Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Woodworking (rec.woodworking) Discussion forum covering all aspects of working with wood. All levels of expertise are encouraged to particiapte. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Dressing up a beam
Hello, everyone.
We've been doing some construction on our house, and I have a question for you. We've knocked down a bearing wall, placed a really thick beam, and now I'm trying to dress up the beam so SWMBO doesn't mind looking at it. The surrounding trim is just stained pine, but I was hoping to go a different route with this. I was hoping to laminate some sort of wood onto it, but wasn't sure what would look best. The beam's dimensions are 12ft 4in long, 5 1/2 in deep, and hangs 8 1/4 in from the ceiling, which is textured plaster. Keep in mind I don't have a bandsaw, so I won't be able to resaw. I was thinking of using 3/4 inch material cut to size. Also, I know that I'll need some pretty big pieces as I want the laminated beam to look like a single piece, rather than like a beam with a bunch of different pieces of wood glued to it. So, anybody have some good species of wood in mind?? Thanks a bunch. -Barry |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
"BKeane71" wrote in message ... snippage So, anybody have some good species of wood in mind?? The world is your oyster. You can pretty much use any kind of wood known to man. Me personally? I like to keep the wood flow going with what is already being used so I would get some knotty pine to dress it up. No need to glue it really. Just shoot or nail some trim nails, finish it, putty with colored putty. If you want, you can even mitre the corners. Let us know what you decided on so we can decide to heckle you or not. ;-) SH |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
BKeane71 wrote:
Hello, everyone. We've been doing some construction on our house, and I have a question for you. We've knocked down a bearing wall, placed a really thick beam, and now I'm trying to dress up the beam so SWMBO doesn't mind looking at it. The surrounding trim is just stained pine, but I was hoping to go a different route with this. I was hoping to laminate some sort of wood onto it, but wasn't sure what would look best. The beam's dimensions are 12ft 4in long, 5 1/2 in deep, and hangs 8 1/4 in from the ceiling, which is textured plaster. Keep in mind I don't have a bandsaw, so I won't be able to resaw. I was thinking of using 3/4 inch material cut to size. Also, I know that I'll need some pretty big pieces as I want the laminated beam to look like a single piece, rather than like a beam with a bunch of different pieces of wood glued to it. So, anybody have some good species of wood in mind?? Thanks a bunch. -Barry Don't cover it at all. Rather make a totem by carving (bas-relief) death masks of your ancestors into it. Do SWMBO a favor and include a couple of her relatives. If you have a problem with your MIL dropping by, include her. Classy stuff. Finally, SWMBO can keep busy carving your face into it once she figures out what you're doing. Sweet irony. yours ghoully, jo4hn :-) |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Depending on the makeup of your house, this may or may not fit in with the
decor...but here's what I did in a similar situation. I got some old weathered barnwood siding and used that, mitered. It was very grey, and I'm not sure what kind of wood it was. Cedar or some kind of fir, I think, and about 11" wide. I couldn't get the lengths as long as I needed either, so I had a blacksmithing friend make some straps that look like the ones here to cover the seams. He basicall cut them out of some sheet steel, hammered on them a bit, blackened them with some oxide process he uses, and I bolted them on. http://www.hennisenterprises.com/beams.htm "BKeane71" wrote in message ... Hello, everyone. We've been doing some construction on our house, and I have a question for you. We've knocked down a bearing wall, placed a really thick beam, and now I'm trying to dress up the beam so SWMBO doesn't mind looking at it. The surrounding trim is just stained pine, but I was hoping to go a different route with this. I was hoping to laminate some sort of wood onto it, but wasn't sure what would look best. The beam's dimensions are 12ft 4in long, 5 1/2 in deep, and hangs 8 1/4 in from the ceiling, which is textured plaster. Keep in mind I don't have a bandsaw, so I won't be able to resaw. I was thinking of using 3/4 inch material cut to size. Also, I know that I'll need some pretty big pieces as I want the laminated beam to look like a single piece, rather than like a beam with a bunch of different pieces of wood glued to it. So, anybody have some good species of wood in mind?? Thanks a bunch. -Barry |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
BKeane71 wrote:
So, anybody have some good species of wood in mind?? Walnut. I always have walnut in mind for everything. Always. -- Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621 http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/ http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/ |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
"BKeane71" wrote in message ... Hello, everyone. I was hoping to laminate some sort of wood onto it, but wasn't sure what would look best. The beam's dimensions are 12ft 4in long, 5 1/2 in deep, and hangs 8 1/4 in from the ceiling, which is textured plaster. -Barry So you want to glue something on to the beam and make it look 'authentic' ? Go out and buy yourself a set of goalie shin pads.....and a broadaxe....and hand hew the beam into an authentic hand hewn beam that you can look up at and be proud of. If the broadaxe is intimidating go for a adze. Remove the beam, stand on the beam and place one foot, toe up (heel on timber) and use the toe of your shoe as a 'stop' for your adze handle (6 " or so up from the adze head). Safer than straddling the timber when using the adze. If you want to straddle the timber ....don't forget the hockey goalie shin pads . ......Ken |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Really fast and cheap. Woodgrain contact paper.
-- Roger Shoaf About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then they come up with this striped stuff. "BKeane71" wrote in message ... Hello, everyone. We've been doing some construction on our house, and I have a question for you. We've knocked down a bearing wall, placed a really thick beam, and now I'm trying to dress up the beam so SWMBO doesn't mind looking at it. The surrounding trim is just stained pine, but I was hoping to go a different route with this. I was hoping to laminate some sort of wood onto it, but wasn't sure what would look best. The beam's dimensions are 12ft 4in long, 5 1/2 in deep, and hangs 8 1/4 in from the ceiling, which is textured plaster. Keep in mind I don't have a bandsaw, so I won't be able to resaw. I was thinking of using 3/4 inch material cut to size. Also, I know that I'll need some pretty big pieces as I want the laminated beam to look like a single piece, rather than like a beam with a bunch of different pieces of wood glued to it. So, anybody have some good species of wood in mind?? Thanks a bunch. -Barry |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Level beam but floors still sagging?? | Home Repair | |||
Bouncy floor. New beam didn't fix? | Home Repair | |||
Beam math | Home Repair | |||
I Beam Bending Like a Pretzel??? | Metalworking | |||
Moment of Inertia for S Type I Beam | Metalworking |