type commonly seen in homes.
Suspended ceiling.
Tray ceiling.
Coffered ceiling.
Cathedral ceiling.
Coved ceiling.
Shed ceiling.
Beam ceiling.

Are high ceilings better for cooling?

Since warm air rises, a home with high ceilings is hard to keep warm in the winter, but not as hard to keep cool in the summer. However, a room with high ceilings is always more expensive to keep cool than a standard-height room because of the additional volume.

What does a tray ceiling look like?

A tray ceiling, also called an inverted or recessed ceiling, features a center section that is several inches (or several feet) higher than the areas around the perimeter of the room. This design allows for the use of colors painted on the trim that can turn a bland ceiling into a focal point.

Does a vaulted ceiling need to be vented?

A vaulted roof offers open living space directly below the rafters because there are no horizontal ceiling joists. Although there is no separate attic to vent, air circulation is still necessary to prevent heat from building up between the underside of the roof deck and the interior drywall finish.

Can you raise your ceiling height?

If you have an 8 foot ceiling with an attic above, you can do a minor remodel to the ceiling of one or more rooms of your home to increase the ceiling height in the middle of the room to 9 foot or more, depending on the available space in your attic. The price of a remodel like this starts at $250 per room.

Do vaulted ceilings have load bearing walls?

Vaulted Ceiling Wall Removal. Judging by their location and materials, it's unlikely that they're load bearing. You can usually get validation of their bearing by looking in the basement and seeing if their weight is carried through by bearing support directly below them. If it isn't, they're not bearing walls.

What is a trey ceiling?

trey ceiling is a term used in house construction suggesting a raised portion of a ceiling creating a second, or higher ceiling within a regular ceiling. I do not know why the word "trey" is used to denote this shape, although most trey ceilings look from below like a very large inverted flat tray.