Installing beams on your ceiling can provide a rustic look to any room and can increase the visual appeal of your living space. Because cedar offers warm color tones, beams made from this type of wood can help brighten an otherwise dull room. The weight of solid cedar beams can make this project challenging; however, you can accomplish this task with basic carpentry tools and the help of two assistants.
Instructions
1. Snap a chalk line along the ceiling to mark the position for each cedar beam.
2. Locate the ceiling joists with a stud finder. Mark the stud locations 2 inches from each chalk line with a pencil.
3. Measure the width of the ceiling with a measuring tape. Cut 4-by-4 inch cedar beams to length with a circular saw.
4. Center a cedar beam on one chalk line. Have an assistant stand on a sturdy ladder at each end and hold the beam against the ceiling. Drill a pilot hole through the beam into each ceiling joist that the beam crosses. The pilot holes should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the bolts you will use to secure the beams.
5. Equip the drill with a paddle bit that is 1/4-inch wider than the bolt heads. Drill a hole 1/4-inch deep into the underside of the beam at each pilot hole. This allows the bolt heads to sit flush with the underside of the beam.
6. Insert and tighten 6-inch bolts through each pilot hole with a ratchet. Repeat this process for each additional beam.
Tags: chalk line, pilot hole, bolt heads, cedar beam, cedar beams, each pilot