I’m not planning to do this for the entire house, and I know painted beams can be a contentious issue, but I have a room, where I would like the beams something akin to the included photo, and I’ll most likely be painting over a few beams and timber that run down the walls too.
Obviously I will do all the necessary prep work, but my main question is on paint choices. These are old timbers, but I wouldn’t want to cause any long-term issues with ‘breathability’. Does anyone have any experience in doing this, and what sort of paints would be recommended?
Because of the tanins in the timber, I used oil based paint. My beams were quite dark and oppresive, the ceiling height seemed to increase after painting and much better.
There has been absolutely no trace of the previous wood stain coming through the white.
A month ago, I painted the beams in one of our gite bedrooms.
This time I used the cheapest possible masonry paint: Brico Depot masonry paint
So far the results have been OK.
BTW - both paints are water based.
I’d also surmise that as you will probably not be painting the tops of the beams, moisture could also escape there.
I’ve used Annie Sloan’s chalk paints - Old White with a touch of Paris Grey. Just slapped them on any old how. A few bits of black show through but that doesn’t matter. What was a looming heavy black beam across the room has now disappeared into the ceiling - but then I had no intention of making a feature of the beam. Took me about 20 minutes, but then I’m a bodger.
Sounds like the original paint had stopped any bleed through possibly. Of course it depends on the beams, oak has lots more tanins than poplar or others that have been used.
Thanks for the replies everyone.
The Frenchic videos are very good - loved watching how to lighten dark beams (or furniture) without sandblasting. I’m not sure how expensive their products are, but then decent quality paint in France never seems to come cheap.
Our beams are chestnut, about 600 years old, I cleaned and lightened them most effectively with a cup brush on an electric drill (red plastic coated wire brush). Then a coat of beeswax and polish with a buffing head. That was twelve years ago and they still look fine.
The good old Youtube algorithm. It’s funny, I watched that video just yesterday - I was wondering if it would look a bit off when up close, but I have to say it did look pretty amazing.
Watched the video, easy to do, but not too impressed with the results. It would be a shame to give much older timbers that sort of treatment as it makes the wood look comparatively lifeless. Those beams were maybe C19th - probably cut with a fearsome vertical mechanical saw (often water powered) rather than trimmed by hand with an adze, so there’s much less variation of grain and colour.
Yes agreed but there is zero chance of me having a sandblaster in there now so if it be pastiche so be it.
When we purchased we had grey walls not lime, dark beams and I sat there early evening in winter with pate and wine just guessing why suicide rates were so high! I feel the same when you have insulated the walls then add faux stone. Trompe l’oeil, an artform
