Installing Faux Wooden Beams - Second Part

Installing Faux Wooden Beams: Part Two – The Ridge Beam

Welcome back! In the first part of this series, we covered the groundwork: installing the ceiling supports. If you missed that step-by-step breakdown, you'll want to click HERE to catch up. 

After two days of hard work, here is where we left off:

Today, we're tackling the "big boss" of this project: the massive ridge beam at the highest point of our slanted ceiling. 

This particular beam gave us the most trouble simply because of its scale. It was heavy, the ceiling was incredibly high, and the logistics were... a challenge, to say the least!

Prepping the Plywood

Because I wanted this beam to be 18" wide and 12' long, I couldn't just buy a standard board. Instead, I purchased a sheet of ½" plywood and had it ripped at the lumber yard into two 18" wide sections.

To join them, I cut the ends at a 45-degree angle (a miter joint), just like when you're sewing fabric. A diagonal seam is much more aesthetically pleasing, sturdier, and easier to hide than a blunt butt joint.

Building the Box Structure

To give the beam its shape and strength, I used inner 2x2 supports:

1. I applied wood glue to the mitered ends.

2. I nailed the two plywood pieces together, reinforced by 2x2 supports on the back.

3. I added more 2x2 supports along the length of the beam (as shown below) to ensure 

     the structure remained rigid.

Adding Custom Lighting

Since this is the highest point in the room, it was the perfect opportunity to add some ambiance. I decided to install small recessed can lights inside the beam.

I marked and cut three circles for the fixtures. 

Fun fact: Cutting these circles actually gave me the confidence to tackle the lettering for my PB-inspired Love Plaque using the leftover scraps!

Creating the Perfect "Reveal"

Next, it was time to attach the 1x6 side boards. I didn't want the beam to be perfectly flush; I wanted a small "reveal" where the sides protrude slightly past the bottom panel.

Pro Tip: To keep the reveal consistent, I taped small scraps of ¼" plywood along the sides as spacers while I nailed the 1x6s in place. This kept everything perfectly aligned.

When both sides were nailed down, this is how it looked:

After installing the lights and caulking all those nail holes, the whole piece was ready to be installed.

The Main Event: The Installation

Once the lights were wired and the nail holes were caulked, it was time to go up. This was easily the most challenging part of the entire DIY. This thing was heavy!

• Trial 1: We hauled it up, only to realize it was a hair too long. We had to bring it back down and trim it with a circular saw.

• The Solution: To make the second attempt easier, I screwed a temporary support block into the wall. This allowed me to rest one end of the "beast" while we secured the other.

• Securing it: The beam fit snugly over our 2x4 ceiling supports. We nailed it heavily, then added 3" screws for extra security. I hid these screws behind the spots where the perpendicular beams would eventually meet the ridge beam, making them invisible!

Why Wood Over Drywall?

I toyed with the idea of framing this out with sheetrock, but I didn't want it to look like a standard soffit. I enjoyed the warmth and character of wood, and despite the sweat and tears, I'm so glad I went this route.

What's Next?

I still need to fish the electrical cables through the attic to the wall switch, but that's a project for a couple of weeks from now.

I'd love to hear from you: I'm not a professional—just a homeowner learning as I go. How would you have tackled a beam this size? Do you have any tips for working on high ceilings? Let me know in the comments!

Click HERE for the Final Reveal!

Click HERE to go back to Part One.