The barrel vault, by definition, is an arch that gets repeated over and over to form a ceiling.

You can find them in the Roman baths at Cluny in Paris and The Cloisters in New York City. What are they? Barrel vaults, of course. 
Still not clear on the definition? Okay, let’s delve a little deeper. 

Barrel vault definition: The barrel vault is essentially an arch that gets repeated over and over to form a ceiling. Have you ever seen an arched entryway? Imagine if that arch was duplicated, so it encompassed the entire room. That, in essence, is the barrel vault definition.

The barrel vault name: To understand the barrel vault definition, let’s look at the name. Why is it called a “barrel” vault? Well, because it looks like half of a barrel. If you’ve ever visited The Cloisters, you probably understand the concept. While all barrel vaulted ceilings give you the feeling of being inside a barrel, the one at The Cloisters is actually made of exposed wood, which looks an awful lot like a barrel. They don’t all have to be like this, though. Many barrel vaults are dry walled, so they are completely smooth.

History of the barrel vault: We have evidence that shows that some of the first barrel vaults were crafted by the ancient Egyptians, but it didn’t seem to be a popular ceiling at that point. They were built of sun-dried brick and spanned only two meters. Instead of being used where people could appreciate their curved appeal, they were almost always used for drains and sewers. It wasn’t until the barrel vaults made their way to Ancient Rome that they were used for more large-scale projects, but even then, it was short lived. The barrel vault was soon replaced with the groin vault, which is more complicated in construction and appearance. The barrel vault saw a huge resurgence in the Romanesque and Baroque periods.

Famous barrel vaults: These simple arched ceilings make a serious impact. That’s probably why they can be found in some seriously high profile places. Just tilt your head and look up the next time you’re at the Sistine Chapel or Vatican Grotto in Vatican City, or the Cathedral of Cortona in Tuscany, or Beverston Castle in England; well, you get the picture. The barrel vault definition may be a simple one, but when these arches are installed, they make a huge impact.

So, by now you should be intimately familiar with the barrel vault definition. You can picture them in some of the historic landmarks you’ve visited within your lifetime. Now, it’s time to picture a barrel vault in your own home.

The Barrel Vault Definition

Watch How to Drywall a Barrel Vault Ceiling

The infamous barrel vault ceiling is an architectural gem that looks great an any home. The barrel vault ceiling can easily be constructed using the barrel vault ceiling kit from Archways And Ceilings Made Easy, but the big question you may have is how to drywall this particular ceiling. Easy question and easy answer! We have created an instructional video that demonstrates how to properly drywall a barrel vault ceiling. Take a look below!

For more information on barrel vault ceilings please visit Archways And Ceilings Made Easy barrel vault ceilings page. Click Here

2 Groin vaults, 2 Barrel vaults and 24 Archways all installed at a local jobsite in 4 Hours!

This morning when I popped out of bed, I decided to venture over to a local jobsite to check up on some arches we delivered the day before. As I arrived with my coffee in hand, I was instantly greeted by the framer with a big smile on his face. At first I thought he was eye balling my coffee and I started to think that he thought my coffee was for him. So like any sales professional would do, I immediately offered it to him. He couldn't see my hands but my fingers were crossed and I was giving a quick shout out to God praying that he would not take my caffeine rush away. Well, He chuckled and said, "oh no! I am fine, I just need to add one more arch!" Well, with a sigh of relief I was able to keep my coffee and make an additional sale.
As we walked onto the jobsite, I quickly began to notice all 84 arches were now installed. "Wow!" I said, "How long did it take you to install all of these arches?" Well he replied, "About 4 hours! We would have finished earlier but the Meals on Wheels van pulled up and we couldn't resist taking a break!"
As I hopped in my truck to head on into work, I managed to snap some photos of the Groin Vaults, Barrel vaults and Archways he installed. See photos Below



2 Groin Vault Ceilings



2 Barrel Vault Ceilings



24 Archways