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Porches & Decks

Screened porch ceiling

15 years ago

I am planning a screened porch with a simple gable roof, a cathedral ceiling, screening in the triangle of the gable end, and a couple of skylights. I envision exposed rafters with T&G behind them and I have read in other messages here how to prevent the roofing nails from coming through.

The contractor would like to use trusses, I'm pretty sure he said scissor trusses. His thought is that the trusses need to be hidden from view and that he should nail beadboard sheets on top of them. My problem with this is twofold: The pitch of the roof is already pretty shallow - four in twelve - and covering a scissors truss would make the ceiling pitch even shallower. I know that cathedral ceilings in screened porches are important.

More important, I am concerned that the skylights would look goofy, with finished "tunnels" leading up to them.

Thoughts? Does anybody have pictures of trusses and skylights, with the T&G in either position (either above or below the truss)?

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Comments (7)

jasper60103
15 years ago
Kate,
my contractor used scissor trusses too. I thought it came out great. The vaulted ceiling still has a nice pitch, but like you said, it depends on the pitch of the roof. I finished my ceiling with cedar T&G, no exposed trusses.

I toyed with the idea of an open gable too, but in the end I decided to close it, and have it sided to match the house.

I'll try to remeber to post some more pics this evening.
-jasper
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kate1234
Original Author
15 years ago
Is that a vent or a skylight that I see on the roof?
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"The contractor said it was structural..." I believe that what he really meant is that the way the rafters were cut did not pass code, and this is what fooled the inspector. Even with the loosest interpretation of the code, it does not look like it would pass. Apparently, because of height concerns, they convinced themselves that because a standard engineered truss only needs a 3.5" heel, they could do the same with a rafter. While it is true that trusses are made up of triangles, putting boards together to make a triangle does not make a truss. I do not know of any engineers that would dare to put their stamp on this as is.
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NOBODY can answer the question until you post a sketch with exit and entry points to the porch. From outside, and from inside. Otherwise? Split the distance from center on the 26 feet, to each end, and center them. Each will hang from a box 6.5 feet from the ends Like pendants on an island. Plan to use a 12 to 18 inch down rod. And they should be damp rated at the very least.
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Thanks so much! I will have to see about the joists. There is currently a ceiling there (plain, flat, Idk what material), and I don't know what is above it. It must be very thin because I have had a hard time putting clips up for our string lights. Ftr, we were going to to strip and paint what is currently there b/c the paint is peeling, but the contractor who did our kitchen suggested just covering it with beadboard instead of bothering with peeling and painting. I think it will look nicer with beadboard anyway.
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Minka makes good outdoor fans. https://www.minkagroup.net/outdoor/ I have 2 of their Java fans in my outdoor porch. I have recessed lights in the porch ceiling so I chose no lights for the fans. Go to one of the stores that just carries fans and look at them close up. My local fan store has the whole ceiling covered with fans and most are wired and can be tested for air movement.
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jasper60103
15 years ago
It's a vent. I forgot to mention I don't have any skylights.
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kate1234
Original Author
15 years ago
Now that I think about it, he said scissors truss because he was trying to get me a cathedral ceiling while still covering the bottom of the truss with paneling. But as I look at the trusses shown on the link below, a simple King truss would be just fine looking I think. The porch is 13' across and even if you have to include overhangs on each side, we would still be within the 16' that this style supports.

Here is a link that might be useful: Truss diagrams
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jasper60103
15 years ago
Yep, if you want the cathedral ceiling, the scissor truss will do it for you.
Here's a look at mine form the from the inside.
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kate1234
Original Author
15 years ago
Very nice!
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theporchguy
15 years ago
Take a look at my album for some ceiling ideas.

The PorchGuy

Here is a link that might be useful: My Album
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