Kitchen with a vaulted ceiling
Vaulted ceilings and cathedral ceilings, which provide an alternative to the normal "flat" ceilings in houses, share many characteristics and are often confused.
Vaulted Ceilings
Example of vaulted ceiling
A vaulted ceiling can have one or two sharp, sloping sides that form a peak, or it can be an arched or curved structure. In the case of two sloping sides, they can be of equal or unequal length.
Cathedral Ceilings
Example of a cathedral ceiling
Cathedral ceilings have equal sloping sides that meet in the middle of a room and conform to the shape of the roof, thereby allowing the room to open up to the highest possible point.
Differences
As is pointed out by the website, Chief Architect, the primary difference between the two ceilings is that cathedral ceilings "are the same pitch as the roof," while vaulted ceilings "do not share the same pitch as the roof" and are created within a house to cover a specific space.
Consider Churches
Cathedral and vaulted ceilings in the same structure
A good way of understanding the difference between the two kinds of ceilings is by looking at church architecture, which often features both cathedral and vaulted ceilings.
Costructing the Vaulted or Cathedral Ceiling
Plans and ideas for constructing each type of ceiling may be found online. The resources below provide a starting point for such construction information.
Tags: sloping sides, vaulted ceiling, vaulted ceilings, , Ceilings Example, ceilings same, pitch roof