Ceiling Beadboard Panel Treatment
Ceiling bead board has been a common application among homeowners and contractors for the last half century. It can be installed with ease, and after it has been painted, stained or finished, it is unrivaled by any other ceiling application. The average do-it-yourself homeowners can install bead board on their ceilings in one to two days, depending on the size of the project. If you are planning on installing on your ceiling, then you should know about the materials and techniques available for a successful project.
Application
Bead board is manufactured in 4-by-8 feet wooden sheets that are 3/16 of an inch thick. It has a smooth side and a beaded side that must be installed facing down from the ceiling. Each board has a pattern that is continued onto the next sheet; therefore, you will need to pay attention to that pattern when installing. You need only to worry about the pattern as it runs across the four feet expanse of the width of the board.
The board should be installed at 90 degree angles to the ceiling rafters. That is, the eight feet length of the board should run across the rafters and not with the rafters. Use construction adhesive and finish nails to attach the board to your ceiling. Failure to use construction adhesive may cause the bead board to sag later on. This happens when the board pulls away from the finish nails which have small heads. Space the nails 24 inches apart, and fill the nail holes using wood filler.
Sand the surface of the bead board before you apply the first coat of stain, paint or polyurethane. This will remove splinters and smooth the rough surface. Because polyurethane and paint/primer raises the grain of wood, sand the finish using 120 grit sand paper in between coats. This will produce smooth and beautiful results every time. Use a brush to apply finish in the crevices of the beads.
Apply crown molding around the edges of the bead board, and if you have joints in the center of the ceiling where the ends of the sheets butt, then apply a decorative trim over that joint, as well. Another alternative to covering this joint is to caulk it with caulk before you paint; however, this will not work on stained or clear finished bead board.
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