Vaulted ceiling completed

Wood is expensive in the US, and therefore most everyone use (the hated) drywall. Thought for a while to put up drywall in the ceiling, but I knew I could not do that myself (due to the sheer weight of the sheets and the tricky finishing) and I just do not like the look of it.

In comes knotty pine T&G. Not as cheap material wise as drywall, but it is sturdier, can be put up by myself, and it looks a lot better. Actually, adding all the finishing costs to a drywalled ceiling, wood problably still comes out ahead in this case.

After rigorous work with the vapor barrier to ensure as good as possibly moisture management, I started nailing up the T&G strips. Managed to get 16 footers, meaning they'd span the entire distance and no need for joints anywhere.
And, biggest help, apart from three small wooden strips with screws, came after a trip up to Harbor Freight and the purchaee of a cheap pneumatic brad gun (nail gun). W/o that one, this job would have been sheer hell, working alone (although still better than drywall).


This little piece of wood - and its two brothers - made solo hanging the 16 foot strips easy


No cheating on the vapor barrier!


Notice generous overlaps. Empty cavities will be filled with insulation.


Do not trust the "faced" batts, so a proper vapor barrier is to be added before the drywall goes up.


See the straight cuts!


Getting the ceiling up changed it all!

Insulation completed

As much as it is NOT fun to work with fiberglass batts in a vaulted ceiling, as fun is it to say that the work is completed!

In order to reduce the chances of moisture penetration and following mold and rot damages, I probably worked on a few overkill solutions, but a vaulted ceiling is an area where you are better safe than sorry. Once it is up, you cannot get to it later. There's not attic to crawl into, or an exterior hatch for inspection. No, it has to be done with care, quality, and a proper design from day one, so you never will have to touch it again.

In order to allow for proper air flow and ventilation under the roof deck, I decided not to just "trust" that there'd be a void between the top of insulation and the underside of the roof deck. In order to ensure adequate space I put up 1x2" stringers, running along the roof rafters, from the bird blocks, all the way up to the ridge vent. On these stringers, I nailed sheets of masonite boards, creating a "plenum" to ensure unobstructed air movement from intake at bird blocks to discharge at ridge vents.

Did take a few hours and some added material, but after having seen what lack of proper ventilation and moisture management can do to a vaulted ceiling, it was really a no brainer.


Notice how the stringers meet up with the bird blocks at the soffit. A masonite board will be strung across the stringers, creating a continouos "plenum" from soffit to ridge vent.


Roof deck cut wide open to ensure proper ventilation under valley


Notice box and wiring for mandatory hard-wired smoke/fire detectors


Even cross members were "stripped" to allow for proper air flow