Types of Vaulted Ceilings

Domes

• This very simple form of vault forms half a sphere over the room. Domes may be fully round or slightly pointed at the top. Domes are probably the earliest type of vault and are among the simplest to calculate. They are built out of masonry, as in ancient times, or made using wooden or concrete ribs constructed around a fixed point.

Barrel Vaults

• Barrel vaults are also based on a half-circle, but the finished roof is half a cylinder rather than half a sphere. Barrel vaults are also quite ancient, with examples appearing in the ancient Middle East, through the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Barrel vaults are still used today in hallways and similar long areas but are less common in rooms.

Groin Vaults

• This type of vaulted ceiling is more open and airy than a barrel vault. Structurally, the simplest groin vault is made up of two barrel vaults built at right angles to one another. The groin vault has a cross-shaped intersection at the middle and requires thinner walls and less support than a barrel vault. The earliest groin vaults appear to date to Roman times, but the vaults are still used today in structures like Nyon, Switzerland's City Hall.

Rib Vaults

• Rib vaults are made up of the intersection of several barrel vaults at different angles, producing a ribbed pattern. Older structures with rib vaults often decorated this pattern to make it stand out. Ribbed vaults are quite common in Early Gothic cathedrals and lend a Medieval feel to a building. According to Buffalo Architecture and History, ribbed vaults are often found in Gothic Revival and Romanesque Revival style structures.