Help with Curved Ceiling

[Rich Konopka]

I am about to start building a new front portico and it will have a curved ceiling. I have been plodding around looking for tips and assistance with this. I found an article on "Fine Homebuilding" but not much of anything else. Perhaps I am looking in the wrong direction. I have attached a couple of sketchup drawing that my 16 year old daughter did for me. She is so much better and quicker at SU than I.

Any help or suggestion is appreciated.

[Lee Koepke]

haha, i posted this in your lumberyard thread ..



framing a curved ceiling can be accomplished several ways. depending on the size of the room, you can create plywood templates on the ends and attach celing joists following the curve. This actually returns a barrel ceiling. If you are looking for a dome, thats a whole different story.

to tag along a topic in the OffTopic forum, i googled "barrel ceiling details' and got this DIY page

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hm_hom...856738,00.html


Hope this helps a tiny bit.

[Rich Konopka]

haha, i posted this in your lumberyard thread ..



framing a curved ceiling can be accomplished several ways. depending on the size of the room, you can create plywood templates on the ends and attach celing joists following the curve. This actually returns a barrel ceiling. If you are looking for a dome, thats a whole different story.

to tag along a topic in the OffTopic forum, i googled "barrel ceiling details' and got this DIY page

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hm_hom...856738,00.html


Hope this helps a tiny bit.

Thanks Lee. I did see the article and it is close to what I was looking for but it deals with drywall which unfortunately does not work for an outside porch ceiling. I am thinking of using Fypon or AZEK for a beaded ceiling. I probably can use the approach with this material with hopefully a little bit less framing.


I have created a link to this thread from the lumberyard forum.

Thanks again.

[Lee Koepke]

fypon's not cheap.

if you are using a vinyl beaded ceiling, that should bend with the framing quite well. If you use a plywood bead board, you can kerf the back and let it follow the curve.

I would look at a bead board look vinyl siding material, that would last along time.

the framing is not as hard as it looks, you have a relatively short span, so 2x4s on edge would work. Using more 2xs helps 'approximate' the curve better, so in this case, more is better.

[Jim Becker]

Rich, Chris Pasko has a pretty lengthy thread here at SMC that has pictures of curved ceilings that might be useful for you...would need to be scaled down for your project, but the principles are sound.

[Rich Konopka]

fypon's not cheap.

if you are using a vinyl beaded ceiling, that should bend with the framing quite well. If you use a plywood bead board, you can kerf the back and let it follow the curve.

I would look at a bead board look vinyl siding material, that would last along time.

the framing is not as hard as it looks, you have a relatively short span, so 2x4s on edge would work. Using more 2xs helps 'approximate' the curve better, so in this case, more is better.

I am thinking of using 1x3 or 1x4 and curving it from one side to the other and using cross ties across the rafters to affix them to. This will allow for me to use a beadboard Fypon product and follow the curve without having to bend anything. The other option I am exploring is to use a 1/4' or 3/8" sheet of beaded ply and following the curve. I have not done this before and I am a little apprehensive.

[Rich Konopka]

Rich, Chris Pasko has a pretty lengthy thread here at SMC that has pictures of curved ceilings that might be useful for you...would need to be scaled down for your project, but the principles are sound.

I found it Jim. Thanks This is really good stuff.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=50116

[Lee Koepke]

I am thinking of using 1x3 or 1x4 and curving it from one side to the other and using cross ties across the rafters to affix them to. This will allow for me to use a beadboard Fypon product and follow the curve without having to bend anything. The other option I am exploring is to use a 1/4' or 3/8" sheet of beaded ply and following the curve. I have not done this before and I am a little apprehensive.

i have been toying with 1x4 barrel ceiling in my basement remodel. Havent really had the desire to tackle it yet

My whole basement is log siding, SYP trim, barnwood siding ... so the wood ceiling in the entry made sense, but .... i have been saving the ceiling treatments for last, making sure i have good enough access to plumbing / hvac /electrical ..

[Bill Dunn jr]

Hi Rich,

The way we framed them was to start with two pieces of 3/4" ply and cut the radius out on it. Put one sheet against the wall of the house and the other as sheathing on the gable end of the porch roof.

In between these pieces of ply you frame with 2x material. If the arch is fairly shallow you can use 2x4's flat and put them right against each other. If not, put them on edge fairly close together.

We would then use 3-1/2" t&g beaded fencing laid in the same direction as the 2x4's starting in the center of the arch.

OK so far?

[Rich Konopka]

Excellent. Do you use 2x6's for rafters and center beam? Thanks Bill I realy appreciate your assistance on this.

[Bill Dunn jr]

No problem Rich,

You will need to lay out the entire cross section and see what size beam you need. I usually did this on a sheet of plywood full size.

[Bill Dunn jr]

Here is a sketch with some details. You'll have to forgive my scribble. You can use a 1/2" cap and sheathing if you have it available. I always returned the crown across the front of the beam and back to the wall on the inside.

[Rich Konopka]

Thanks Bill, It is very similar to what I had in mind except I like your use of the crown.

Thanks again. I'll post when it is completed.

Cheers

[Chris Pasko]

Hey Rich,

I haven't had much time to read this thread, but I have done/am in the process of doing something very similar on my little shack where I live. The front if WAY out of wack/level, so I am doing the best I can out of a really bad/obvious problem (way out of level) until I can tear this place down.

I used beaded plywood, its not open in the front like yours, but the same principles can be applied. I will get some pics and post them tomorrow.