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Nathan Hoffman
06-08-2005, 1:03 PM
Hello all! I haven't had much time to post lately, but I still look around a bit. I have a project that I just know one of you guys or gals have done, and can help me out. My cabin has a gambrel roof (barn style) and the ceiling is open, following the contours of the roof. I finished off the ceiling with plywood w/ redwood trim over the seams. There are 3 "beams" of 4 nailed-together 2x6's that serve to tie the bottoms of the roof trusses together. I would like to enclose these so that they look more like one beam going accross. I can't just nail on 3 pieces of pine to make a box, because the 2X6's are not very even or square with one another. So how can I make this box & then attach it? The exposed portion of the "beams" are about 21' long.


Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!
Jeff Sudmeier
06-08-2005, 1:37 PM
Nathan, in this situation I would build the "box" on the ground. Then mount it to the beam, whole. I would use shims in the air space, to keep everything straight and square.
Steve Cox
06-08-2005, 3:35 PM
I would go with Jeff's suggestion with the further thought that it might be easier to attach furring strips to the existing beam and shim or plane them to line them up with each other and then install the new box beam over them.
Todd Burch
06-08-2005, 3:42 PM
If you make the interior dimension of your box beam to the largest size of your uneven 4-packs, you'll be good to go. I would even go over 1/4". Once installed, noone will ever know the beams underneath vary in width and height - they'll just see your perfect boxed beams!!

Todd
Nathan Hoffman
06-08-2005, 4:19 PM
they'll just see your perfect boxed beams!!

This brings up a good point - how am I going to get a 22 foot long 3 sided box to be perfect? I may need to go with 2 pieces just to handle the thing. Any thoughts?
Todd Burch
06-08-2005, 5:30 PM
"Perfect" is relative. 2 pieces, 3 peices, whatever it takes. When you make the pieces, make them so they interlock, or are scarfed, so they go together good and tight.

Remember, if this is way up on the ceiling, and there is a dark stain, the project will be VERY forgiving.