Cathedral Sunrooms - Elegant Additions

When building a sunroom addition on your home, you may want to consider a cathedral ceiling for a more dramatic look. This added space makes a very satisfying choice and adds a lot of value to your home.

What is a Cathedral Ceiling Sunroom?

A cathedral sunroom has a sloped or vaulted roof with a beam running down the center. Generally, cathedral ceilings have three sides of windows and a solid roof. A variety of materials can be used to build your cathedral ceiling sunroom, but the most common is aluminum. Typically, the aluminum is used to make up the outside and inside walls and roof that is insulated so that it can handle different weather types.

As with any sunroom style, you can choose different window styles with your cathedral sunroom including ones that can be raised and lowered or fixed windows. To finish off your cathedral sunroom, you will want to choose doors that fit the space nicely, such as French doors or sliding glass doors. The main difference that you will notice with a cathedral ceiling is the added space that you feel in the room even though the actual floor space may not be any bigger. By not having a standard height roof it gives the illusion that you have a lot more room than your sunroom really does, making it great for entertaining or just relaxing.

Advantages of Cathedral Ceilings

A cathedral ceiling can provide the same energy efficiency as a straight eave sunroom, while giving you expanded sightlines to view your landscaping and beyond. A cathedral ceiling sunroom will also have an open and airy feeling to it even if the space is relatively small. The added space will also allow for design features such as trapezoid transoms to really add to the appeal of the room from both the inside and out.

A cathedral ceiling also helps to prevent the buildup of rain or snow on the ceiling. Cathedral ceiling sunrooms can be easily made into either 3-season rooms or for year-round use. For year round use, you would want to install a heating and cooling system, but if you only plan on using your sunroom for the 3 seasons, one or two ceiling fans may be just the right touch to really increase your comfort level in your sunroom.

Things to Consider

Cathedral ceiling sunrooms are typically more expensive than those that have a standard roof. More materials are needed to build the higher frame and roof, which leads to higher costs. Also, the windows of your sunroom are one of the most expensive aspects of your sunroom, depending on which kind you choose, and having this added height means more windows.

However, if it is in your budget, the cathedral ceiling sunroom is one of the more elegant choices for a sunroom. Whether you want to have a great view of your garden or yard, or just relax on a warm summer night, a cathedral ceiling can make you feel like you are in your own little paradise.