Attaching decorative wooden beams to the ceiling. Assembly and installation of decorative beams. Qualitative characteristics of polyurethane false beams
To imitate ceiling beams made of wood, lightweight polyurethane false beams are used. Externally, they are absolutely no different from wood products, but are hollow inside. Therefore, false beams are used not only for decorative design, but also as boxes for electrical wiring or ventilation hoses. Spot lighting is often built into such products. Moreover, you need to use only lamps whose power does not exceed 50W, otherwise heating can damage the structure of the beam.
Video: installation of imitation ceiling beams.
Textures and colors of decorative beams
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| Dark oak | Wenge | Cherry |
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| Dark oak | dark olive | Light oak |
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| Nut | Olive | Oak |
Installation of false beams
To fasten false beams, so-called wedge beams are used. These are small elements made of wood, the shape of which completely repeats the cross-sectional shape of the beam cavity. Such wedges are secured with dowels and screws, screwing them either straight through the middle of the product, or from the longitudinal side at an angle.
Install wedge bars according to pre-applied markings at a distance of 1 m from each other. Polyurethane glue is applied to the ceiling (along the lines of the beams). This is done not to fix the imitation, but to ensure that after installing the beam there are no gaps left on the side.
After this, the false beam is put on wedges and screwed with self-tapping screws. If the room is large and the beams are short, then they are joined together, and the joints are covered with decorative elements. Often, after installing false beams, polyurethane consoles are installed along the walls, which also do not carry a functional load and serve as purely decorative elements.
Installation of ceiling cornices and skirting boards
Ceiling plinths are very easy to install. They are fixed using appropriate glue, pressing tightly to the ceiling-wall joint. In the corners, the skirting boards are cut at 45°. It is better to start installation from the corner.
Ceiling cornices are used for hanging curtains directly from the ceiling level. Install them on a flat base. First, markings are applied to the ceiling, keeping equal distances on both sides of the window. If the ceiling cornice has a decorative overlay, then it is fixed before installation begins. Then holes are drilled in the ceiling and the cornice is secured using dowel nails.
The distance between them should be 60cm, the distances from the edges of the cornice should be about 2cm. After this, curtain hooks are inserted into the cornice and the corners are closed with plugs.
Such cornices are drilled into plasterboard using butterfly dowels. Sometimes ceiling cornices hung on metal brackets, which are attached to the wall above the window. This is done in cases where it is impossible to attach the cornice to the base ceiling (for example, with a ready-made tension ceiling).
For decorating a large living room in an apartment or country house You can use false beams or decorative beams that are attached to the ceiling and participate in creating a “country” interior style. The requirements for the room are as simple as a hole below the waterline - the living room must be large and high, otherwise you are guaranteed discomfort instead of comfort.
What is a false beam
A false beam is a decorative element that visually resembles a classic wooden beam, but weighs much less and is fixed artificially, that is, using a system of fasteners or glue. Such elements are produced in various sections and colors; if necessary, their tone can be changed in the future different ways depending on the material (usually polyurethane).
Installation of false beam
Tools for installing false beams will require:
- — Hacksaw and miter box,
- - Pencil, tape measure and knife,
- — Hammer and drills,
- — Self-tapping screws from 50 mm, dowels and glue for fixing beams.
Automotive putty may come in handy, and most likely you will need a rip cord or regular twine and a handful of cement.
Fastening the bars
If decorative polyurethane beams are used for installation, then they should not be attached directly to the ceiling, but on wooden dies (bars) suitable for the size of the internal section of the elements. This is a necessity, because DPBs are staple-shaped and hollow.
The bars are drilled through for subsequent fixation to the ceiling, and markings are made on the ceiling base. When forming beam structure Keep in mind that the fixing bars should be at a distance from each other from 80 to 120 cm, and at the corners of the structure, decorative beams are cut at 45 degrees using a miter box and fixed to the dies end-to-end with the cut edges.
Beam fastening
Now holes are punched along the marking line with a puncher and the dies are fixed to the base with dowels. To attach beams to them, you can use various composite adhesives; we recommend Moment-Montazh or Regent adhesives. If the beam fits tightly onto the block (photo 2), then the glue is applied to the end and longitudinal parts of the beam, but if there is a gap on the sides, then it is only glued inner side element and it presses against the block for a minute or two.
After a few hours, we recommend additionally fixing the beam elements on the sides with self-tapping screws (photo 3), which can then be decorated with forging staples or sealed with automotive putty and then painted to match the beam alkyd paint or stain.
If you live in a private house with natural beams, then it is enough to decorate them with the same stain or alkyd paint. Do not under any circumstances try to dismantle such structures, because they not only please (upset, depending on how) the eye, but also serve as supports for the roof, second floor or attic floor.
Previously, beams under the ceiling solved a completely functional problem - they supported the ceiling. Now this purely decorative element is most often found in interiors made in a rustic or Old English style, in Provence, country and chalet styles. It’s a good idea to integrate beams into modern styles interior: loft, modern, minimalism, hi-tech.
Decorative ones look most advantageous in rooms with high ceilings, which dictates their placement mainly in houses with a ceiling height of three meters or more. Wooden beams under the ceiling - stylish element home decoration, emphasizing the spaciousness of the room, and in some cases also supporting functional load(for example, used to hide communications). Most often, beams are placed in kitchens, hallways, halls and offices.
Types of beams
Certainly, modern houses rarely decorated with real wooden elements under the ceiling. Although there are connoisseurs of natural things who prefer real heavy beams for ceiling decoration, usually in a country house.
Building materials stores offer a huge selection of false beams made of lightweight and easy-to-install polyurethane. Visually, such elements are indistinguishable from natural wood, and in practice they even surpass it in some ways.
The advantages of polyurethane false beams include the fact that they:
- are not afraid of dampness, do not swell from excess moisture;
- do not crack or deform;
- very easy to attach to the ceiling (including suspended ceilings).
However, lovers of naturalness can opt for false beams made of MDF or chipboard, hollow inside. Veneers made of wood are glued onto such beams. valuable species tree. You can find options made from lamellas. Beams come with sharp and rounded edges, U-shaped and L-shaped (to decorate joints).
Table. Comparison of polyurethane and wooden false beams.
To design a high-tech style, some designers use metal beams, however, such elements are more difficult to install and require professional installation.
How to make decorative ceiling beams with your own hands
Some craftsmen make beams with their own hands, which takes a minimum of time and is inexpensive. For example, in order to make false beams, you can use ordinary foam plastic, which is left over from insulating a garage or loggia.
Step 1. Cut sheets 4-5 cm thick into strips of the required width.
Step 2. Glue the strips liquid nails into a U-shaped beam.
Step 3. After setting, cut the beams into pieces of the required length.
Step 4. Cover the beams self-adhesive film under the tree (except for the side that will be glued to the wall).
Using the same technology, you can make beams from plywood or even regular boards. The boards can then be aged, covered with stain and varnish.
If you want to make beams from natural timber, you can buy edged polished timber, for example, 70x50. When choosing, be sure to check that it is smooth and dry. Then you need to treat it with stain and varnish and cut into required length. This is also an inexpensive and accessible option.
Decorating beams
Each interior style will require its own style of beam design.
- For classic and victorian styles you can decorate the beams with gold carvings, decorate them with patterns and vignettes. You can find such ready-made polyurethane beams on sale.
- White, black, brown and also colored beams will be ideal solution for modern interiors.
- For the high-tech style, the design of beams to look like metal is suitable.
- To create a country style, the wood will need to be aged.
- For rural style(country) is characterized by a distinctly rough texture.
Options for placing beams on the ceiling
False beams can be used to decorate any type of ceiling: suspended, plasterboard, regular painted, etc. With their help, you can zone a room or create such a popular decorative element as a false window on the ceiling with imitation of stained glass. Decorative beams can imitate window coverings, between which during the work process a canvas with photo printing, mosaic, frescoes and even mirror panels are glued. The modern European trend is very interesting, when beams go onto walls.
Beams can be decorated on top LED backlight, which will give a special decorative effect. The beams in which they are mounted look amazing ceiling lamps. All wiring in this case is hidden inside the hollow structure.
In general, beams on the ceiling will give a feeling of warmth and comfort to the living space, add zest to modern interior styles and allow you to create the necessary authenticity in public institutions such as clubs or pubs.
How to position the beams
If the room needs visual expansion, then when positioning the beams the following points must be taken into account.
- If you need to make the room wider, then the beams need to be placed on the short side.
- If you need to increase the length, the beams should be placed along the entire length of the ceiling.
- A criss-cross arrangement will give the room visual volume.
- One beam can highlight a separate area: for example, a bar counter.
The frequency of location also plays a big role. For example, if the ceiling height is very high (which happens on the first floors of buildings), placing the beams close to each other helps to reduce it a little. If the ceilings are of medium height, the beams should be mounted at a greater distance from each other. Beams can also be laid in a herringbone pattern. Attic rooms without a ceiling they look especially impressive if the ceiling beams pass through the columns and are attached at the ends to the walls, creating the effect of a hut.
How to attach beams to the ceiling
The specifics of the procedure depend on the material from which the false beams are made. Let's take a closer look at each of the options.
How to glue foam false beams to a regular ceiling
This is the simplest option for placing false beams in modern apartment. If you want to decorate your kitchen or living room quickly, inexpensively and on our own, best option can not found.
Step 1. First, marks are made on the ceiling and walls to indicate the places where the false beams will be glued. The sticker areas need to be primed for better adhesion.
Step 2. Then the beam is coated with liquid nails and glued to the required place. Foam products are practically weightless, and liquid nails set literally instantly.
Some instructions advise to apply it to the wall at the same time, but if there is too much glue, the beam may begin to slide down the wall. That's why golden mean needs to be determined experimentally.
Step 3. If the room is narrow, you can stick 2 beams along long walls rooms, and cross beams just place it perpendicular to them. Such simple ceiling will help hide the unevenness of the usual concrete ceiling and it will look very advantageous.
How to quickly secure wooden beams to a wooden or concrete ceiling
This is also not very difficult or expensive to do.
Step 1. We draw lines on the ceiling for placement.
Step 2. We drill holes in the timber with a 12 mm drill no more than 0.5 centimeters deep every 30 cm.
Step 3. In the same holes we drill 8 mm holes into which we drive 120 mm self-tapping screws.
Step 4. We apply timber and mark the locations for the holes in the ceiling.
Step 5. Drill 8 mm holes on the ceiling in the marked places using a hammer drill.
Step 6 We drive chopsticks into them.
Step 7 We screw the beam.
Since the head of the screw is hidden, we cover these places with wood putty. After drying, tint with stain, then varnish. You can cover the screw heads with wooden plugs or special decorative overlays that imitate the heads of forged nails. You can attach nails to regular dowels - this is an even faster option.
If cross distribution of beams is planned, unevenness may occur at the joints. The design of these units depends on the style in which the room is decorated. If it is country, for example, then these places can be covered with leather decorative belts or large twine glued in several rows.
Installation of polyurethane decorative beams on beams
This professional way installation
Decorative beam B1 made of polyurethane (wenge, cherry, oak, olive, walnut, light oak)
Step 1. For polyurethane false beams, wedge beams are made from wood, which fully comply internal cavity beams.
Step 2. The ceiling is marked: lines are drawn along which the beams will be attached.
Step 3. The wedge bars are installed along a line every 1 meter using screws or dowels.
Step 4. When installing a false beam, polyurethane adhesive is applied to the ceiling. This is not necessary for fixation, but for a tighter fit to the ceiling so that there are no gaps left.
Step 5. The beam is tightly placed on the beams and screwed through the sides with screws.
Step 6 The screws that attach the false beam to the beam and the joints of the beams are covered with decorative leather straps with imitation rivets.
Features of the installation of beams on a suspended ceiling
To do suspended ceiling and decorate it with decorative tanks, you should install embedded parts, similar to those installed for hanging chandeliers. Embedding for a decorative false beam is easy wooden block required thickness. It is attached to the main ceiling, and the suspended ceiling is stretched in such a way that it passes touching the lower plane of the bar. Then false beams are attached through the ceiling to the beam.
You can use fastening of beams using hangers. Suspensions are attached to the base. and after tensioning the ceiling, slits are made in the canvas. Specific actions depend on the type of material.
If the suspended ceiling has been hanging for a long time, but you want to somehow diversify the interior without dismantling the canvas, you can use external consoles with fasteners to the wall or internal bars screwed to the walls. Beams will be attached to them with self-tapping screws.
Features of the installation of beams on a plasterboard ceiling
Because plasterboard ceiling It is suspended, you can’t just attach beams to it. You will have to remember/tap the places where the frame profiles go and attach the beams to them. Can be attached to any in a convenient way: with a long anchor through the beam, gypsum board and profile or on a block attached with a self-tapping screw to the gypsum board and profile. A self-tapping screw screwed exclusively onto drywall will not hold the beam for long.
Some nuances
The joints of beams or the exit points of self-tapping screws are covered various kinds decorative overlays, among which are the following:
- camouflage with decorative rope;
- masking with wax pencil;
- masking with forged copper plates;
- decorative leather belts.
To decorate the space, you can use decorative consoles, which are sold together with beams and create an imitation of supports on the walls. If cables for lighting devices will run inside the polyurethane beam, they must be hidden in corrugated protection.
Video - Installation of wooden decorative beams on the ceiling
This way you can get a very beautiful unusual interior with an emphasis on wooden beams under the ceiling. This interior does not require a large investment of money, and you can fix the beams with your own hands in just a few hours.
Russia has long been famous for its architectural monuments made of wood, and although now there are no conditions for its prosperity, nevertheless, the touches ancient culture still appear in modern design residential buildings and recreational areas. This is confirmed by false ceiling beams, which can increasingly be seen when entering a restaurant, cafe or private home.
Decorative beams. What are they and what are they for?
For modern design, special, lightweight polyurethane decorative beams have been developed, which appearance no different from wood, but hollow inside. Such design elements serve not only as decoration, but also as a device for hiding various defects on the ceiling and walls, and are also a box for electrical wiring and even plumbing communications.
What can be done with decorative beams
- We are talking about decorative design elements - beams, which do not bear functional responsibility and, in fact, are false, because a beam is a horizontal beam that carries the mass of the ceiling or serves to stiffen the frame (see).
- Nowadays the Countri style is in fashion, and when you enter a public establishment such as a cafe, restaurant or bar, you will be able to see the decoration of the room with false beams, with lighting fixtures built into them. On the one hand it’s beautiful, on the other hand it’s convenient. The product range includes products different color, repeating the structure of oak, beech, bamboo, spruce and other tree species.
- With the help of such decorative elements the room is given a romantic touch of antiquity and, although the style is called Country, this does not mean that the design should have a touch of Western culture.
- Nowadays, false ceiling beams can imitate both rural life and an ancient castle, and can even create the atmosphere of a tavern.
- For registration decorative beams They also use unique belts that imitate a forged strip with rivets. Such decoration will give the room a feeling of quality and comfort (see).
- Like any construction work, installation of polyurethane false beams begins with marking the ceiling. That is, you need to mark the places where the beams will be located in order to install wedges to fix them.
Installation of decorative polyurethane beams
- The wedge beam for the polyurethane false beam is made of wood and it must exactly fit the cavity of the device. The cavity itself has the shape of a trapezoid, which is why it is called a wedge (see). To fasten them, dowels and screws are used, which can be used to fix the element through the middle, or from the longitudinal side, screwing in the screws diagonally.
The distance between the wedge bars is 1 meter
- The wedges for fastening the polyurethane beam are installed at a distance of one meter and when marking, it is advisable to make control lines on the side of the future beam so that there is a reference point to the beams. When installing the beam, you need to apply polyurethane glue to the wall surface. This measure will serve not so much for fixation as for a tighter fit so that there are no gaps left after assembly.
- The false beam is put on the wedges and screwed to them with self-tapping screws. Right now you will need marks made on the side of the wedges, and you can cover the screws with a decorative belt or bracket. If the beam turns out to be short, then join it to the next one and again cover the joint with decorative elements.
- After assembling the false beams, you can install consoles, which also have no functional purpose, but only serve decorative decoration, creating an imitation of backup.
- I would like to pay special attention to the lighting, because the false beams for the ceiling are empty inside, which allows you to hide the wiring and install recessed lamps. Although polyurethane belongs to the category of CM (structural materials), it has a temperature limit that operates in the range from -60⁰C to +80⁰C. This suggests that lighting, which will be mounted in them, should not have more than 50 W, so as not to create a critical temperature for the crystal lattice of the material.
- Wiring electrical wires in the cavity of the false beams made of polyurethane is made in the protective shell of the cable channel in the form of a corrugated hose. But to install the wire you will need holes in the wedge bars, which must be made in advance.
- The thinnest corrugated cable channel is 10 mm, so the hole in the wedge beam must be made at least 12 mm. To install recessed luminaires, holes can be cut with a knife according to the diameter of the socket console.
Recommendation. When routing electrical wires in the cavity of a polyurethane false beam, use metal rather than plastic corrugated cable duct. In the event of a short circuit, the metal will protect the polyurethane walls of the beam.
For parallel connection spotlights make loops, and you can make them together with a corrugated hose. When the loop is cut, the excess parts of the corrugation can be cut off by pulling it to the required distance.
Conclusion
Artificial beams in modern design help without special costs It’s difficult to change the interior beyond recognition, and besides, when installing such structures, there is almost no waste left. Please note that false ceiling beams can be installed independently, without resorting to the help of professionals - you just need to have necessary tool and desire. To ensure that their installation fully matches the interior of the room, you can contact either a designer or select a project using catalogs.
The ceiling beams are good remedy for hiding wiring, unsightly places in the interior. They create a unique interior in the room, it seems as if you are on an old ship or have gone back in time.
In old wooden houses ceiling beams are often present in their present form. Ceilings with beams can be decorated by adding false joists and, for example, fixing lamps in them. Let's look at the main subtleties of how you can make beams on the ceiling with your own hands and highlight the interior. A ceiling with beams is a structure made of hollow U- or L-shaped structures; they do not provide a significant load, but they give a very impressive look.
Beams on the ceiling
Preparation of work
Before you begin, you need to prepare and strengthen the ceiling, especially if the elements are made of metal or wood.
We will need following materials and tools:
- circular or hand saw;
- stapler, knife;
- glue (for belt);
- nails, hammer, square, tape measure;
- block 30x40 mm;
- decorative belt (I used imitation forging, antique).
Before work, it is very important to purchase goggles and a special mask to protect your eyes and respiratory tract from carpentry dust.
After work I had dust in my mouth, I could draw on my glasses, but I still often neglected it myself simple rule, but when I tried to use it, I didn’t regret it, which I recommend to everyone.
Decorative beams
Types of false beams
There are a great variety of them, ranging from traditional wooden ones, which add warmth to any interior and ceiling, to polyurethane and plasterboard, which differ affordable price, long period of operation.
Wood is not the cheapest material, but it allows you to make unique interior antique Despite the cost, false ceiling logs made of wood are popular due to the environmental friendliness of the material, practicality and very impressive appearance, which nothing can compare with.
False beams made of wood
Metal gives the ceiling an effect modern building, but at the same time in such logs there is no that old warmth that is felt in village houses With clay walls and beautiful antique ceilings.
Polyurethane is accessible and practical; such ceiling logs can imitate various materials, which is very convenient, but they are harmful and fire hazardous.
Making a wooden decorative beam with your own hands
I'll tell you about one thing in an interesting way how to make beautiful wooden beams on the ceiling with your own hands. We will need: an axe, and attachments for the grinder: a coarse metal brush, a fine attachment with sandpaper, a soft metal brush, I use discs from the popular Brigadier company, which last longer, although they cost a little more, you also need paint, fine-grained sandpaper, varnish or stain.
Aged wooden beam
To start acute angle with an ax we make notches and chips (which can be done from a heavily damaged old tree that has been eaten by bark beetles), after which we pass along the fibers with a coarse brush to clean out the unevenness; small grooves remain from it, which also look impressive.
Then, using sandpaper, we remove a small layer where burrs and irregularities remain, paint it with black paint, after which we take fine-grained sandpaper, even a small piece will do, and lightly remove it over the paint surface layer, open with varnish. The result is a beautiful monolithic block, from which you can then make a false ceiling joist on the ceiling by cutting out the core.
Aged beams
To make a false beam you need circular saw cut three boards from 3 sides of the beam, then align them evenly at an angle of 90 degrees and fasten them with self-tapping screws; the joints and caps are masked with wood putty.
Also, if there is a vertical metal support, you can cover it with 4 boards on self-tapping screws, putty the joints, after which you take any thick attachment, it can even be an old one with Pobedit coating for concrete, and we pass it along the fibers.
Also, where the grain pattern ends, we continue it on another board, not paying attention to the joints, you need to try to copy the natural structure, otherwise the interior will be unnatural, then we paint, it turns out very beautiful, plus we save time on cleaning and preparation.
Sometimes customers ask for an original ceiling with beams that would attract attention, for this I cover the ceiling with burnt clapboard diagonally, which visually enlarges the room. Then I first cover it with timber at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other, and then mount the beams on the ceiling.
- The cracks can be filled with wax using a spatula to create the effect of an iridescent shine on the ceiling;
- Using a drill, random holes are made, as if marks from bark beetles; the holes should be made at an angle in order to imitate naturalness as much as possible;
- The corners can be cleaned with a hard metal brush, because previously they were cleaned with an ax;
- A banal but neat burning blowtorch will convey a unique impression to the owner of such a ceiling;
- Pinotex interior is rubbed into the surface with a rag, which gives the wood a special old look, it is important to keep in mind that this is not a varnish, but a decor, and it must be applied with a rag in a minimal amount.
When rubbing in the composition, it is important to do this carefully so that there are no drips; the wood must absorb the composition naturally; in no case should it be painted with a brush or paint brush.
After that, if there are no special “tricks” in the form of wax, then I paint the beams on the ceiling with two layers of Tikkurila paint. The result is an interior with a ship's ceiling, when the floor rests on beams, which very effectively emphasizes the interior of transition zones and corridors.
Interior with ship ceiling
Installation
It can be done on the ceiling very quickly with your own hands, despite the advice of many companies providing such services.
To secure false beams to the ceiling, first install a 30 by 40 mm block. quick installation» to the ceiling on both sides. That is, to fasten an L-shaped joist as a plinth, you need to fix two slats on the ceiling and wall, a false beam is adjacent and attached to them, and for the U-shaped part, “rails” are made along the entire length of the future joist on the ceiling.
Beam installation
With a marker matched to the color, you can disguise chips on the ends. Also, when installing with self-tapping screws, you can hide the caps by first drilling out places with small nozzles - crowns, plugs are removed from the nozzle, which, after installation, are inserted back into the cracks and covered with a sealant that matches the color of the ceiling false beam.
After which it is usually nailed to the beams, under it you can hide the wiring and place lamps, these options should be thought out in advance, and the joints are hidden with a decorative belt or left as is.
As we can see, you shouldn’t rush to install beams on the ceiling, which happens much faster than other ways to effectively decorate the interior of a room, but you should think a little about the material for the ceiling joists, because it’s easy to decorate it effectively with your own hands.
