Vigas are round timber roof beams used in traditional Southwestern adobe construction. They are typically eight to twelve inches in diameter, made from Ponderosa pine, Engelmann spruce, or aspen. The viga spans the room and rests on top of the load-bearing wall. Latillas are smaller debarked poles, usually one to three inches across, laid perpendicular across the vigas. They form the ceiling deck before the earthen or membrane roof is built up. The pairing carries the entire roof load in true adobe construction. Latillas are often arranged in herringbone or zigzag patterns. Together they define the heavy hand-finished ceilings of Pueblo Revival, Santa Fe style, and Spanish Colonial interiors across New Mexico.
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