Just asking for a friend.... why not just make real beams? This seems like a lot of work with the only advantage being a lower weight. By the way, love your channel Spencer, you are a true craftsman!!
Your method yields (BY FAR) the most convincingly authentic results amongst all of the dozens of RUclips videos I’ve sifted through on the varying wood distressing/aging techniques. No comparison. Your product is virtually indistinguishable from the genuine article. I’ll be using your method step for step. Hats off, and cheers to you for sharing your knowledge.
I recently made a 12" x 24' beam for our great room with a 15" ceiling following your video. I didn't use the torch because the boss didn't want the look. The power planer along with an axe, chain, chisel and a small cut off wheel for the crack lines with my Dremel did the trick. I finished everything off with faux rubber straps 2" wide with embossed bolts that really finish off the beam. It certainly looks real. Thank you for a project professionally done. Great video and extremely helpful.
Hey there, cabinet maker/trim carpenter/fan from Missouri here! Awesome video, I just spent the last 5 hrs or so applying the techniques in this video to some beams and I gotta say the difference in speed, quality and cost are like night and day! Thanks a bunch!
As a guy who has created " special effects " such as this for many years I just wanted to say that you have the" eye"and creative thinking that I rarely get to see ! . The details that you bring up and execute in such a talented method taught this old timer something new ..... and I appreciate everything I can learn . Great job.
Holy sh*!t, this is the most authentic 'faux' work I've ever seen...Thanks for sharing your secrets man..takes some serious tools to get those results but you've mastered it for sure...
When you said "distressed", you weren't joking around. Most people just whack it with a chain or screwdriver and call it done. This is a whole other level of awesome!
You have made an excellent channel here. Please keep up the hard yet very informative work of delivering such excellent content. Your skills plus your ability to convey information intelligibly is a true gift you are sharing with the rest of the interested world. Thank you.
I made two each 12" x 12" x 12' beams for our great room in the family room. This has a 15' ceiling and the beams looks outstanding. Your step by step instructions were very clear. I would suggest you recommend that the bottom edges are 45 degree angles and then glued and nailed. The ceiling frame for the 2" x 4" along with the 1" x 12"s, fasteners, stain, pre stain and glue was around $160. I also purchased 2" faux metal straps made of rubber that finished the authentic look. Wifey is happy so you know I'm happy. Thank you very much.
A man who works with his hands is a laborer. A man who works with his hands and his mind is a skilled craftsman. A man who works with his hands, his mind and his heart is an Artist.
Good video. I’m gonna do basically everything you said but I think I’ll use the miter locking router but on the corners and add some 1/2” deep relief cuts in the inside of the boards to maybe prevent that cupping you mentioned. Hate to get to the torching stage and ruin them.
Thank you for sharing your distressing method. I can’t wait to do my first beams. I have been wanting to do this for a long time but didn’t want to buy them from the big box store.
I love this...I bought almost all the tool you mentioned! I'm doing this on my fir beam for the stairs. any ideas on what stain or finish i need or should i just leave it alone
Do you step by step instructions on how you built the actual beam? I’m thrilled I stumbled on your video, as this is just what I plan on doing in my great room
Small critique. Be great to see the end product in depth at the end as you speak. Just roll the camera over the piece at different angles: far, close, mid-range.
I love your distressing technique, but I would like to see how you assembled the beam pieces (glue, clamps, screws or nails?) and see the finished project.
I will do lock miters at times if its a decent quantity. These I just 45ed. I used some tape and a lot of collins clamps on the miters. I actually cut the bevel at more like 46 degrees to ensure the outside edge closes up good. Being that these are heavily distressed perfection isn't essential, to I don't feel to guilty just going with a 45. There are some blocks pocket screws on the inside to help keep things square and reinforce the long miters.
This is great thanks for sharing would a grinder with a wire wheel work I know it's not the best idea but I just looked up the price of the one your using and to make a few beams at home it's a little expensive. Thanks
hope you charge a good price for them a 4 or 5 step disstresing method is a fair bit of work i know i have done similar things on large kitchens good job on them so to get the driftwood effect on softer grain sandblasting works great
Thanks good video. my problem is trying to buy the blades in the UK no one seems knows what I'm talking about this is the problem in the UK we're well behind you guys in the USA so do they make these blades for Makita tools and where would be a good place for me to purchase the blades from in the USA can anyone help me I've got customers who have fake beams on their houses .and they were made into the 80s . And the wood is only 2 1/4 by 7 1/2 so it's not really a beam they are fixed 2 a brick building thanks rob
Have any of you found a good way to stain a pine beam after you've distressed it? I can't get anything consistent. Some methods work well sometimes, but never consistently. I've tried straight staining. I've used a pre-stain and then the stain. I've used a homemade vinegar & steel wool mixture prior to staining with and without prestaining. The vinegar mixture followed directly by stain seems to be the best and most consistent as far as avoiding any blotching, but getting the same color every time is difficult. What have you all found to work the best?
Spastus Cat good question. I’m not very experienced with staining pine. But I followed advice from many videos on staining pine by using minwax prestain. Seemed to work good on small practice sections. But when I did the columns I built it still came out blotchy and not consistent. Fortunately they were designed to be rough and rustic so it didn’t matter. The client was pleased. Regardless I’m concerned when ever I try it again
When you distress pine as heavily as he has, wood conditioner is not necessary. Apply a stain a little lighter in color than you want the background color to end up. After this dries thoroughly, seal with a vinyl sealer. Once this has dried, sand the sealer with a new sanding sponge. You can even use some 180 grit paper to "burn" through the stain on some of the high points of the distressing to give a more old authentic look. After sanding, use a mixture of 3 parts naptha to 1 part black alkyd glaze and brush over the beam in small sections. Remove excess glaze with a cloth. If you want more of the original background color to come through, you can dampen a rag with naptha and remove more of the glaze mixture, but the overall look of the beam will be aged and softened by applying the glaze. Once this has dried thoroughly, top coat with a flat/dull lacquer. You don't want anything with a sheen to it so you don't lose the aged look.
Awesome video. Would love to see a video on how you stain and seal these beams. Please keep up the great work as your videos are excellent and love all the detail about how to do each step of the process.
Damm, I wish I'd seen this vid a year ago. I made some faux beams for a timber frame look on a screen porch. The client loved em but they would have done flips over this look.
Great Video! Those are some pretty expensive tools. Could you use a less expensive dewalt/porter cable planer to do the same job? I think the cracks could be done with an angle grinder? Using a band sander with rough grit would work similar to the wire brush tool right?
Yeah, he definitely has some fancy expensive tools. You can use any planner. They make similar cutting wheels for angle grinders as the one he used in the dremmel tool. They also have wire brushes for angle grinders that would give you the same effect as long as you don't get one that's too abrasive.
Instead of using tools most folks will never have, a chainsaw and a good eye can do it just as good or better in less time. I do it all the time. Easiest way to make rough sawn beams.
That's actually really interesting. I hadn't considered using a chain saw. I have a large Stihl but I'd probably use the smaller dewalt 20v chainsaw. Any chance you'd want to shoot me some pics of what the beams look like that you've done?
@@InsiderCarpentry I learned from guys on RUclips slabbing trees with chainsaws. A full chisel skip chain makes the best result. Also do a search for board feathering with a chainsaw. All my furniture is done by mortice and tenon and I make good use of liquid nails for that 19th century look. I'm about to start doing a series on my channel so stay tuned.
Great tips, thanks for sharing. However, a question, making distressed / faux barn beams given materials , your time etc, does it make it that much cheaper than an actual solid beam (perhaps with a bit of sanding, spoke shaving & tint) - I can see fixing faux beams to the ceiling are much easier to put in than actual ones. Obviously you would not really be able to put in solid beams onto stud walls, but if you have brick/stone walls, you would have the option of solid beams. Hope all this makes sense.
dont need 'em man! as long as you have a vacuum hose connected to half of your power tools, you can work in trainers! with no gloves, eye protection, face mask, or breathing apparatus.. I'm going to angle grind my patio now. hold my beer a minute while i find my sandals...
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THIS CHANNEL BY USING THESE AFFILIATE LINKS!!!
Amazon Tool List to Make Distressed Barn Beams - www.amazon.com/shop/insider_c...
Makita Wire Wheel Sander - geni.us/ZYFts55 (Amazon)
Makita 794382-7 Wire Brush Wheel 120 - geni.us/FJbBD (Amazon)
Festool 574690 Planer - geni.us/1E05rDz (Amazon)
Festool 485331 HL 850 Rustic Planer Head, Undulating - geni.us/sj6LjO (Amazon)
Fiskars Hatchet - geni.us/zIku (Amazon)
Dremel Saw Tool - geni.us/WCNQVf (Amazon)
Hot Max 500G Big Max 500,000 BTU Propane Torch - geni.us/hrMOqt (Amazon)
Red Dragon CD-100 Propane Cylinder Dolly - geni.us/TQfXp (Amazon)
Festool 583492 CT 26 E HEPA Dust Extractor - geni.us/PJAmF1e (Amazon)
Festool 496120 Longlife Filter Bag Longlife for CT 26 - geni.us/czVY (Amazon)
Bosch 16.4 Foot Vacuum Hose, 35mm - geni.us/u3Ld (Amazon)
Festool 487721 Hose Sleeve, Reducing Sleeve For Antistatic D 36 Hose - geni.us/yWdgAYi (Amazon)
Collins Miter Spring Pliers and 4 Miter Clamp Kit - geni.us/8CQUrFB (Amazon)
Collins Tool Miter Spring Clamps - 12 Pack - geni.us/kRunxk (Amazon)
Just asking for a friend.... why not just make real beams? This seems like a lot of work with the only advantage being a lower weight.
By the way, love your channel Spencer, you are a true craftsman!!
What wood are you starting with?
Your method yields (BY FAR) the most convincingly authentic results amongst all of the dozens of RUclips videos I’ve sifted through on the varying wood distressing/aging techniques. No comparison. Your product is virtually indistinguishable from the genuine article. I’ll be using your method step for step. Hats off, and cheers to you for sharing your knowledge.
Seriously one of the most impressive instructional videos i have ever seen. Beautiful finish product.
I recently made a 12" x 24' beam for our great room with a 15" ceiling following your video. I didn't use the torch because the boss didn't want the look. The power planer along with an axe, chain, chisel and a small cut off wheel for the crack lines with my Dremel did the trick. I finished everything off with faux rubber straps 2" wide with embossed bolts that really finish off the beam. It certainly looks real. Thank you for a project professionally done. Great video and extremely helpful.
Did you use the Festool planer, or a different brand?
Hey there, cabinet maker/trim carpenter/fan from Missouri here! Awesome video, I just spent the last 5 hrs or so applying the techniques in this video to some beams and I gotta say the difference in speed, quality and cost are like night and day! Thanks a bunch!
As a guy who has created " special effects " such as this for many years I just wanted to say that you have the" eye"and creative thinking that I rarely get to see ! . The details that you bring up and execute in such a talented method taught this old timer something new ..... and I appreciate everything I can learn . Great job.
This is the best explanation of the burning technique that I have seen on youtube. Thanks!
Holy sh*!t, this is the most authentic 'faux' work I've ever seen...Thanks for sharing your secrets man..takes some serious tools to get those results but you've mastered it for sure...
When you said "distressed", you weren't joking around. Most people just whack it with a chain or screwdriver and call it done. This is a whole other level of awesome!
Wow. I am bowing to your skills and willingness to share the depth of knowledge you have! Thank you. Keep on doing! Your work is amazing!
You make so much effort to share knowledge. Thank you for your video!
Awesome. Thanks so much for slowly walking thru the process!
You have made an excellent channel here. Please keep up the hard yet very informative work of delivering such excellent content. Your skills plus your ability to convey information intelligibly is a true gift you are sharing with the rest of the interested world. Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. 👍
I made two each 12" x 12" x 12' beams for our great room in the family room. This has a 15' ceiling and the beams looks outstanding. Your step by step instructions were very clear. I would suggest you recommend that the bottom edges are 45 degree angles and then glued and nailed. The ceiling frame for the 2" x 4" along with the 1" x 12"s, fasteners, stain, pre stain and glue was around $160. I also purchased 2" faux metal straps made of rubber that finished the authentic look. Wifey is happy so you know I'm happy. Thank you very much.
Excellent video! Super helpful and well done. Thanks for doing this
A man who works with his hands is a laborer. A man who works with his hands and his mind is a skilled craftsman. A man who works with his hands, his mind and his heart is an Artist.
Really well done video. Thanks for giving such in depth information.
Thanks for sharing your techniques. You're helping me up my game on my jobs.
Glad its helping!
Great video...thanks for showing what you do. Appreciate your knowledge!
Nice work Spencer, the finished product looks awesome! Thanks for sharing your techniques!
You bet!
Really great video-thanks for all the tips and tricks for creating an authentic look!
Oh where is the finished piece. I was hoping to see it stained and installed. I love it! Now I just need to get my tools.
awesome job! This is a very informative video! thanks for sharing your technique!
Fantastic job, the difference between the discriminating woodworker and the “chain and hammer” distressing guy is staggering. Thanks for sharing!
You're info is invaluable my friend!!!
Do you possibly have a video on how to join the boards for longer runs? And by far you have the best looking finished product I’ve seen.
Impressive lesson. Thanks for sharing!
Very nice technique. This feels like OLD WORLD ITALIANATE, but in square rather than round trunk beam.
Nice skills you have.
Rust water work amazing to age oak ;) white wine vinegar and wire wool , leave for a few weeks and brush it on 🎉
Good video. I’m gonna do basically everything you said but I think I’ll use the miter locking router but on the corners and add some 1/2” deep relief cuts in the inside of the boards to maybe prevent that cupping you mentioned. Hate to get to the torching stage and ruin them.
Thank you for sharing your distressing method. I can’t wait to do my first beams.
I have been wanting to do this for a long time but didn’t want to buy them from the big box store.
Thank you so much for this ! Fantastic !
I love this...I bought almost all the tool you mentioned! I'm doing this on my fir beam for the stairs. any ideas on what stain or finish i need or should i just leave it alone
Those look awesome!!
Just what I needed.
Everything about this video is perfect! Thank you so much
Do you step by step instructions on how you built the actual beam? I’m thrilled I stumbled on your video, as this is just what I plan on doing in my great room
These are wonderful ❤️ Do you have a staining video for these beams?
this was great to rewatch after your most recent distressed newel post install in that stairway. these loook fantastic tooo man great job
Spencer,
Maybe I missed it but #2 pine, what material dimensions did you construct with?
Small critique. Be great to see the end product in depth at the end as you speak. Just roll the camera over the piece at different angles: far, close, mid-range.
Thanks so much. Another great video. Will you do a one to show how you finish the end caps, say for a mantle beam?
Next time I need to do some finished ends I'll try to.
I like the info on the process. Looks nice. I was quite surprised toe see no eye protection.
That was my first thought, too, about no eye protection!
Great video !
Огонь! Мастер супер! Приезжай в Россию, работы будет много!
Fantastic work! Thank you!
Great video !! Thank you
Cool technique!
I love your distressing technique, but I would like to see how you assembled the beam pieces (glue, clamps, screws or nails?) and see the finished project.
See my "beams" playlist.
Just purchased the festool planer and the undulating head to do my own beams. Question- what depth do you set your planer at?
do you have a video on how you build the beam or could you explain your process. looks liked just a ripped 45 with glu ? lock mitered ?
I will do lock miters at times if its a decent quantity. These I just 45ed. I used some tape and a lot of collins clamps on the miters. I actually cut the bevel at more like 46 degrees to ensure the outside edge closes up good. Being that these are heavily distressed perfection isn't essential, to I don't feel to guilty just going with a 45. There are some blocks pocket screws on the inside to help keep things square and reinforce the long miters.
Really enjoy and learn from all your videos. Thanks.
You're welcome! Glad they help.
Thank you for the great information! Can this process be applied to hardwood like black walnut? thanks
Man, oh man, you really need some tools to create that authentic look!
442 thought that cord was toast, in Tennessee we use a 12 gauge to make our powder post beetle faux distressed beams..... lol
This is great thanks for sharing would a grinder with a wire wheel work I know it's not the best idea but I just looked up the price of the one your using and to make a few beams at home it's a little expensive. Thanks
Porter cable also makes a wire wheel machine called "the restorer" that is much less expensive.
Perfect video, thank you
Your the man dude, I’m glad your doing more you tube vids, your Instagram is awesome but the detail vids are legit 👊🏽
Its definitely a better means of communication, and its more easily referencable and searchable, so youtube makes sense.
💯
hope you charge a good price for them a 4 or 5 step disstresing method is a fair bit of work i know i have done similar things on large kitchens good job on them so to get the driftwood effect on softer grain sandblasting works great
Nice work 👍🏼
Well done!
Well done. Will you be doing a video finishing them?
The painters do the finishing. Sorry. :(
Nice work man. I always like to check out what other guys do. But... man wear some safety glasses!
Great video ...i would have loved to see these with the stain on them .... any pics ??
great video! just 1 question, what grit wire brush do you use? thanks
Thanks good video. my problem is trying to buy the blades in the UK no one seems knows what I'm talking about this is the problem in the UK we're well behind you guys in the USA so do they make these blades for Makita tools and where would be a good place for me to purchase the blades from in the USA can anyone help me I've got customers who have fake beams on their houses .and they were made into the 80s . And the wood is only 2 1/4 by 7 1/2 so it's not really a beam they are fixed 2 a brick building thanks rob
Is there a way I can find that type of bit for a Mikita power planer 1900B
Fantastic video.
Wish the finished product would have been displayed complete with stain and install techniques
Can you do this with other species of wood? White oak? Maple?
Have any of you found a good way to stain a pine beam after you've distressed it? I can't get anything consistent. Some methods work well sometimes, but never consistently. I've tried straight staining. I've used a pre-stain and then the stain. I've used a homemade vinegar & steel wool mixture prior to staining with and without prestaining. The vinegar mixture followed directly by stain seems to be the best and most consistent as far as avoiding any blotching, but getting the same color every time is difficult. What have you all found to work the best?
Spastus Cat good question. I’m not very experienced with staining pine. But I followed advice from many videos on staining pine by using minwax prestain. Seemed to work good on small practice sections. But when I did the columns I built it still came out blotchy and not consistent. Fortunately they were designed to be rough and rustic so it didn’t matter. The client was pleased. Regardless I’m concerned when ever I try it again
When you distress pine as heavily as he has, wood conditioner is not necessary. Apply a stain a little lighter in color than you want the background color to end up. After this dries thoroughly, seal with a vinyl sealer. Once this has dried, sand the sealer with a new sanding sponge. You can even use some 180 grit paper to "burn" through the stain on some of the high points of the distressing to give a more old authentic look. After sanding, use a mixture of 3 parts naptha to 1 part black alkyd glaze and brush over the beam in small sections. Remove excess glaze with a cloth. If you want more of the original background color to come through, you can dampen a rag with naptha and remove more of the glaze mixture, but the overall look of the beam will be aged and softened by applying the glaze. Once this has dried thoroughly, top coat with a flat/dull lacquer. You don't want anything with a sheen to it so you don't lose the aged look.
@@Paula-to9hu Thanks. I'll try that next time.
I'll be doing this by the fall, building a new house and want that old wooden beam look on the ceilings.
Can also use a variable speed angle grinder with a flap disk to knock down the frays and cracks.
Awesome video. Would love to see a video on how you stain and seal these beams. Please keep up the great work as your videos are excellent and love all the detail about how to do each step of the process.
Yes would Defnitley love to see how you stain it
Curious if you 45 the corners or just a overlap ? A 45 edge joint would take away that boxed look ?
I miter the corners.
Do you ever use wood conditioner on pine?
Is there another way to smooth the surface out if I don't have a torch?
Try chopping with a small broad-axe, it even looks more authentic!
Before using the plainer I have found works better anyway
Thanks! will be building 4 of these for my home! I will make the beams more "vertical" maybe 4x8. Will the stain ok after all the distressing?
They stain up really well.
Great Job 👍 Always Remember To Wear 👓 Eyes Protection
Are you board certified?
Can I use that process for solid beams ? douglas fir etc ??
Damm, I wish I'd seen this vid a year ago. I made some faux beams for a timber frame look on a screen porch. The client loved em but they would have done flips over this look.
Great Video! Those are some pretty expensive tools. Could you use a less expensive dewalt/porter cable planer to do the same job? I think the cracks could be done with an angle grinder? Using a band sander with rough grit would work similar to the wire brush tool right?
Yeah, he definitely has some fancy expensive tools. You can use any planner. They make similar cutting wheels for angle grinders as the one he used in the dremmel tool. They also have wire brushes for angle grinders that would give you the same effect as long as you don't get one that's too abrasive.
how long does it take to build them? how much do you charge?
What do you do on keeping knots from falling out
Can the Dewalt planner work also, or does it have to be a Festool planner?
The festool blade is round. Needs to be festool undulating head.
Badass dude - think you could do a detailed video on the jambmaster!?
Jambmaster video is on my list. I just haven't because there are so few who would actually value from it.
what if you don’t have a portable plainer with chip collection system?
Great video thank you 👍🏻
Instead of using tools most folks will never have, a chainsaw and a good eye can do it just as good or better in less time. I do it all the time. Easiest way to make rough sawn beams.
That's actually really interesting. I hadn't considered using a chain saw. I have a large Stihl but I'd probably use the smaller dewalt 20v chainsaw. Any chance you'd want to shoot me some pics of what the beams look like that you've done?
@@InsiderCarpentry I learned from guys on RUclips slabbing trees with chainsaws. A full chisel skip chain makes the best result. Also do a search for board feathering with a chainsaw. All my furniture is done by mortice and tenon and I make good use of liquid nails for that 19th century look. I'm about to start doing a series on my channel so stay tuned.
'Just as good or better'! That would be impressive if you actually had some videos to back it up! LOL
Love your videos and keep them coming... and please wear safety glasses
Is there any completed photos or videos?
How thick is the wood?
What would you charge per linear foot for faux beams of pine, not installed?
What is the Festool planer actually made for with the curved blade ?
Distressing.
Is there a cheaper alternative to the Festool with the undulating head?
What’s the thickness of the wood?
When you get to the point of the bug holes, You're AWL done.
Great tips, thanks for sharing. However, a question, making distressed / faux barn beams given materials , your time etc, does it make it that much cheaper than an actual solid beam (perhaps with a bit of sanding, spoke shaving & tint) - I can see fixing faux beams to the ceiling are much easier to put in than actual ones. Obviously you would not really be able to put in solid beams onto stud walls, but if you have brick/stone walls, you would have the option of solid beams. Hope all this makes sense.
Yes, its still cheaper and easier in general.
Good luck finding all the solid beams you need for a job. Faux beams are the only way to go!
Where can I get the invisible safety glasses
Jake Botelho, Costco
dont need 'em man! as long as you have a vacuum hose connected to half of your power tools, you can work in trainers! with no gloves, eye protection, face mask, or breathing apparatus..
I'm going to angle grind my patio now. hold my beer a minute while i find my sandals...
That is awesome man. I'm so curious how much you charge for something like that? That's ALOT of work.
Triad Leather $145 per hour