How to Build Beautiful Faux Ceiling Beams

Authentic, Seamless Beams

For this project, I’m going for a real-beams look. Using a method called miter folding, I’ll transform a pair of 1x6s and a 1×8 board into a hollow beam. The miter seams will be invisible, and each beam will look like an actual solid piece. You’ll need a table saw or a track saw to pull this off, but your beams will look as if they are actually holding up the ceiling.

Beam Styles for Any Home

Hardwood + Stain

This is the clean, modern real-beam look I used for this project. I used red oak lumber with Simply White 275 Minwax stain.

Box Beams

You can build this beam style without a table saw by using 1×6 boards right from the store. No long bevel cuts needed.

Painted: Use finger-jointed preprimed boards, which come perfectly straight. Just nail them together, and then caulk, paint and install them.

Hardwood: Use straight-grained hardwood like mahogany, and the seams almost disappear. Nail the boards flush, apply finish and install.

Veneered Plywood

The advantage of veneered plywood? The sheets come straight as an arrow, making them easy to cut and fold together. The downside? You’re limited to the length of a sheet of plywood. Build longer beams by butting them together and covering the seam with a piece of matching molding.

Rustic/Distressed

With reclaimed barn wood, you can achieve that authentic farmhouse look. Barn wood is much more forgiving because it already has nail holes, dents and dings, and it requires no staining or finishing.

Ready-Made Faux Beams

A few companies manufacture beams of all styles using high-density foam. These beams are lighter than wood, easier to install and look realistic. Barron Designs customizes ultra-realistic beams in any length, width and height, and can even cap beams with a decorative scrolled end.

Fasten Ceiling Cleats

First, locate and mark the position and direction of each ceiling joist around the edges of the ceiling. Then, avoiding ceiling fixtures, mark where the beams will be positioned. Keep their spacing even and ensure each beam will be attached to a joist. The beams can be installed across or along the ceiling joists.

Next, attach 2×6 cleats to the ceiling joists where you’ll place the beams. I used a pair of 2×6 boards to wedge the cleats into position while I fastened them to the ceiling joists.

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