There are lots of ways to completely transform the look of your home thanks to the creative minds of DIY bloggers.
Heather of The Heathered Nest has come up with a very inexpensive way to give your home a completely new look.
Installing these faux beams will make it look like you spent thousands of dollars when you didn’t giving your home an old romantic feel.
“I love ’em. Always have. To me, they say, ‘Come on in and snuggle by the fire,'” Heather writes on her blog. “Or, ‘Join us for a relaxing dinner in our cozy (but extremely elegant) kitchen.’ And ‘Prop your feet up and relax in our rustic retreat’.”
These “dreamy” faux wood beams offer a rustic feel that looks like its taken some serious architectural craftsmanship to create.
But Heather found that installing real wooden beams would take some serious architectural craftsmanship as well as some serious cash.
“And when I realized this, suddenly, the beam dream became obscene. And so ended my love affair with beams,” she explains.
That was until she figured out how to do it the DIY way.
“We discovered FAUX BEAMS! And just like that, my love affair with beams was back on again. For just a fraction (like 1/5) of the cost of REAL wood beams, and just a teensy, tiny percentage of the weight (which is important for installation), it is possible to buy and install these faux beams,” she writes.
But these faux beams look anything but.
You’d never be able to guess that they aren’t made of real wood by looking at them.
Here’s what Heather need to get the job done along with links to the materials she used:
- faux beams
- joist hangers (must us adjustable joist hangers if you have a sloped ceiling)
- 2×4’s
- screws
- wood putty
- drywall togglebolts
- laser level or line level
- standard level (the bigger the better)
- two sets of hands
- angle finder
- studfinder
- tape measure
- screwgun
- circular saw (to cut 2×4’s)
- handsaw (to cut faux beam)
- ladder (or two, depending on where/how high you’ll be installing)
- telescoping work poles (not necessary but helpful)
First, she had to determine the layout of where you want your beams and how many you want to install.
They suggest that you’ll probably want bigger beams if you’re ceiling is higher.
Next, you’ll have to install the joist hangers. This what Heather used because she has a vaulted ceiling.
“If you’re lucky, you have a stud where you want to put the hangers, which makes them pretty easy to install. If not, you need to use anchors…not a big deal in this situation since the faux beams are so light,” Heather explains.
The goal is to get all four joist hangers at the same height and level. You’ll use two per beam.
It will help you install the beams. Using a laser level or a string with a link level or bubble level will also come in handy.
Next, you’ll have to screw or “sister” two 2 x 4’s together.
You’ll need the longest 2 x 4’s they have to fit the span of your ceiling. This will give your beams more strength. Then cut them to length.
If you’re doing cathedral ceilings, you’ll need to cut angles at the ends of your 2 x 4’s. Cut to length and set them in the joist hangers and screw them to the hanger.
Cut your faux beams to length. If you’re working at an angle, get an angle finder to help you.
You’ll probably need two people to install your faux beams. Lift them up with use the underside to cover the joist you installed. If the fit isn’t snug, cut a few spacers from your scrap wood and screw them to the joist.
Place these every few feet or so. Once the beams are up, make sure they are level.
Now screw through the faux beam and into the joist.
“We used black drywall screws, which can’t even be seen with our particular beam once installed. But if you can see the holes from the screws, fill those screw holes with wood putty (make sure the putty matches the beam) and there you have it…beautiful faux wood beams…and no one will be able to tell the difference!” Heather explains.
You can find additional details at https://heatherednest.com/faux-beams/.
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