Everything You’d Need To Know About Faux Wood Beams
Question and answer time!
At Old World Traditions we get a lot of the same questions from our customers so we thought it’d be helpful to run through a few of them here:
What are the beams made out of?
Polyurethane. Think of it as a high density foam. Some people are under the impression they’re made out of styrofoam just like your to-go cup from Burger King — that’s not the case. The beams have a density closer to a lighter wood, like pine.
What size should I use?
There isn’t a rule you have to follow here, but you’d like for the beams to appear structural.
That means that 4×6 beams on a 20′ ceiling won’t look right. Same goes for a 14×16 beam on a 10′ ceiling.
Our recommendations:
8′-10′ ceiling height: 6×4 to 8×8
10′-12′ ceilings: 8×6 to 8×10
12′ — 20’+ ceilings: 8×10 to 12×15 and up.
When deciding between a couple of sizes you may want to adjust the number of beams needed (say, four spans of the smaller beam vs. five spans of the larger beam).
Or when in doubt you can pick an 8×6 or 8×10. People like those and can work just about anywhere.
How far should I space the beams?
Again, there isn’t a law you have to follow, but typical spacing ranges between 3′ — 6′ apart, with most more like 4′-5′ apart.
You want these to look functional, so bigger spacing is ok with big beams while smaller beams should be closer together.
I’m big on symmetry, so I like to start in the middle of the room (or at a main focal point) and work outward.
If you have a ceiling fan in the center of the room you can put a beam at the end of each fan blade and go outward accordingly.
If you run into a vent/light at that spacing you can then squeeze in and out from there till you find your winner — your ceiling will often dictate the spacing for you.
Can I get a beam to wrap my existing beam?
Yep, sure can. If you can provide the dimensions of the beam needing to be wrapped we can either find a stock sized beam that will wrap it or we can go the custom route to ensure proper clearance.
How do are these faux wood beams installed?
It’s easy.
- Attach blocking to ceiling
- Beams slide over blocking
- Screw in through the side of the beam into the blocking
- Putty over the small screw head
- Celebrate your awesome room
*Check the install section for detailed video tutorial*
Are these beams available fire rated?
Almost all textures are available in a fire rated foam.
We run into this requirement a lot on large commercial projects.
If you have a project that calls for fire rated material we can send you the testing information.
Note: You MUST check with your local county/fire marshall/head honcho to confirm this material meets requirements. Everywhere has their differences (I’m looking at you California!).
How are your prices?
At Old World Traditions we offer very competitive pricing. Look around online and you’ll see.
I can’t guarantee you won’t be able to find someone online who is willing to slash prices to save you $10 but I can guarantee you we’ll provide you a very fair price and treat you well.
Plus, if you go with another company you don’t get us, and we’re the best. And it’s like my father taught me, “Be careful when you go hunting for the world’s cheapest option, you may just find it.”
Can I get a matching mantel?
In almost all textures we can make mantels to match.
Will my mantel catch on fire?
No, you’re good. It’d take flames shooting out of the firebox and making direct contact with the mantel for a period of time for it to ignite. Basically you’d have to throw the mantel into the fire for it to burn. It’s a safe product.
I’d like to rest my big flat screen TV on the mantel, is that a good idea?
Nope, bad idea. Mantels are purely decorative and anything outside of the usual stuff (picture frames, candle sticks, etc) should be avoided. Common sense rules on this one.
I still have questions you didn’t answer! Now what!?
Okay, sorry about that! Check out our website and you’ll see our contact info there where you can get a hold of us: www.owtraditions.com.
