DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

covering a flush beam

7K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  Gary in WA 
#1 ·
Guys,

The entryway/header into my living room has an exposed beam, probably 6 feet long, that's basically flush with the surrounding walls on both sides. The beam is ugly - its a structural grade wood, and really shouldn't be exposed. It is structural, so can't be removed. It also doesn't go with the rest of the house, which doesn't have similar features - so all in all, its a bit of an eye-sore.

I'd like to cover it. But, with it being virtually flush to the walls, i can't drywall around it. Can I put mud on it? Will the mud adhere properly? Will it crack over time? Fall off even? Perhaps fiberglass tape the whole beam and then mud? The beams been exposed since the late 1950's if that makes a difference. Has anyone done this before?

Greatly appreciate any help with this!
Thanks,
Matt
 
#8 ·
First of all, are you SURE it's structural? Just because we think it looks like crap doesn't mean someone didn't find it charmingly decorative.

A structural member wouldn't be level with the drywall, unless it was faced with wood the thickness of the dw, right?

So check to see if it's wrapped with 1/2" mitered ply - if so, pry it off and replace with dw.

And if structural. it would continue on both sides of the doorway under the dw - drill a hole and see.

If all the above indicate that it's there to stay, you can always do something crazy like sanding, priming, corner-beading, taping and finishing with joint compound!

I just pulled down a plywood wall that was taped and finished to blend into an adjacent drywall partition - it had stood since 1988 with no cracking and there was no evidence it wasn't all drywall.
 
#9 ·
Another pic from the attic over the top of the beam would help.... another 8' away from the beam, also. Is there a 1/2 wall under the beam and you removed two spindles for decoration already? How thick is the drywall at the end of the beam, above the new corner bead, as said?

Gary
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top