Painting rough wood ceiling beams
I have rough wood ceiling beams. What can I use to case them out? They are 4 x 6 and I want to paint them but they have knot holes and are rough cut, and they have been heavily stained.
3 answers
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I have those as well. Perhaps you could spray paint them, but I'd worry that the dark stain would weep through the paint. So, it might need a barrier between - polyurethane, shellac, or such. (check with your paint dealer) Good luck with that BIG JOB.
![Pat]()
Pat
on Mar 01, 2016
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My suggestion would be to consult a professional tradesperson. He/she will have the hands on experience and advice you need, and most likely the easiest and cost effective way to tackle your job. Best of luck.
![Diana Deiley]()
Diana Deiley
on Mar 01, 2016
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It would have helped if you posted pictures. It sounds like you have pine beams??? Depending on the age of your home the stain may not be a stain at all but a varnish which with a little bit of elbow grease can be removed. Do you want to keep the beams exposed or do you want to encase them? This is the one of the first things you need to decide. I happen to like exposed beams if they are beautiful, rough hewn or finished. If you want to keep them natural you could sand them down and then polyurethane them in a satin finish (if you don't like gloss ) and water based if you don't want the wood yellowing. You can sand them down really well and keep them natural. Again it is hard to advise when we can't see the beams and the room. You can also white wash the beams after sanding them down. You said they were stained but not if there is a finish on them. If they are stained you can sand them and then white wash lightly and let some of the dark come through. All of this depends on your esthetic and decor. If you are a do it your selfer and are not afraid to tackle this yourself do your homework first. Google exposed beams and what you can do with them. I am hesitant to suggest covering them with drywall because again I don't know which room it is or what it looks like. If you decide to paint you will need to use a primer that will block the stain from coming thru. There is Zinser and Kilz, but again I would do research, and then ask where you will be purchasing your paint. The other thing I am wondering is are they real beams or are they faux. There was a period of time when the thing was to put ceiling "beams" in and they were not real. This is another thing you have to check out. IF they are faux I think they can be removed if they are not covering something like an I beam. Diane was right in consulting someone that knows his or her stuff and can help you make decisions. Sometimes getting professional advise will save a lot of headaches down the line. Hope this helps. Good luck :)
![Leslie]()
Leslie
on Mar 01, 2016
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