Have you ever wanted to make faux (fake in French) beams in house for a country or rustic appearance. Many old houses have some form of artificial beams and you can easily do this in your house with a few little tricks. First thing you want to do is to find the existing framing that is in your house, this is what your beam will be attached to. The easiest way to find framing in a wall of course is a stud finder, you can find one of these in your local hardware store. Mark your framing and determine the best spacing for your beams (most framing is either 16″ or 24″ spaced on center). Remember you do not have to use all the framing, just the ones to make your spacing right. There are several different configurations for wood beams, I illustrated the most simple and popular design, See Drawing.

On this drawing, I attached a 2×4 to the existing wall into the existing framing. You want to make sure you hit framing because the beam can be heavy and will eventually pull out a drywall anchor. After the 2×4 is up and in place, you can attach wood to simulate a wooden beam. In the drawing I suggested 1x material but you can use whatever suits your fancy. Most beams that are built in this fashion are built of rough cut cedar and stained to the owners liking. This of course can be made smaller or larger just use the size lumber that you feel are appropriate for your house.

Luke

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