In the Living Room area the ceiling is vaulted. After they had the sheetrock done Terry decided she would like a beam at the peak of the vault. I asked the Builder about it. He chuckled and said I wish we had known that before we rocked. We would have added some reinforcement for holding up the beam. I said how about a fake beam? He said oh yeah, if that's what she wants it's no big deal to fasten up there and easy to add.
Okay, Terry Googled beams and came up with what she wanted. Made from a type of rigid foam. Kinda U shaped inside. The room is 22' long.
I contacted the company that makes the beam and they wanted $1280...?nbsp; Wow, that's high priced per pound...?br>
So I took a phone pic to my local material supplier. He said, let me see what I can do. He called me the next day and said $875..... Still pretty expensive per pound...
So I got online and started searching. I got the beam delivered to my house for $385..... Wow, those other places were really ripping me off!!!! Most amazing was that the manufacturer was that high. The company I bought it from had it shipped from the manufacturer!!!!
Anyway,,,, the beam was kind of a tan color. Looks like axe hewn log. Terry stained it Cherry and Varnished it. Builder screwed a 2x6 the length of the peak. The log straddled the plank and is screwed to it. He split one of the two "brackets" in half. One bracket covers the splice in the middle. The two halves of the other bracket are at each end.
Turned out to be a great addition and worth the $$$
Another lucky thing in the Kitchen area. Terry said she wanted a stained glass door on the Pantry. Had one picked out. In my rusty memory I thought I had one. So I dug it out of the barn. All she had to do was clean it and brush on one coat of varnish. She loves it!!!
In the process of hanging the door the Builder said "do you want a Jam Switch" for the light"? I had to ask what that was??? When you open the door the light comes on, close the door and it goes off. YES!!!!
Ordered two 11' pieces and two fake brackets that look like hammered steel.