architectural beams on a ceiling is a great way to accessorize a room with style, warmth and charm. It becomes an even easier job with the use of lighter-than-wood, faux wood architectural beams. The faux beams not only weigh less, but they look incredibly like the real thing, especially when not being examined right up close because they’re installed on the ceiling. If the ceiling is flat, many homeowners choose to either run some beams in parallel rows or to set the beams up in a grid formation. For another layer of depth, an option is to create either of these beam patterns on top of a layer of ceiling-covering, flat faux wood planks. To accommodate any sized ceiling, Volterra makes faux architectural beams in lengths from 8 feet to 30 feet. There’s no set rule on how far apart beams should be spaced – it’s a matter of preference, depending on how large the ceiling is that you’re working with. Most commonly, architectural beams are spaced 4 feet apart, but 2 feet or even 8 feet look nice as well, when creating a parallel pattern. For a cabin, cottage, or Old English feel, a coffered ceiling, with architectural beams set up in a grid, is also a beautiful look. The coffered pattern may seem like a daunting task, but by using faux wood products from Volterra, this classic ‘old-house’ feature becomes a much easier endeavor. For more ideas about how you can beautify your home with architectural beams contact Volterra in Arizona, at 602.258.7373.]]>
Tag: az faux beams
4 Reasons to Substitute Faux Wood Beams for Natural Wood
faux wood beams instead of natural wood for many reasons. Expense Volterra’s faux wood beams, made from HDF High Density Foam, are less expensive than natural wood beams. They’re less expensive because they’re manmade but also because they are lighter requiring less shipping cost. And, due to their ease of use, they also require less paid manpower for installation. These beams look just like real wood up close, so you can be sure no one will be able to tell the difference between real ones and our faux wood beams when they’re up on the ceiling. HDF faux wood beams are very durable and 3D cast with natural wood surface grains and textures, providing the same visual likeness as wood but without the prohibitive cost. Easy to Install Volterra’s HDF faux wood beams are a fraction of the weight of solid wood beams making them much easier to install. In many cases, real wood requires an enormous amount of structural support and bracing for installation, but faux wood beams are so manageable, they can easily be installed anywhere with very little hardware. Natural wood beams require two or three strong, able bodies to lift and mount but with lightweight faux wood beams, installation can even be an effortless do-it-yourself project. Durable High-density polyurethane foam is a manmade material that stands up to all kinds of weather. Beams made from HDF will look as good as they day they were installed for years to come. HDF faux wood beams, unlike real wood, keep their shape and color, without fading, whether they are used inside or outdoors. Maintenance Free Natural wood can splinter, warp, and break. It also needs to be maintained with stain and protective coatings on a regular basis to keep it in good shape. The brawny make up of high-density polyurethane foam, however, keeps faux wood beams from cracking, bending, or chipping. Natural wood can also attract termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and wood boring beetles, all requiring pest control experts and beam replacement. But, insects couldn’t care less about your faux wood beams, keeping them maintenance free.]]>
Residential Roof Truss Designs
roof truss design into a vaulted or cathedral ceiling. A roof truss design is basically a non-functional “framework” that’s built using a combination of faux wood beams, columns, braces, and arches. A roof truss design will still keep your cathedral ceiling open and airy up to the rafters, but with a rich wood finish and texture, it can provide the warmth of a rustic Aspen rocky mountain lodge or the elegance of a French country estate. Volterra’s lightweight roof truss designs mimic natural wood, creating a dramatic effect for vaulted ceilings without the cost of using natural wood trusses. Our faux wood roof truss design plans run the gamut from a basic scissor truss style to the more elaborate arched hammer style truss. Available in nine different styles, multiple wood grains and luxurious wood finishes like deep espresso, light walnut, rustic oak, and rich mahogany, these structures bring elegance and a touch of coziness to any escalated overhead space.]]>
What Are Architectural Beams?
Architectural beams have evolved from being solely structural elements to becoming key components in interior design. At Volterra Architectural Products, we offer faux wood beams that combine the classic charm of natural wood with modern manufacturing techniques. These beams enhance both the structural integrity and aesthetic appeal of various spaces.
Historical Role of Architectural Beams
Historically, the primary purpose of architectural beams was to uphold the structural integrity of buildings. In construction engineering, beams were typically solid pieces of timber installed horizontally across large openings to support substantial loads above, such as floors or roofs. These beams were known as floor joists or roof joists, respectively, and were made from materials like iron, wood, and steel.
Evolution into Decorative Elements
Over time, architects and designers began to recognize the aesthetic potential of exposed beams. High ceilings adorned with beams added visual interest and character to the interiors. Today, while beams still play a crucial structural role, they are often incorporated purely for decorative purposes. This shift has opened up new possibilities for using beams to enhance the look and feel of a room.
Benefits of Faux Wood Beams
Volterra’s faux wood ceiling beams offer the same visual appeal as natural wood without the associated drawbacks. Cast from natural wood beams, our faux beams perfectly replicate the surface textures and wood-grain details of real wood. Made from high-density polyurethane foam (HDF), these beams are lightweight, easy to install, and resistant to warping, rotting, and chipping.
Ease of Installation and Affordability
One of the standout features of Volterra’s faux wood beams is their ease of installation. Unlike natural wood beams, which require the effort of multiple strong individuals to lift and position, our HDF beams can be handled with ease. This simplicity in installation translates to reduced labor costs and a more straightforward setup. Additionally, faux wood beams are more affordable than traditional timber beams, making them an excellent choice for budget-conscious projects.
Enhance Your Space with Volterra’s Faux Wood Beams
Architectural beams have come a long way from their purely functional origins. Today, they serve as both structural supports and decorative elements that add charm and character to any space. Volterra’s faux wood beams provide a cost-effective, easy-to-install alternative to natural wood, offering all the beauty without the hassle. Explore our range of faux wood beams and transform your home or commercial space. Contact us today to learn more or to place an order.
What are L-Headers?
L-headers. L-headers are wood or replicated wood, horizontal planks or beams that are used to frame a window or entryway. Adding L-headers above the front windows, doorways, and garage doors are a very simple way to enhance architectural style, which instantly uplifts a home’s curb appeal. Volterra’s faux wood L-headers are a practical, affordable, durable and lightweight alternative to wooden headers. They’re 1-inch thick and available in any width, height and length to accommodate the size of your windows or entryways. Covering all the bases, faux wood L-headers from Volterra conveniently come in several simulated wood textures as well as multiple wood grain stain colors, ranging from dark, rich espresso to light oak. Once you see what a difference a small accessory can make to the front side, you’ll want to add L-headers around the whole house, including the pergola or trellis in the garden landscape. Made from high-density foam (HDF), unlike real wood, our faux wood products are made to withstand the outdoor elements. These beautiful and functional L-headers resist warping, cracking, splitting, rotting, swelling and pest infestation. Volterra’s decorative L-headers can be used together with our other products, such as our faux wood shutters, corbels and brackets to take the exterior of your home one style-step further.]]>
Styling Exposed Trusses for a Modern Home
When homeowners look to add style and character to their home, one area that often gets ignored is the ceiling. Generally, when people are redesigning their home they look to frame windows with billowy valances and drapes, cover floors with plush rugs and luxury tiles or coat the walls in colored papers and paints. Often, we spend so much time looking down and around that we forget to look up! But, believe it or not, ceiling height and décor has a lot to do with how comfortable a space is perceived to be. Incorporating exposed, decorative trusses into the height of any room can instantly transform its ambience from echo-y and cold to comfy and warm. When you walk into any room, your senses take into consideration its size and space. Internally, you quickly size up your comfort level in that particular room. For this reason, ceilings are built in different heights and styles. Some are flat and some are pitched. A regular vaulted ceiling, for example, will have 2 asymmetrical sloped sides and create a cozier atmosphere. A cathedral ceiling, on the other hand, will be shaped like an upside down ‘V’, with 2 dramatically sloped sides that come together at the highest pitch point. While cathedral ceilings are hands-down, viscerally impactful and visually impressive, they don’t necessarily offer a cozy room to dine, have a conversation, sit and read, or take a snooze. Adding architectural elements can make the ceiling space less intense and imposing, especially the incorporation of embellishments like attractive wood or faux wood exposed trusses. Exposed trusses are a framework constructed of a combination of beams, columns, braces and sometimes arches. In luxurious wood finishes, like deep espresso, light walnut, rustic oak, and rich mahogany, these structures bring elegance and a touch of intimacy to those soaring overhead spaces. Design plans for exposed trusses go from a basic scissor truss style to the more elaborate arched hammer style truss. Think, rustic Swiss Alps Chalet, stately French country manor or charming Napa Valley winery. So, when you’re in the mood for a room change, don’t forget to look up toward the stars! The natural look and feel of wooden elements like exposed trusses, or even beams, are the best way to dress up that empty, lofty space up in the rafters.]]>
Adapting a Truss Design to Suit Your Style
Adapting a Truss Design to Suit Your Style Though thinking about a truss design might evoke images of a rustic space, decorative trusses are extremely versatile and suitable for all styles of homes. With the lightweight non-functional trusses from Volterra that mimic natural wood trusses, you can have the beautiful appearance of trusses in your home without the hassle and labor costs. Their style and color choices make the trusses adaptable to your unique architecture and create a stunning effect in any space. Blending In To achieve the stunning architectural accent of truss design while maintaining a modern feel, paint the trusses the same color as the rest of the room. This is easy with Volterra’s primed (ready for the paint or stain) finish, and even though they’re painted the same color as the room, their unique wooden texture lends them depth and strength. The Huntsman style truss design works well in a modern space because of its simple, minimal beam structure. Natural Warmth Truss design that maintains a natural wood look, color and texture has the ability to be rustic or contemporary, depending on the application. To play up the rustic appearance, incorporate more wood surfaces like walls and flooring. For a more contemporary feel, keep walls, windows and design lines simple and clean. The Aspen truss style, with its arched accents, gives an earthy, lodge-like appearance, while the Sawtooth design adheres to cleaner lines and structure. Flooded with Light In a space filled with windows that allow in ample natural light, truss appearance is anything but heavy. For a grand room with high, arched ceilings, trusses help emphasize the architecture and accentuate walls of windows. Trusses work as a framework around spectacular views and bring balance to a space already filled with sleek wooden surfaces. To achieve a minimal intrusion of truss design, the Catskill style has just enough structure for visibility without a feeling of descending weight. While trusses used to be an essential part of structural support in homes, with Volterra’s decorative truss design options, they can fit in any style home. The lightweight, natural wood look and feel of these trusses add that touch of unique visual interest to your home and lend sophistication, rustic charm or even modern sensibility to a space. Volterra’s extensive selection of colors and textures allows you to find just the right fit for your home, and you can vary your choices throughout the home for a truly unique application. Discover the beauty of trusses from Volterra today.]]>
High-Quality Faux Beams and More
High-Quality Faux Beams and More As a contractor or homeowner, you may often need to repair unsightly or damaged areas of construction, often without removal of the original structure, which can be a time-consuming and labor intensive process. Wood crown moulding, natural wood plank ceilings and structural beams will need constant attention and repair. They can also be hard to access and costly to install which is why you should consider an alternative: faux beams, planks and moulding. For a room with a vaulted ceiling, the look of structural beams can be unsightly and difficult to clean and maintain. Faux beams are an ideal solution for this situation. Not only are faux beams structurally sound, but they require little if any maintenance upon completion. These faux beams are cast from natural wood beams and come complete with the texture, grain and look of real wood. They also come in a variety of textures and colors to choose from that will add a touch of style and comfortable feeling to any area, home or business. Specializing in this industry for more than 13 years, Volterra Architectural Products manufactures and distributes these beautifully designed architectural and finishing products. Headquartered in Phoenix AZ, Volterra ships their high quality products to professionals throughout North America. As the only manufacturer in the U.S. able to produce these types of custom products in both quantity and quality, Volterra Architectural Products can offer a variety of designs and styles from which you can choose. Experts in manufacturing natural hardwood moulding and millwork products; faux beams, planks and corbels; decorative shutters and accessories; faux stone products; columns; custom interior plaster and synthetic stucco; you will find everything you need to add a beautiful finishing touch to your project. The combinations of these products are limitless, needing to be only left to the imagination of the customer and contractor.]]>
Faux Beams with the Hand Hewn Look
Hand hewn beams are especially popular structures that produce this effect, given that they are the results of the process of forming lumber with an axe. Faux beams can also be created to replicate this exact same appearance. What is the value of fake beams that copy the look of real beams that were formed with a seemingly crude method? The hand hewn method indents wood with inconsistencies and imperfections that add a significant dosage of personality to each individual piece. This naturally visceral means of creating lumber is imprecise, which means that every finished product will be of its own design. No two beams will be exactly alike. The cracks, cuts and marks made on the wood recall the time when people took a more personal approach to crafting architecture, adding a human element and a portion of their own character to the finished product. Of course, authentic beams require maintenance and care to continue to look pristine and function properly. This burden has been lifted with the invention of faux beams, which are actually molds cast from real wooden pieces. Fake wood beams emulate the exact appearance of real beams without any of the hassle that comes with caring for them. They are purely decorative devices that light up rooms and halls with the made-from-scratch beauty inherent to their authentic counterparts. Fake wood beams are resistant to the problems that typically plague real beams, and they can be installed with ease and left alone for years without any serious care. The hand hewn appearance is celebrated for its personal touches and beautiful imperfections. Volterra Architectural Products make sure that each faux hand hewn beam mimics the exact details of the real deal.]]>
Decorative Truss Systems for Vaulted Ceilings
Decorative truss systems easily fill this space up with its complex design. The truss is a triangular fixture that has been traditionally used to stabilize and hold ceilings and roofs. Since its conception, decorative trusses have been created to serve the aesthetic, rather than the function. These structures are elegant in their size and scale, and the interconnecting beams that compose their form make them respectable feats of architecture. The goal of installing non-functional trusses is that of lavish decoration, adding purpose to wide empty spaces like vaulted ceilings. Within the triangle-shaped body of the truss is a series of beams that interact with one another, sometimes cutting through each other or turning away at angles. Different styles can be chosen, depending on personal taste and preference, and they each evoke a different time period. Some meet and curve away just before touching, while others are symmetrical in going up, down and across the truss. Whatever the style may be, it still fits neatly within the truss and does nothing to affect the overall design. Their angled tops fit neatly into the angled top of a vaulted ceiling, and their sides extend down the angled walls in matching symmetry. Vaulted ceilings and decorative trusses are the perfect pair for elaborate, cathedral-like beauty in a house. Together, these structures create drama and prestige.]]>