Cathedral Ceiling Board Installation

[Pine Cone]

I'm getting close to putting my home-made shiplap pine 1x6 ceiling boards on. 

I could either start installing boards at the peak of the ceiling and work down, or start at the bottom and work up to the peak.

Any reason not to start at the peak?  It seems like matching the top seam where the two sides meet would be easier if I start there, and then deal with the inevitable mis-matched fit problems at the bottom of the ceiling where it joins the walls.

On the other hand, I might be better to keep it simple, start at the bottom, and then try to figure out some sort of trim board to hide any goofs at the top...

Anyone ever build one of these?  How did you do it?

[MountainDon]

Bottom to top, same as if it was a wall. At least that's how I would do it.

With slight variations in the boards or installation technique it's pretty much in evitable there will be a difference when you meet the peak and you'll just have to trim boards to fit.

[Redoverfarm]

Pine Cone I had struggled with this myself and came to realization that the logical solution was to start at the bottom.  I had some discussion in and around the location of this in the following tread.  Might have to drop down a few pages to find exactly how I did.  But basicly started at the bottom.  Carefully measured the coverage and then the distance from the wall to the peak divided by the individual board coverage.  Started at that point on the wall side.  Occassionally as you progress check the measurment and see how close you are running.  If it is too wide then just tweak it open a little.  Check on both sides of the room to make it level and uniform.  In mine it did run a little off at the top but that was remedied by a 1X with 45 deg cut lengthwise to lay against each side of the ceiling.  I am satisfied.

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=3613.msg66638#msg66638

[Don_P]

I've done it both ways, go bottom to top. I like to put a thick board level in the peak with just a small bedding bevel on the edges leaving a good vertical reveal. 5" or wider will allow mounting of most fixtures and you just created a chase.

[Pine Cone]

Thanks for all the advice.  I guess I'm going to start at the bottom and go up from there. 

It seemed like the way to go, but you know how it is, late at night when you review the next phase of the project...   I figure you have to consider all the options, since my first thought might not even be on someone else's list of options.

[Redoverfarm]

Pine Cone with no larger area than you have with careful measurments you may come awfully close to meeting at the peak.  Within the last 2-3 feet I would check how much run you have remaining (on each end) and try to adjust accordingly.  The church I go to is rather large (50' wide) and the builder (Menonite Carpenter) did an outstanding job with the biginning course being parrallel to the wall and the peak met perfectly.  I wish I would have been around and seen how he acomplished that feat.  I am not real sure the depth of you lap but with T&G you can only go so deep and seperate so far.  Maybe yours will be more forgiving.  Let us know how it turns out.

[lonelytree]

I am putting up 4" T&G on the site built trusses. Will an 18ga nailer work? What length nails? Do I need to verify flatness? I am sure there are some disparities in the surface of the trusses. They are insulated and vapor barriored. Of course the insulation is sagging a bit. How do I shim up any differences?

Thanks,
Mike

[Don_P]

I use a 16 guage with 1-1/2 or 1-3/4 nails, generally shoot 2 per bearing, I've also shot with staples using 1 per rafter. 18 is on the light side. Run a level or long straightedge across the rafters. If they are within about 1/8" of plane you're probably ok, much more than that and I'd start shimming. If there is an offending member slide up and down until you know the thickness and length of the sim and then rip one out and nail it up. If the insulation is just sagging that is fine. If it is overstuffed you will have trouble.