Help with timber frame

[pghstochaj]

Hi everybody,

I read this forum everyday but barely post, but having just moved into a new house I think that will change!

I have just bought a new timber framed house from 2002. It has lots of dated fittings which I am going to work through and update (the look will be modern rather than rustic). Looking at the master bedroom (which is split between a bedroom and a sort of living room), there are exposed beams as per the photographs below. I want to decorate in this room in the not too distant future and would really like to improve the look of these beams. They look like they have been coated in something but I don't know what wood/the quality of the wood beneath. Any suggestions on how to modernise the look of the beams please? I have thought about sanding but there's a fairly acute angle between the ceiling and the beam which I think would make this very difficult.

Thanks in advance!

[magooagain]

What about painting them Matt satin white. You will need to seal and prime them so there is no bleed of that wood stain through the new paint. I use a b-I-n primer sealer white pigmented shellac base by Zinsser. [url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/rKWtcfaB[/url]

Edited by magooagain on Sunday 16th April 15:00

[Blakeatron]

They will be some kind of softwood - i would just sand and paint them

[DrDeAtH]

First pic: You could box the lower beams in plasterboard to the lower and most visible face.
That would blend them into the ceiling a bit more.
To hide the ridge beam, just batten out the ceiling either side and apply some plasterboard.
That way, the beam will disappear giving a nice flat surface.

Edited by DrDeAtH on Sunday 16th April 17:29

[pghstochaj]

Thanks guys for the ideas so far. I think I will plasterboard the top beam as it will allow me to run some cables there too. Not sure about the bottom beam, I hoped to keep it as wood but lighten it up but perhaps that's not possible.

[thebraketester]

I think they would look a lot more modern if they were a lighter colour of natural wood.

[AndrewEH1]

thebraketester said:

I think they would look a lot more modern if they were a lighter colour of natural wood.

Good idea, the reddish/brown stain here is terrible!

[pghstochaj]

AndrewEH1 said:

Good idea, the reddish/brown stain here is terrible!

You should see the 7 km of skirting and door frames etc. that are the same colour! I don't know if there is any coating to lighten it but maintain the wood look. I would even clad it in something nicer, but this seems to be very expensive.

[AlexIT]

pghstochaj said:

You should see the 7 km of skirting and door frames etc. that are the same colour! I don't know if there is any coating to lighten it but maintain the wood look. I would even clad it in something nicer, but this seems to be very expensive.

Not sure how long it takes or if it actually works at all, but maybe this is worth a try on some small surface first:
http://www.wikihow.com/Bleach-Wood

[pghstochaj]

AlexIT said:

Not sure how long it takes or if it actually works at all, but maybe this is worth a try on some small surface first:
http://www.wikihow.com/Bleach-Wood

Thanks, it might be possible I could try this on the beam I will cover up. I have also contacted a veneering company as maybe this will be a way to hide it.

[pghstochaj]

Hi everybody,

I had to do some electrical work in this room and then found it wasn't insulated so I have taken down the ceiling to insulate it. I have used this as an opportunity to sand down the offending beams.I now have the beams as per the photograph below, can anybody recommend a product to seal and darken it slightly?

Thanks

[battered]

I'd paint it white and have done.

[skilly1]

Just read your post for the first time. You can get skirting board covers if that's any help to you

https://www.skirting4u.co.uk/31-mdf-skirting-board...

[was8v]

DIY shops are full of shelves of wood stain.

You can get it to an oak colour but it will never pass as real oak.

[PositronicRay]

skilly1 said:

Just read your post for the first time. You can get skirting board covers if that's any help to you

https://www.skirting4u.co.uk/31-mdf-skirting-board...

They look like a very good idea.

[battered]

Veneer would be costly and difficult to apply properly.

[Gav147]

pghstochaj said:

I have just bought a new timber framed house from 2002

I had to do some electrical work in this room and then found it wasn't insulated so I have taken down the ceiling to insulate it.

Completely off topic OP apologies but how on earth does a house built in 2002 get signed off without any insulation at all in there.

[pghstochaj]

It's insane isn't it - it's a one off build so I don't know how they got away with it. A huge waste of time and money to fix it and almost certainly not worth it but it helps with running lighting etc (both rooms involved have pretty much zero lighting). It's a beautiful house but not well specified.

Thanks for the above - I'll go and see what b&q has.

[battered]

Gav147 said:

Completely off topic OP apologies but how on earth does a house built in 2002 get signed off without any insulation at all in there.

By telling the building inspector one thing and doing another. He's not there when it goes in, and once it's completed he can't check it, so he has to trust the builder to follow the spec.

[SAB888]

pghstochaj said:

It's insane isn't it - it's a one off build so I don't know how they got away with it. A huge waste of time and money to fix it and almost certainly not worth it but it helps with running lighting etc (both rooms involved have pretty much zero lighting). It's a beautiful house but not well specified.

Thanks for the above - I'll go and see what b&q has.

So who gave the Building Regulations approval, the Local Authority or a private inspector? Questions should be asked.