Faux Pine Beams in Basement Media Room
burrhead212
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I am planning on putting some fake wood beams (coffered ceiling) in my family (media) room. I am thinking of using 1×10 and 1×8 pine planks for building the boxes (7″x9″) and rabbiting the joints for a clean squared off look. I’m interested in getting some input because I’m a little concerned about the wood expanding and contracting. Would I be better off using a verneer plywood and taping the edges (I think the joint would be more noticable). Or is there another way to go about this? I should mention that I live in the mountians and don’t get a lot of seasonal humidity changes. Yes… I will be running speaker wires and power wires for lights.
Thanks.
Replies
I assume you will leave the wood looking natural. In any case, you should not have any trouble with seasonal expansion and contraction if you use vertical grain boards. That would also be called quarter-sawn lumber. Generally you get this grain configuration with clear lumber.
With vertical grain, you get little or no expansion and contraction across the width of the board. Instead, it occurs across the thickness. And because that is such a short dimention, the movement is negligible. I doubt you could even measure it.
Perhaps, more importantly, the expansion and contraction with vertical grain lumber does not induce any cupping or the stress that causes cupping and can also cause splitting.
It pays to look at the wood before you buy it. Ideally, the clear pine with vertical grain would have as fine of a grain as possible, coming from larger trees.
Another wood that you might consider is vertical grain clear douglas fir. In boards wider than 4", that material can be very fine grain, and straight grain. It has a richer, redder look than pine.
Faux Pine beams in basement media room
Thanks for the feedback! I was a little concerned about the cupping as well. I'm thinking if I add some internal structure (and lots of glue) it will help reduce the chances of any cupping. Fir would look good too...
Basically, if the "beams"
Basically, if the "beams" have no internal framing or whatever that would prevent the wood from moving where it wants, your standard U-shaped dummy beam can expand and contract quite a bit without compromising the joints -- it's flexible enough that it won't matter that the opening of the "U" is locked in place.. Your only real worry is cupping, and you can reduce that risk by putting the same finish on both sides of the wood.
Beam structure
Great point on finishing the beam on both sides to help prevent cupping. I was thinking of leaving small gaps hidden in the beam intersections on the vertical sides of the boxes to allow for some expansion/contraction. As well I may add some "ribs" to fill the insides of the boxes to help maintain the shape and attach it to the ceiling.
Faux Pine Beams
You might consider the faux molded foam alternative. The material is made in one piece with no seams and has minial movement. There are different textures availible to fit the "feel" you are trying to acheive. Take a look at the Old TImber and Sandblasted styles and see if that is a viable option for you. They are "U" shaped so you can run wiring, etc through them.
Regards.
Foam Beams
Thanks for the suggestion but my gut tells me to stick to real wood!
If you like the look of wood, then use wood. Many of my clients have been given that line.