Chief Architect Help Database - Article Number:  471

How to Create a Cathedral Ceiling

The information in this article applies to:
  • Chief Architect X5
  • Chief Architect X4
  • Chief Architect X3
  • Chief Architect X2
  • Chief Architect X1
QUESTION

I want to create a room with a cathedral ceiling.  How do I do this?

ANSWER

When a room's ceiling is pitched rather than flat, it is referred to as either a cathedral or vaulted ceiling. Cathedral ceilings are the same pitch as the roof and are typically produced by enclosing the bottoms of the roof rafters with a ceiling material.  Vaulted ceilings, while similar, do not share the same pitch as the roof and are often framed using scissor trusses.

Both ceiling types can be easily created in Chief Architect.  To learn how to create a vaulted ceiling, see How to create scissor trusses.



To create a cathedral ceiling

  1. Open an existing Chief Architect plan in which you would like to create a cathedral ceiling or select File> New Plan  from the menu to create a new plan.


  2. Click the Select Objects  arrow tool, then click in an empty space of a room that you would like to have a cathedral ceiling to select it.


    Note: In order for this method to work, the selected room must have a roof plane built directly above it, rather than a living space on the floor above.


  3. With the room selected, click the Open Object  edit button, and on the Structure tab of the Room Specification dialog, uncheck Ceiling Over This Room, then click OK.

     


  4. To see the results, select 3D> Create Orthographic View> Backclipped Cross Section , then click and drag a camera arrow that runs parallel to the ridge of the roof over the room with the cathedral ceiling.

    • In Chief Architect X1 and prior, use 3D> Create Vector View> Backclipped Cross Section.

Last updated on: Mar 29, 2013


The Chief Architect support team has compiled a list of articles with common questions and answers.


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