Imitation of timber in the interior - application features

Decorating the walls in the bedroom with imitation timber from coniferous trees

Any specialist without hesitation will list the areas where such a simple, affordable, but also reliable, safe and beautiful material as imitation timber is used: interior decoration of wooden houses and cladding of their facades. Indeed, wood is predominantly associated with country and country interiors, but it is increasingly found in the most ordinary apartments. Imitation timber is unique in its own way; with its help it is easy to create a warm atmosphere typical of wooden houses, while being limited to a modest budget. This material contains enormous potential, which will appeal to both supporters of eco-friendly or traditional styles, as well as lovers of modern design solutions.

Entrance hall finished with raised timber in warm tones

Open apartment terrace with wooden floors and partitions

A narrow, small-sized kitchen will be visually expanded by a wide imitation of timber, designed horizontally

Imitation of timber in finishing a bedroom with light wood

Relaxation area in a private house. Block house cladding

Characteristics of false timber

Lumber manufacturers are constantly developing new technologies that make it possible to make new finishing materials from wood. More recently, their range was represented by only a few types of lining.

Wide range of modern lumber Source thewalls.ru

Today on the market you can see various decorative panels, planken and decking, and decorative bars for walls. But the most popular is false timber - carefully dried boards, sanded on the outside. The width of the boards can be different, and the length ranges from 2 to 6 meters.

What false timber looks like Source homify.com.mx

When assembled, the finish looks great. A tenon and groove system is formed on the side parts of the planed boards, so installation of the finishing occurs quickly. It has a number of advantages.

Wood is a natural material, it is completely harmless to human health, conifers are known for their bactericidal properties.

Wooden trim makes a home more comfortable Source www.interiorexplorer.ru

Unlike standard timber, sawn boards are easier and faster to dry. During the production process, they undergo additional processing; they are impregnated with antiseptics and solutions that do not allow fungi and mold to develop and moisture from the air to be absorbed into the structure of the wood.
Decorative timber in the interior of a country house looks natural, it is 100% similar to wooden beams, and at the same time costs much less.

Finishing with false beams looks natural Source bs-ru.com

The material is not afraid of temperature changes or exposure to ultraviolet radiation, so the finish will not fade over time.
After assembly, the cladding does not shrink, it is not afraid of temperature fluctuations, so it is well suited for finishing attics, loggias, balconies, verandas, and any other “cold” rooms.

Residential veranda trimmed with wood Source pingru.ru
Using imitation timber, you can level any curved walls without carrying out labor-intensive wet work. Its installation is carried out by installing the sheathing. Guides are first attached to vertical surfaces. They are set to the building level, after which timber is placed on them.

Installation is carried out on the lathing Source ko.decorexpro.com

Special clamps are used for fastening Source yourgreenhouse.ru

Any wall made of cold brick or silicate block will look more impressive if the inside is lined with natural wood. Insulation can be installed in the frame. This will help improve the heat capacity of the cottage. After finishing, the house will be much quieter. This is another additional bonus of choosing the described type of finish.

After installing false beams, the climate in the house becomes warmer Source epidemz.com.ru

Russian hut or rustic style

The main symbol of Russia is the hut. Nowadays, wealthy families are not averse to having a log house.

False timber is an excellent assistant for simulating wooden walls in the style of a Russian village. Being in such a hut gives you a feeling of unity with nature, connection with your roots.

It is quite possible to reproduce a cozy room for eating and welcoming guests. It will, of course, look in a new style, but it will still convey the old atmosphere. In such a room, everything should be made of wood: floors, ceilings, walls, furniture.

Ideally, the false beams will be an imitation of bulky matte boards with an antique effect. A massive wooden table with chairs or a bench should be installed in the center.

Features of application

Decorative bars for the interior are manufactured in a factory; when finished, they are completely ready for assembly. Installation can be carried out in the shortest possible time, without having the skills of a carpenter. The lamellas are lightweight and easy to mount even on an inconveniently located surface. The cost of the material is lower than natural timber, its purchase will be inexpensive. The color of wood and its texture have a beneficial effect on a person’s psychological state. Which is also important.

False beam fastening scheme Source fas-deck.ru

See also: Catalog of timber house projects presented at the Low-Rise Country exhibition.

Today, imitation timber is widely used in home interiors. Many designers willingly use this material both for decorating large city apartments and for decorating office buildings. Gradually it displaces the lining. This happens because the imitation timber looks richer. The installation of wide panels is much faster, they are easier to assemble, and they also allow you to accurately imitate timber. This effect cannot be achieved using lining.

Imitation timber looks richer than lining trim Source derevyannyy.com

Traditionally, when performing finishing work, the false beam strips are positioned horizontally. This helps to recreate the log structure. It looks good only in rooms with the correct geometry and high ceilings.

A room with the correct geometry Source tarifi.info

It is not necessary to cover all the walls in the interior with bars. They will look beautiful even when they cover only one side of the room. The material goes well with other textures: concrete, glass, metal.

Accent wall designed using imitation timber Source dobrostroy.house

However, it is allowed to experiment and place the bars vertically to each other, and even lay them at an angle. Designers love to try using traditional materials in innovative ways. And this allows you to create completely original interiors that can surprise with their perfection.

Vertical cladding is used where it is necessary to visually raise ceilings Source izhevsk.ru

Vertically located planks visually make the ceilings higher. If you need to decorate a narrow, elongated room with wood, designers advise covering short walls with horizontal planks, and long walls with vertical planks. This technique will make the room both taller and wider.

If ceilings are sheathed, then the slats should be placed parallel to the shortest wall. This will make them taller. When decorating rooms with complex geometry, you need to focus on the layout and create separate functional zones using the arrangement of lamellas.

The arrangement of the slats helps emphasize the geometry of the room Source abcnews.com.ua

Note! Many people strive to buy false timber of the highest quality. It has a perfectly smooth surface without any defects. But sometimes the presence of dark spots and knots adds its own flavor to the interior. This becomes justified when a rural stylistic concept is chosen to decorate the house.

Raised timber with knots and stains on its surface Source dontcallmepenny.com.au
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in finishing materials.

Indoor treatment and care

Natural material has some features that require special care indoors. Negative factors include susceptibility to wetting and swelling, and exposure to various microorganisms.

Deformation of timber beams can be prevented by regular treatment with special products.

Varnish coating

Water-based varnishes are well suited for treating wooden lining. They emit absolutely no odor, dry quickly, and do not contain organic solvents. Hydrophobic scuba tanks are also often used.

Impregnation repels water and provides reliable protection against rotting.

Thanks to a thin transparent film, varnishes allow you to preserve the natural color of wood. To give additional strength, polyurethane compounds are used. This coating can be applied with a brush or swab.

Coating with different types of paints

The main feature of this type of protection is the ability of the mixtures to completely hide the surface of the wood and give it a certain color. The following types of covering paints are suitable for indoor timber :

Alkyd enamels. They have a pungent odor, emit toxic substances, and form a dense film on the surface.
Water-dispersion paints. Completely environmentally friendly compositions, dry quickly and are quite durable.
Polyurethane enamels. Toxic in liquid form, but resistant to mechanical damage.

Textured paint

The surface relief can be created using a wooden brush. The object is guided along the wood fibers and the soft components are destroyed. The excess is removed and varnish or paint is applied.

The effect of bleached wood is created in a similar way, but white glaze is added to the coloring composition.

Artificial aging work is carried out mechanically. They deliberately damage the surface in several places, trying to do this as naturally as possible. Then they are painted according to the standard.

What is used as raw material

Practice shows that false beams look very different in the interior. This is because it is made from different types of trees. Each has its own texture, its own color, its own pattern. This must be taken into account when purchasing material.

Light false beams make the room visually more spacious Source ttrofimov.ru

If the bars are made from pine, they will be light yellow in color. Over time it will darken a little, but its golden shine will remain. Designers recommend choosing this material for wall decoration in the kitchen and hallway. Pine looks good in the decoration of the attic. There, its light shades help to visually expand the space and fill it with air.

Imitation of pine timber in the bedroom interior Source pilomaterial-stroi.ru

In the interior, bars made of cedar always look royally luxurious. They are used to decorate living rooms, offices, and large reading rooms. This wood has a unique pattern, very beautiful and embossed, it adds restraint to any design.

After processing, the tree drawing is completely preserved Source fcld.access.ly

Therefore, when it is necessary to emphasize the severity of the chosen style, preference is given to wooden finishes made of cedar. It has its own smell, cedar is known for its healing properties, so interiors with cedar cladding have a beneficial effect on human health.

Cedar in the living room interior Source glenoakspathology.com

Larch is a material that perfectly resists moisture. Under its influence, it swells slowly, so wooden trim made from larch is suitable for decorating kitchens, baths, saunas, and saunas.

False beams in sauna decoration Source stroyservis-74.ru

Interior color scheme

To preserve the natural texture and color of wood, when processing panels, preference should be given to impregnations, colorless varnishes, and wax. It is better to refuse paint. In this case, the color of the board will directly depend on the type of wood. The most common shades are light brown, brown-red, and coffee.

There are also unusual ones, for example, blue, green, pink.

For clarity, let's look at some options (variety - color scheme):

oak – from light brown to dark brown;
beech – white with a yellowish-red tint;
ash – from dark brown to light yellow;
alder – red-brown;
walnut – from light brown to black;
pine - from pale yellow to reddish yellow;
larch – from light yellowish to reddish;
yew – yellowish-white.

Rules for choosing false beams

When purchasing any finishing material, you must first of all pay attention to the color and texture. These two criteria directly affect the appearance of the finished interior. Therefore, it is important to keep a ready-made design project in mind and try to substitute the proposed assortment for it.

Imitation timber dimensions Source hi.decorexpro.com

If imitation timber is used for interior decoration, the thickness of the wooden slats should not exceed 21 mm. Elements of greater thickness are intended for cladding facades. Modern spruce manufacturers offer two versions of false beams.

The first is unpainted panels. They are cheaper, but after assembly the casing will have to be additionally treated with an antiseptic, tonal impregnation and varnish. This option is good when the wood needs colored painting at the final stage of interior design.

Unpainted larch slats Source bars-stroy.ru

The second is tinted panels. They are more expensive, but after assembly you do not need to perform any manipulations with them.

Tinted panels that do not require additional processing Source okraskadereva.ru

Choosing the second option allows you to significantly reduce repair time. But it requires a more careful selection that can fit into the style of the future interior.

Decorative plasterboard beams

This is not just a spectacular decoration; inside you can hide pipes, ventilation, wires or install spotlights. False gypsum board beams are often used for zoning, for example, to separate the kitchen from the living room.

Features of the material

Plasterboard sheets are stronger than polystyrene foam. In addition to regular gypsum plasterboard, fire-resistant, water-resistant and fire-resistant types of material are produced.

The slabs are lighter than wood, but more fragile (damaged when dropped or hit). GCR can be easily cut into pieces with a sharp knife. The surface is painted, decorative plaster and other similar finishing materials can be applied.

Sometimes a false gypsum board beam is used as a rough structure. It is sheathed on top with laminate, parquet boards or other available decorative materials.

Manufacturing technology

A false plasterboard beam is made according to the box principle. The frame is assembled from a metal profile (less often from wooden slats), and the top is sheathed with thin KGL (6.5 mm). This technology is used to create a beam from scratch or to improve an existing supporting structure, for example, if it is uneven.

In addition to sheets of drywall, you will need:

aluminum profile;
self-tapping screws;
screwdriver;
laser level or tapping cord;
construction knife.

To make a beam from plasterboard, you can first assemble a frame of profiles on the ceiling, connecting them with transverse posts and lintels, and then sheathe it with plasterboard. But there is an easier way. Two U-shaped guides are screwed to the ceiling parallel to each other. Strips with a large margin in width are cut from drywall. It will be needed to compensate for differences in the height of the draft ceiling.

The gypsum board is screwed to one of the profiles from the outside. On the other side, set the level to the desired height of the beam. The guide is screwed along this mark. The sheet below is cut flush with the edge. The level can be replaced with a chop cord.

Advice! If there is no one to help and hold the structure, you can press it with clamps. To avoid damaging the material, lay a board.

On the other side they do the same. The lower guides are only supported by drywall and need to be reinforced. For this purpose, transverse jumpers are made. The profile is cut to the internal size and mounted crosswise, fixing it to the ceiling through hangers. The edges are screwed to the guides. The bottom is sewn with another strip of gypsum board covering the structure.

This method is shown in detail in the video. We recommend that you take a look if any points remain unclear.

Peculiarities! A plasterboard beam on a wooden frame is assembled according to the same principle.

Finishing

Finishing drywall is carried out in several stages. Between them take breaks to wait for complete drying. First, cover the seams and screw heads with putty. The joints and external corners are additionally reinforced with painting mesh.

After this, the surface is leveled again. When applying the product in a thick layer, the false beam will become covered with cracks. And if you do this in two stages, the shortcomings of the bottom layer will be leveled out when applying the top one. The final coating is thin and will not crack. After this, the beam is primed. Then they are painted in 2-3 stages.

In addition to painting, the surface of a plasterboard box can be finished with decorative plaster, covered with wallpaper or self-adhesive film, and covered with laminate or parquet boards.

Features of ceiling mounting

When using this material, installation takes place during the assembly process. The fixation option depends on the type of floor.

The guides are attached to the concrete slab as follows:

First, holes are drilled in the profile.
Place it on the ceiling and make marks.
They drill in these places with a hammer drill and hammer in plastic dowels.
Place the guides again and tighten the screws.

Self-tapping screws are suitable for fastening to wood. In both cases, the length of the fastener is selected so that it fits securely into the ceiling. In most cases, universal 5x50 self-tapping screws are suitable.

How does imitation timber differ from a block house?

Both materials are in the same price segment. Both of them are in demand and popular today. Both help to achieve good results quickly, in a short time. And they differ from each other only in appearance.

Structural differences between different lumber Source 6sotok-dom.com

Using imitation timber, it is possible to create clear, even lines, so the geometry of the space becomes strict and concise. It is ideal for decorating interiors in a minimalist, Scandinavian style.

Dark false beams in the interior Source dizajninterera.org

Fasteners

It is preferable to secure the imitation timber using clamps. They are suitable for hidden fasteners and do not spoil the visual appearance of the surface with holes. In addition, this option is quite economical due to the low consumption of elements.

The fastening also depends on the base material.

For example, on wooden surfaces it is convenient to use self-tapping screws or nail the elements. On concrete, brick or block bases it is worth using dowels and screws.

Please note that the position of all fixed parts should be checked using a building level: in this case, the surface will be smooth and even.

Disadvantages of the material

Anyone who decides to finish a house using imitation timber should also be aware of the disadvantages of false timber. They are the same as any other lumber.

Any wooden finish must be treated with an antiseptic Source masterepair.ru

Wooden trim in the house will have to be constantly treated with an antiseptic, tinting compounds and a thin layer of varnish. Without this, the cladding will quickly lose its presentable appearance.
Wooden finishes are fire hazardous. Its choice dictates certain rules for the installation and operation of electrical wiring.
Buying low-quality products leads to the fact that the cladding quickly cracks and becomes unattractive.

Options for placing beams on the ceiling

Beams on the ceiling can be positioned in different ways; depending on the number and direction, the visual perception of the room changes. A single element is usually installed at the boundary of zones. Several fixed across the room will expand it, and along it will lengthen it. Arrangement diagonally or from the center to the walls will add space. A ceiling with false beams can become the highlight of any interior. You can order a ready-made version or create your own to suit your individual needs.