Ceiling beams are not only there for strengthening your home’s construction but also to support light fixtures, decorations, and fans. So unless you decide to leave them exposed as architectural pieces, ceiling beams are generally covered with paint.
In this case, probably you would like to know what color should ceiling beams be if you aren’t aware of the right color painting ceiling beams.
Therefore, read through the segments added ahead to know the suitable color for your home’s ceiling beams.
What Color Should Ceiling Beams Be?
Ceiling beams can be painted in different colors depending on the interior style of the house. However, the most suitable colors for ceiling beams are white, grey, black, off-white. Natural wood stain such as walnut or maple is a good choice too if a rustic, country-style look is preferred.
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Since the color of the ceiling beams can drastically transform the vibe of an entire house/room, keep reading below so that you can have precise insight into the colors regarded as the best-suited colors for ceiling beams.
White:
White being the brightest of all neutral colors, it’s the most prevalently preferred color for any interior feature.
Also, the white color reflects all other hues, therefore, it just perfectly matches with almost anything which is another reason that makes it an excellent color choice for painting the ceiling beams.
Besides, painting the ceiling beams in white will brighten up the house’s ceiling without creating a diverting focal point at the beams.
Gray:
Gray is a cool-toned neutral color that creates less contrast than black and it makes gray an amazing color for painting the ceiling beams. Gray color also harmonizes with the all-natural appearance of a wooden beam.
Several wood species, such as walnut have a natural gray undertone. You can use gray in ceiling beams to make it resemble beach wood.
Black:
The darkest of all the neutral colors is the black color, thus, black goes well with most of the interior paint while significantly reducing the room/house’s temperature which is why black is considered to be a good color for ceiling beams.
However, if the floors are dark, black color ceiling beams will add an additional volume of shadows might unbalance the scenario, as darkness is there both overhead and beneath you.
Rose:
Rose would be an incredible color to paint the ceiling beams in a pink hue without having the signature intensity that pink hues are known for. Besides, wooden ceiling beams painted in rose would create a garden-like flowery atmosphere.
Yellow:
Yellow itself is an energizing color, so coloring the ceiling beams in yellow automatically creates an energizing ambiance.
Especially, if the ceiling beams are present in your home’s outdoor areas, kitchen, or in the dining area, choose yellow to have a stylish, breezy, and pleasant vibe in your interior areas. However, pay attention to choosing a subdued tone of yellow.
Blue Or Green:
Blue or green makes the perfect ceiling beam color for any species of natural wooden ceiling beams because both blue and green colors can be found anywhere in nature.
Besides, blue and green colors have a vast spectrum of shades that range from the deepest sea to the most radiant mint. And specifically, sky blue is the ideal one for ceiling beams.
Natural Wood Stain:
If a rustic, countryside look is preferred, leaving the ceiling beams in their own natural wood color or just painting them in a low gloss natural wood stain such as maple and walnut will look classic and create a cozy vibe.
Should Ceiling Beams Match Floor?
Whether the ceiling beams and the floor of the same room should match or not entirely relies on your personal preferences and the style you want to create in a room.
However, the ceiling beams of a room are not inevitably required to match the floor of the same room.
Especially when the decoration, furniture, and floor are dark-colored, as there will be too much darkness, thus, the room will not have any visual interest and the roof will look relatively lower.
Should Ceiling Beams Match The Ceiling?
Usually, ceiling beams don’t match the ceiling as they are there on the ceiling as a cozy and bold interior feature, so having matching beams and ceilings will not offer any boldness or coziness.
Besides, using the same color on the beams as the ceiling isn’t a clever thing to do, as it looks monotonous, unappealing, and gives a feeling of duplication.
As a result, it’s always better not to exactly match the ceiling beam color with the ceiling, rather choosing a one-two shade darker color of the same color family for ceiling beams would be a good choice.
Should You Paint Beams White? Should I Paint My Ceiling Beams Black?
You certainly should paint beams white because white is a universal neutral tone that literally matches well with almost everything and without drawing too much attention towards the beams, white brightens up the ceiling.
Therefore, white makes an excellent color choice for both low and high plunged ceiling beams.
However, if the ceilings are dark, you shouldn’t paint beams white as it will create excessive contrast against the dark ceilings.
And as far as it’s concerned about painting beams in black, you really should paint the ceiling beams black if you want to achieve a sleek, minimalist, and modern decoration with a spacious room with a clean and seamless interior and minimalist adornment.
But do avoid painting the ceiling beams black if the floors are black or the ceiling beams are wooden.
How Do You Lighten Dark Beams?
If your ceiling beams are painted too dark, it can make a big difference to the image of your house and can spoil the style you wanted to create.
Thus, lightening the dark beams is a solution, and here are the steps you should follow while lightening the dark beams.
Test On A Small Area First:
Before you start lightening the dark beams, first test a small sample area on the beams to examine the ESP undercoat as well as the casein distemper so that you can understand what kind of finish has been applied to the beams and if it’s going to be leached in the distemper.
Remove The Flaking Paint:
After testing and being sure, take a scraper and scrape over the dark beams to remove any flaking/lose paint.
Clean Off Any Dirt And Grime:
Once the flaking paints are removed, take a bucket filled with hot water sugar soap, and a bristle brush to scrub the beams away to clean any trace of grime, dirt, and grease.
And after cleaning, vigorously rub the beams where varnish/gloss paint was applied previously using a green kitchen scorer to build a rough surface for the distemper coating.
Dry The Beams:
Next, take hot water to rinse the suds, dirt, and grime away from the beams. And use one of your old but clean t-shirts for wiping the beams to soak up the water so that drying time is reduced.
Also, open the windows and doors so the beams can be air-dried naturally.
Apply ESP:
Only after the beams are fully dried, apply ESP using a brush to create a separation boundary between the new and old finish. Then allow the ESP some time for bonding so that it discourages migration of old stain.
Dilute Casein Distemper:
Now, dilute the casein distemper with water up to 10% because it will assure a nice flow when you will be applying it. Remember to stir the casein distemper can thoroughly before you use it and then you must stir it occasionally during using it.
Apply The Distemper:
At last, it’s time for applying the distemper on dark beams to make them light. You must apply at least 2 coatings of the distemper to get your desired result.
Apply the first coat of distemper and give it around 2 hours to dry fully. And then apply the second coat of distemper.
Remember not to apply thick coats of distemper, as thickly applied coats are likely to crack and flap after they’re dried.
Are Ceiling Beams In Style?
Ceiling beams actually never went out of style as they add visual interest in a room while giving is a cozy and warm ambiance that can lift up the whole mood of a room and give a new look.
So if you have a spacious room or large house, you certainly can add ceiling beams to the ceiling to get extra warmth, coziness, and a country-style vibe in your home while being trendy.
Final Thoughts
Ceiling beams should be painted in a color that suits the home’s decoration and one’s personal preferences, thus, the ceiling beams can be in several colors. However, white, black, gray, rose, blue, yellow, and green are some of the most commonly preferred and used colors for the ceiling beams.