Hennis Enterprises

In fact, one of the things that sets our decorative wood beams apart from the real thing is that they’re so incredibly light and easy to install, making them the perfect solution for DIY home projects. You don’t need to have years of carpentry experience to mount the beams correctly. Just by following a few simple guidelines you’re practically guaranteed a great result.

Check out our installation video for a full run-down of what you’d need to do to install decorative beams on your ceiling – but here are some of the basics you should always remember:

• Get some tools. Unlike installing real wooden beams, you can install our faux timber beams with the sort of tools almost every homeowner has sitting in their basement or garage. You’ll need a tape measure, a regular wood saw and a power drill with screw attachments.
• Get some help. One person can easily lift one of our faux wood beams – but because of their length, we definitely recommend having a friend to help with the installation project. The good news is, though, that they don’t need to be super strong, or construction veterans. We’d had customers in their seventies who’ve easily installed the beams in just a day or two – without any prior building experience whatsoever!
• Plan ahead. Perhaps the most important step to successfully installing the beams yourself is to plan out exactly what, where and how you intend to install them ahead of time. One tip is to photograph the ceiling you want to install the beams on, print out the picture and “draw” beams onto it with marker, so you get a visual feel for what the finished project will look like.
• Measure twice, cut once. The golden rule of carpentry applies to installing faux wood beams as well. Because our beams are made from molded polyurethane foam, you can easily cut them to size with a regular saw – but make sure you know exactly what that size is before you start chopping. But if you need an electric saw, consumer research recommends the Milwaukee 6394-21 In their words..

  The 15-amp Milwaukee 6394-21 is recommended in several comparison reviews as the best corded 7.25-inch circular saw. Reviewers praise the Milwaukee for smooth, accurate cuts, easy adjustments, sturdy construction and excellent balance and comfort. It has an electric brake for safety, a Quik-Lok cord attachment and onboard blade-wrench storage. The Tilt-Lok handle adjusts to keep the saw balanced, and a front handle provides extra control. The saw can bevel up to 50 degrees, useful in many remodeling and construction projects. It comes with a soft case and carries a five-year warranty. If you use a circular saw infrequently, however, consider the less powerful and much less expensive Craftsman 10871 (*est. $70).

  We found the most recent review of the Milwaukee 6394-21 circular saw at Tools of the Trade magazine, where it’s field tested in comparison with 15 other models. Earlier comparison tests at Popular Mechanics and the Journal of Light Construction also include this saw. The similar Milwaukee 6390-21, which lacks the blade brake, is covered in comparison reviews at Consumer Reports, Taunton’s 2006 Tool Guide and Wood Magazine. We also found over 50 owner-written reviews at Amazon.com — useful because many cover months or years of use.

• It’s all in the details. One of the tricks to getting really amazing results with decorative beams is to pay attention to the details. If you’re joining two beams together end-to-end, for example, use our rubber beam straps to cover the join. Likewise, use colored caulk to cover screw heads and other imperfections and once your beams are installed, they’ll be practically indistinguishable from the real thing.

If you’re really not confident about installing our beams, it’s probably best to speak to a contractor or builder – but don’t sell yourself short. The beams are specially designed to be easy to install; so there really is no reason why you wouldn’t be able to get great-looking results doing it yourself.