Installing Faux Wooden Beams - First Part

Last time I showed you the ceiling in my bedroom it looked very nice after fixing some nasty little problems (nails popping out and water stains).  A good coat of paint, well kind of two coats of paint and it looked as good as new, right?! 

I liked having a nice clean ceiling, but it was boring. 

A high, slanted, "gi-nourmous" space up there that was screaming for something. 
That something was BEAMS.

My plan, install  5, five, cinco beams.  A big, chunky one at the very top and four more, perpendicular to that big one.  Just like this:

Putting together pieces of wood like this:

That would look something like this, on the ceiling:

The first step was to draw some lines to help me picture how they were going to be installed.  That big beam had to be 18" wide, since I wanted that beam to continue the same line as in that wall (left picture below).

Then,chalk lines determined the beams placement.

I began marking the spots where the ceiling joists were located, that's were the 2x4s cleats were going to be screwed to.   A stud finder is the tool that is usually recommended for this, but I simply don't like them, perhaps the one I have is a cheap one that doesn't work how it is supposed.  So, the best way for me to find the joists and be sure of their location is by punching little holes, as you can see in the low right picture, in between those two red lines is where the joist is located, so I marked the center of it.

The top beam was going to be held by two 2x4s.  I had no trouble there, there was plenty of places to drive screws to hold it.

I wanted the other four beams to be spaced symmetrically on the ceiling, two at the ends, along the walls, and two more in the middle but proportionately centered. I was not lucky, there were no joists above them to support their weight.  The solution, go up there to the attic and install supports (red lines in pic), between the joists.

I brought all the tools needed for this project to the room, at times it got very messy, but it was better than going up and down the steps to the coooold garage!

Here cutting the supports, before heading one more time to the attic.

That's what I was doing when I got stuck, remember?   I talked about that HERE.

Well, with the supports in place, I could go ahead and begin installing the 2x4 cleats underneath.  Like this:

While working in the attic I marked (again by punching holes), where the supports had being placed, so the 2x4s were pre-drilled right in those places for an easier install.   (I need to get a new drill - driver  BIG TIME!)

The first one went up.

Then the second.  By the way, I couldn't have done this without the help of my husband, really, holding a 12' 2x4 up there is not that easy, especially with my weak arms. I kept on measuring, cutting, holding and he was holding and driving screws.

Just to make sure those beams stay in place we drove two screws in each marked spot.

We left the space needed, plus 1/4" more, for the beams to fit along both walls.

After two days of work this is how it looked.

Ready to be pretty up a bit more.

Next time, the pretty beams that cover those not so pretty 2x4s.


For the Second Part, Click HERE.
For the third and final part, Click HERE.