Have you ever stepped into someone’s home, and had your eyes immediately drawn to the impressive ceiling beams in their dining room or living space? You may have wondered how the beams were installed, or what purpose they serve. If you’re hoping to replicate the look in your own home, this post will help get you started.
What Are Trusses?
Traditionally, a truss is a framework of beams that provides support for a roof. Today, trusses are used more as decorative elements that are added after the fact. Decorative framing, also known as non-structural framing, can be installed on a flat or vaulted ceiling. Trusses can be used to add elegance to dining rooms, living areas and entryways. They also create height by drawing the eye upward toward the room’s highest point. Depending on the design and type of material used, they can introduce a truly impressive element to your home’s design.
Determining How Many Trusses You Need
When you’re adding trusses to your home as a design element, remember that the key to making them look great is to mimic the style of structure-bearing trusses. When you’re finished installing them, they should look like they were built into the roof when your home was constructed rather than added in later.
When traditional, structure-bearing trusses are installed, they are generally placed between 6 feet and 8 feet apart. To achieve a realistic look, you should use this measurement to determine how many trusses you’ll need for your space. (For example, for a room that is 24 feet long, you would need three trusses: one installed at 6 feet, one at 12 feet and one at 18 feet.) By staying within this range, you’ll create the look of a home that was built with traditional trusses.
Choosing Your Style
Choosing the right style for your trusses is important. The king post truss, which has a vertical middle pillar in the center of a triangular design, is the most popular option, and gives a stately and classic feel to any room. You can choose from a wide variety of designs to suit your personal preference. The arched chord king post truss with arched diagonals, the arched raise chord king post truss with tail, a modified two-tier king truss, the scissor truss and many other truss designs are illustrated on our website. Once you’ve selected your design, you can build upon the look with a center beam that runs the length of your room. This beam will help make your dining room, great room or entryway look even bigger.
Trusses lend themselves to traditionally-styled homes, but they can also be creatively added to work within other aesthetics. A coastal-themed home, for example, could benefit from the addition of a natural-colored truss and beam. Rustic or farmhouse homes can also be elevated by a light-colored wood truss. Darker, richer wood would be at home in an industrial or modern design.
The Benefits of a Barron Designs Truss
Installing a decorative truss or beam made of real wood can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Due to the heavy weight of real wood, special equipment is needed to lift the trusses into place, and you’ll need professional help to correctly and safely complete your project. You’ll also need to be sure that your ceiling is able to bear the weight.
With Barron Designs, you can choose from trusses and beams that are made from light-weight, realistic-looking faux wood. Barron Designs’ engineered wood beams replicate the look of older, weathered beams with natural grain patterns. The faux wood is a fraction of the weight of the real thing, so you’ll be able to install trusses and beams without special skills, tools or equipment. Even better, faux wood is weather-and pest-resistant, and doesn’t require the same maintenance as real wood.
If you would prefer to work with real wood, Barron Designs can help with that too. Our real wood beams are made in the USA of the highest quality wood — red cedar harvested from the Pacific Northwest. To recreate the beautiful, timeworn surface of century-old wood, we use a proprietary process that is unmatched in its attention to detail and craftsmanship, so each product has a unique character
With our new Custom Design Form, you can pick the exact style, size and number of trusses you need in order to bring your vision to life. Our Customer Experience and Design Support Team will help you every step of the way. No matter what the size or scope of your project, we will make sure that you have everything you need to bring your design to life.