What is a volta catalana and why leave it exposed?
A volta catalana, or bóveda tabicada, is a vault of thin bricks, the rasillas, laid flat with mortar in two or three layers between beams. In old Barcelona buildings, including the Eixample, these vaults span the gaps between steel or timber beams. From below they were plastered or hidden behind a false ceiling.
An exposed vault is prized for the pattern of the brickwork, the soft curve and the height. It gives a flat a character a new build lacks, and it pairs well with herringbone parquet and marble. But opening it is not only about looks. You uncover part of the building's structure, see what has been hidden for decades and take responsibility for its condition and for sound.
What is checked when a vault is opened?
First the beams: steel, usually I-section, or timber. On steel, look for rust and loss of section, especially on the bottom flange and near old leaks. Rust swells and breaks the brick around it, so cracks in the vault beside a beam usually point to corrosion, not to the brickwork. On timber, look for rot, woodworm and traces of termites, above all where the beam enters the wall.
Then the vault itself: longitudinal and transverse cracks, loose bricks, damp, sag. Vaults work with horizontal thrust, so the tie rods between beams and the state of the supports matter. Fine cracks along a joint are often harmless, and wide or growing ones need a technician's decision. The check is done by an architect or technical architect, not the contractor, and is documented with photographs before cleaning.
How do you check the steel beams under a vault?
First clean paint and scale off the surface at several points and look at the colour and thickness of the metal. If layers of rust flake away, measure the remaining section and compare it with the design section. Tap with a hammer: a dull sound and falling scale are warning signs. Pay special attention to the bottom flange, the ends beside the walls and areas under bathrooms and kitchens.
From the results the technician decides whether cleaning and anti-corrosion primer are enough or whether reinforcement is needed: plates, additional sections, props. For exposed steel beams, fire protection is added if the CTE requires it for that building, and the designer chooses it. A beam is not cut or drilled without calculation. The decision on it is the technician's, signed in the project.
How do you clean vault brick without damaging it?
Plaster and paint are removed gently. First by hand or with a low-energy tool the main layer is taken off, then refined with brushes and, if needed, micro-abrasive cleaning: a fine jet of soft abrasive or steam. Acids and coarse sandblasting ruin the brick surface and the joint, so they are ruled out.
After cleaning the brick is checked for salts and damp. Dust and flaking are removed, joints repaired with lime mortar and the surface consolidated with a breathable treatment that stops the brick shedding dust. A glossy film is not needed: the vault must «breathe». Cleaning dust lingers in the home, so the room is sealed with plastic and the work is done before parquet and furniture go in.
How do you run light along an exposed vault?
Without chases. The brick vault is thin, and channels for cables cannot be cut in it. Electrics run through the walls and along the beams in surface channels, and fittings go on the beams, walls and floor. What works: track on the beams, adjustable spots, wall lights, floor lamps and uplighting from the wall.
A good trick: LED strips on the top face of the beams and fittings aimed upward, so light slides over the brick and picks out the curve. Direct spots under the vault look crude and make hot spots. Cables are painted the colour of the brick or the beam, and power supplies hidden in niches. The lighting plan is drawn before the vault is cleaned, so every route is known in advance.
Will you hear the neighbours upstairs?
You may hear more than before if you remove the false ceiling and plaster. A brick vault with fill and the neighbour's floor gives good mass, but knocks and footsteps travel through the structure and sound in your room. The false ceiling with mineral wool used to act as a damper.
There are solutions. Leave part of the ceiling closed, for example in the bedroom, where quiet matters more than the view. Elsewhere keep the vault and add absorption: furniture, rugs, curtains, acoustic panels on walls. Agree with the neighbour upstairs on a resilient underlay when they change their floor. More on home acoustics in the article linked below. And listen to the flat first: go in the afternoon and in the evening, when people walk upstairs, not only at the viewing.
How does BCN YARD work with exposed vaults?
We open the vault as a trial, show the owner photos of the beams and the brickwork, ask a technical architect for a report and only then give the cost of cleaning, reinforcement and lighting. We run the project in Russian and Spanish, with one person responsible. Send photos of the ceiling and the plan and we answer within an hour.
Frequently asked questions
What is a volta catalana?
A vault of thin bricks, the rasillas, laid flat with mortar in two or three layers between steel or timber beams. It was used in Barcelona buildings, including the Eixample. It was plastered or hidden behind a false ceiling from below, so you only see it when opened.
How do you check steel beams under a vault?
Clean the surface at several points, look at the rust, measure the remaining section and tap with a hammer. Pay attention to the bottom flange, the ends by the walls and areas under wet rooms. A technician decides on reinforcement, and a beam is not cut or drilled without calculation.
How do you run light along an exposed vault?
Without chases: cable runs along walls and beams in surface channels, and fittings go on beams, walls and floor. Track on the beams, wall lights, floor lamps and upward LED strips on the beams work. Direct spots under the vault create hot spots. The cable is painted like the brick.
Will you hear the neighbours upstairs?
You may hear more if you remove a false ceiling with mineral wool. It helps to keep part of the ceiling closed, for example in the bedroom, add furniture, rugs and acoustic panels and agree a resilient underlay under the neighbour's floor. Before buying, listen to the flat in the evening.