The Levitation Illusion is one of Thaddeus’ signature magic tricks.

What is magic? Some people define it as performing the illusion of doing something impossible; seemingly unnatural feats achieved through entirely natural means.

And in many ways, that definition could be applied to our faux wood beams; which provide the illusion of real timber in places in which it would be impossible to use authentic timber beams.

But it wasn’t until we met Thaddeus – better known as illusionist and showman Ted Plezia – that the two concepts were finally combined in one.

Two lightweight, but realistic pillars “support” Ted’s floating lady.

Ted and his wife Deborah run the South Shore Theatre Experience – a theater production company on the south shore of Long Island. Together combining over 60 years of stage experience, Deborah and Ted help bring the showmanship to life by helping kids and charities enjoy the thrill and majesty of theater like they’ve never seen before.

And that’s where our false beams come in. Ted Plezia is also known as “Thaddeus”  – and performs renowned shows Storytime Magic and The Magic of Thaddeus for thrilled audiences all over Long Island. One of his signature tricks is the “Levitation Illusion” and, to accomplish that, our faux wood beams come into play.

Because of their vivid realism, our faux wood products are the perfect option for other set design projects, too.

If you’ve ever watched a magic show, you probably know what to expect with the famous “levitating lady” trick – in which a beautiful assistant hovers in the air, seemingly unassisted. While we’ve all seen the trick countless times on television – and occasionally in real life, in shows like Ted’s – it’s one that never fails to impress.

And nor do Thaddeus’ faux wood beams – which he uses as set pieces, and slowly remove as his “levitation” illusion is revealed.

And much like the magic trick itself, our lengths of synthetic wood create a convincing illusion themselves; appearing to be solid lengths of timber, yet remaining light enough for Ted to lift, carry and store effortlessly. This is achieved by ordering four-sided lengths of our faux wood beams; each with seamless end-caps to appear solid.

This great shot shows the essential components of the “Levitation Illusion” – and how vividly realistic they are.

Created from light, yet tough polyurethane, these faux timber beams are molded from real timber; and vividly mimic each knot, grain, saw mark and imperfection – making them practically indistinguishable from real wood. Add in an intricately detailed finish in real wood coloring and the illusion is complete.

So much so that Ted and Deborah’s use of our faux wood products actually extends beyond just “The Magic of Thaddeus” – and has become a regular go to for other set design needs as well. Because they’re affordable, light and transportable and can be cut and connected using nothing but regular household carpentry tools, they are perfect for creating all sorts of stage-ready props and set pieces.

Do you know anybody else who uses our faux wood products in an unorthodox way, like Deborah and Ted? If so, we’d love to hear about it – we’re always looking for new stories and pictures to feature right here!

The post Making Magic with Faux Wood Beams appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

The secret to why our faux wood beams look so realistic is that they’re made using actual molds of real wood and timber. Our innovative molding process captures every grain, knot and imperfection, and then we recreate them perfectly in tough and durable molded polyurethane foam.

But what do the different product descriptions actually mean? If you’ve ever wondered what the differences are between different types of faux wood beams, this handy guide should fill you in:

• Timber Beams: Timber beams are molded from old wooden timbers, the ones used in the construction of historic homes and buildings. Because of their age, they’re uniquely patterned after decades of wear, tear and erosion. While the beams themselves are as structurally sound as ever, the unique aged look adds character and a historic appearance.
• Sandblasted Beams: Timber beams are still widely used in construction today, and one technique frequently used to finish and prepare them is sandblasting. Sandblasting is the high-pressure application of fine sand, which wears down the surface of the beam to smooth out saw marks and imperfections, while retaining the texture of grains and knots.
• Custom Tuscany Beams: The unique look of these beams comes from “distressing” them by hand; usually with an ax. This adds uniquely textured imperfections and marks in the wood that are characteristic of “old world” timber, especially popular in Spain, Italy and the south of France.
• Custom Woodland Beams: Woodland beams are the default style; machine-sawn and finished to combine a clean appearance with the texture and character of grains, knots and other imperfections. They’re a great choice for adding the character of real wood to a home design project, yet retaining a fresh and modern appearance.
• Custom Axed Beam: The dramatic texture of the custom axed beam comes from the way it’s made; chopped to shape using nothing more than an ax, as pioneers and pilgrims might have done. This technique adds a distinctive and vivid pattern to the wood, which is perfect for rustic or frontier-style design projects.
• Custom Hand Hewn Beams: Similar in style to the custom axed beam, hand hewn beams are cut to size using a hand-saw – a strenuous and time-consuming task that leaves a distinctive pattern to the finished product. Again, these beams are ideal for giving the appearance of a homestead or ranch; rustic and hand-crafted.
• Custom Aspen Beams: This style of beam features a distinctive raised grain appearance, and takes its name from the towering Rocky Mountain redwoods and other deep-grain timber used to source the wood from. These beams are popular with people trying to achieve a cabin or ski-lodge look to their home design projects.
• Custom Resawn Beams: Resawing is a mechanical cutting technique used in the timber industry towards the end of the 19th century. Resawing technology gave beams and planks from that era a unique and desirable look; making them sought after by homeowners and designers looking to add a little period charm to their projects.
• Chamfered Beams: These beams are distinctive because of their chamfered edges – beveled to give a smoother edge to the corners. Commonly used in chateaus and monastery’s in 16th and 17th century France, they’re an option still popular in modern-day hunting lodges and other design projects looking to add a distinctive, period look.
• Pecky Cypress Beams: Increasingly rare and sought-after, pecky cypress beams are made from the wood of cypress trees that have become riddled with the stereum taxodil fungus. This creates hollow spots in the wood, which give it a unique and desirable appearance. One reason going “faux” is a better option than using authentic pecky cypress is because modern lumbering means pecky cypress is increasingly difficult, and expensive, to get hold of.

The post What Are The Different Types of Faux Wood Beams? appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

Once installed, our real woof rafter tails are impossible to tell from the real thing.

“Rafter tails” are the ends of the wooden beams that were used in the roofing of traditionally-constructed houses.

Modern framing techniques and building design means that those sort of beams are no longer necessary – but many homeowners miss the look of the traditional beam ends hanging out from beneath their roof.

Fortunately, FauxWoodBeams.com™ has a product specifically designed to deliver that look; even in modern homes that don’t use traditional wood beam construction.

Our real wood rafter tails are additions that can be nailed, screwed or glued onto the stubs of modern roofing framework, to instantly give the appearance of real timber beams sticking out.

The actual roofing overhang fits seamlessly on top; and once they’re painted and finished, they’re impossible to tell from the real thing.

And what’s great about our rafter tails is that they’re made from real wood – molded kiln-dried wood fiber that is pre-primed in white and ready to be painted or stained to perfectly match the rest of the wood used on the exterior of your home.

As a result, they provide the classic look of traditional timber, but at a fraction of the price of building with full length wood roofing beams.

Our real wood rafter tails come pre-primed in white, ready to be painted or stained to match the rest of the wood on your home exterior.

Installing our rafter tails is easy. The pre-formed groove slots directly over the stubs of wooden framing, and can be secured with construction adhesive, nails or screws.

Once installed, our rafter tails fit flush with the actual roofing material; just like real timber beams would have done.

The finished product; ready for painting and finishing.

The post Real Wood Rafter Tails Add Classic Touch to Modern Home appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

Happy Holidays from Duke – official mascot of FauxWoodBeams.com

From everybody at FauxWoodBeams.com™: Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year!

It’s been an exciting year here at FauxWoodBeams.com™! As we relax and spend time with our families over the holiday period, we thought it would be a good opportunity to look back over the last year and highlight some of the blog posts we really enjoyed sharing with you:

• January

Installing Synthetic Wood Beams: Which Direction?

A common question we get asked is: Which direction should I install your false beams in? Hopefully this post will answer your question!

• February

Tudor Style Home Building and Renovation with Faux Wooden Planks

Our faux wood products aren’t just great for adding a classic look to a modern home; they can be used to restore traditional wood designs as well. This post chronicles a homeowner using faux wood planks to restore her Tudor-style home to its former glory.

• March

What are Fire Rated Faux Wood Beams?

Many of our faux wood products are available fire rated. What does that mean? This post explains all.

• April

5 Smart Reasons Contractors Prefer False Beams

Our false beams and faux wood products are always popular with contractors. Here’s a blog post dedicated to the top five reasons why.

• May

Portable Cabana – Just add False Beams

Because our false beams look just as good as the real thing – but weigh a fraction of what authentic wood or timber does – they’re very popular with trade show displays. Here’s a great display made using our faux wood beams. What do you think of it?

• June

Waste Not Want Not with Decorative Beams

Here’s a great post in which a talented home designer uses left-over faux wood products to create an entirely new ceiling project. Waste not, want not!

• July

Seamless Surround Sound with Faux Wood Beams

Another reason “going faux” gives you an advantage over real wood is that our beams are hollow – allowing you to run wires or install recessed lighting in them. In this blog post, that concept is taken a step further; with an entire surround sound system hidden away in our false beams.

• August

Crown molding trick gives faux beams an authentic look

This blog post is a great demonstration of how to make brand new faux wood beams look like they’ve been there for a century – or more!

• September

Modern Look for All Star Burgers, Using Faux Wood Beams

Our faux wood beams are always a hit with commercial contractors because they’re easy to install and look great. Here’s an example from All Star Burgers who used our products to construct an awesome looking false ceiling fixture.

• October

Faux Wood Knee Braces are the Bee’s Knees for Curb Appeal

“Knee braces” are a traditional structural support used in older homes. Our false wood ones might not be structural, but they’re effortless to install and add a touch of timeless Americana to any modern home.

• November

Faux Wood Beam Saves Old House

We love this blog post! An old home needs serious structural reinforcement; and our false beams enable the homeowners to save the house without losing any of the authentic, centuries-old charm.

• December

How much do false beams weigh? Well, they’re as light as a Faux-ther.

Want to know just how lightweight our beams are? Check this out!

The post Happy Holidays from FauxWoodBeams.com! appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

They might weigh a fraction of what real timber does, but our faux beams look every bit as good.

There are a lot of reasons why “going faux” makes a smarter choice for your home design projects than trying to use real wood or timber. Our faux wood beams look just as good, cost a fraction of the price and can be installed in just a few hours, using nothing more than a regular wood saw, screws and wooden mounting blocks.

But if there’s one reason customers keep repeating as to why our beams rise above the competition, it’s because of the fact that they weigh a fraction of what real wood does.

Our beams are made from tough and durable molded polyurethane foam – which perfectly captures the vivid textures of real timber, but is made up of solid air-filled foam cells which make our beams incredibly light and portable.

A 16 foot faux timber beam, for example, typically weighs only about 20lbs; meaning that a single person can easily carry one (as demonstrated below).

It goes without saying that this makes a big difference when it comes to installation – but the lightweight beams also save hundreds or potentially thousands of dollars on transportation costs; whether you’re using traditional shipping methods or just loading beams into the back of a truck.

Weight is one of the primary reasons why our false beams aren’t just “as good” as the real thing – for many home installation projects, our faux beams are actually better!

The post How much do false beams weigh? Well, they’re as light as a Faux-ther. appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

We’re thankful for our amazing customer service, warehouse and web development team this Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a holiday we love to celebrate in the FauxWoodBeams.com office. It’s a time to express gratitude for everything we have to be thankful for – and to spend quality time with friends and family.

For us, the FauxWoodBeams.com team is family. Many of us have worked together for years, and we look out for each other just like real family does. Just the other week, when Hurricane Sandy hit our Deer Park offices, our team ganged together to help out our friends and colleagues who’d lost power, had their homes damaged or needed a helping hand.

We like to think this sense of “family” comes from that fact that we’ve been in business for 40 years now (in fact, we celebrated that anniversary just this year!) This Thanksgiving, that’s definitely something we’re going to express our gratitude about.

It’s been a long journey from the 1970s to today; and while the service and quality we offer has never changed, the way we do business has been revolutionized. We’ve evolved from a traditional building supplies business to become a dynamic online retailer – offering the best products at the best value, all backed by unparallelled customer service that we’re incredibly proud of.

That’s a side to our business that you can’t always see online. There are lots of other websites that sell (or claim to sell) products similar to ours. But many of those are run remotely – sometimes even by a single guy in a home office, acting as the middle man between the customer and the wholesaler. This can mean it’s difficult – or impossible – to organize returns, refunds or tackle problems with the order.

While we’re just as cutting-edge technology wise, and offer some of the keenest prices around, we also maintain the old-school care and professionalism that helped us stay in business for four decades – working with customers to make sure they get the products they want, when they want – and to help them afterwards if there are any issues.

That’s a promise not many online retailers can make – as once they’ve made the transaction, the whole process is largely out of their hands.

But we go that extra step because of the other thing we’re thankful for this holiday – our customers.

It’s their loyalty that’s kept us in business all these years; and their referrals and recommendations that have helped us grow to become a national retailer. We feel a huge sense of pride when we publish pictures of the design projects our customers have created using our products; and are always excited to receive more.

Happy Thanksgiving, from everybody at FauxWoodBeams.com

The post Happy Thanksgiving from FauxWoodBeams.com appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

Classic Victorian houses, like this one in Lambertville, NJ, feature knee braces that are ideal for spooky scene-setting.

Knee braces are structural bracing for timber beams – especially common on porches, doorways and balconies.

They’ve fallen out of favor over the course of the last half-century as building techniques and construction materials meant that the reinforcement they offered was no longer necessary.

But one thing that modern materials can’t replace is the classic look of knee braces – which is why they’re a popular part of our faux wood lineup.

Our faux wood knee braces don’t offer any structural support; but are lightweight, vividly realistic and easy to install on your porch, windows, doorways and balconies.

Made from tough and durable molded polyurethane, they mimic the textures, grains and knots of real wood, and are available in a range of colors to perfectly match other faux wood products you’re using.

Our faux wood knee braces perfectly capture the appeal of classic Victorian structural braces.

Installing them is easy. You can use construction adhesive or long screws, and it’s a job for one person that can easily be completed in less than a day.

The results, as you can see, look terrific.

So what do you think? Have you used our knee braces in any of your home redesign projects? If you have, we’d love to see them.

Share them with us at info@fauxwoodbeams.com. Can’t wait to see them!

The post Faux Wood Knee Braces are the Bee’s Knees for Curb Appeal appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

The 5 Features of our Faux Wood Beams

Here’s a breakdown of five important design features from our range of faux wood beams.

1. Our beams are manufactured from high-density polyurethane foam which makes them light, durable and vividly realistic.  The lightweight construction of our faux wood beams are significant advantage over the real thing, because they can be transported cheaply, need only one person to carry them and can be held in place on a ceiling or wall with nothing more heavy-duty than regular screws.
2. Our false beams are hollow which means they can be used to seamlessly run cables and wiring through, or slot easily over existing structural features like steel beams or pipes. You can order our false beams 3-sided or 4-sided, with a removable fourth panel to give the appearance of a single, seamless beam all the way around.
3. You can order our products unfinished, which is great for home decorators wanting to stain our products to match existing wooden design features. Although made from polyurethane, they can be colored with regular wood stain, or painted over with regular paint – giving you endless design possibilities.
4. Or, you can order our products finished. There are a range of finishing options available on our faux wood products, all designed to perfectly mimic the hues and colors of real wood. Intricately detailed, these finished beams remain favorites with our customers because they’re almost impossible to tell apart from the real thing.
5. They’re molded from real wood and timber. The reason our faux wood products look so vividly realistic is because they’re created using molds of real timber beams. This process captures every detail – from grains and knots to the original saw marks and chips. These are why our beams look so amazing; and why many so many home designers are using them for a “real” timber beam look.

The post 5 Important Features of a Faux Wood Beam appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

Faux Wood Beams is on Pinterest – check us out!

You’ve probably already enjoyed the photos and design inspiration we post here on our blog, and on our Facebook page – but if you’re looking for more, you should check out our Pinterest account.

We’ve found Pinterest to be a really useful way of organizing our product photos and customer pictures; plus assemble a growing collection of design inspiration that customers tell us is really useful.

On our Faux Wood Beams Pinterest page, you’ll find:

• Before and After Photos from Faux Wood Customers: These awesome photos give a great insight into just what you can achieve using our faux wood products. We’re always getting pictures and photos sent to us from customers – so expect to see this board grow and grow. If you have a great project you’d like to share, email us at info@fauxwoodbeams.com and maybe we’ll add your photos, too!
• Screen shots and photos from TV Appearance: We’re proud to have been featured on a variety of TV shows, including DIY Network’s Brothers On Call and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. For photos and video from these shows, check out our boards dedicated to the episodes we were featured in.
• Design Inspiration for all around the home: We’ve created boards full of great photos and designs that have inspired some of our most awesome projects. Hopefully, you’ll find them inspirational too. Check out our boards dedicated to Outdoor Living, Ceilings, Exteriors and inspired designs for the Kitchen, Dining Room and Living Room. We’ve also got a more general board, dedicated to inspired designs that simply blew our socks off.

If you like what you see, feel free to pin our pictures to your own boards by clicking on the re-pin button – and follow us to keep up-to-date with everything new we post there.

The post Check out Faux Wood Beams on Pinterest! appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.

The renaissance faire is a great place to find inspiration for a false beam project.

All year long, thousands of New Yorkers look forward to the opening of the New York Renaissance Faire.

Located in the forests and mountains of upstate New York, it features a host of live-action fun and adventure for the whole family, set in a village lovingly created to bring the middle ages to life.

Our faux beams are incredibly popular among fans of the renaissance lifestyle, because they offer a chance to get a period look and feel at home without the cost and inconvenience of wood.

Molded directly from real timber, they’re vividly realistic – and incredibly easy to install almost anywhere.

From a city apartment to a modern home, all it takes to install our false beams is a tape measure, a wood saw and a screw gun. You can also get the look of an authentic Tudor building – just like the pub in the picture to the left – using our faux wood planks.

All you need to cut our beams to size is a regular saw, because they’re made from light, yet durable polyurethane.

It takes just one person to maneuver them into place – although we recommend two for ease-of-installation.

Using wooden blocks to mount them, they can be easily attached to ceilings or walls with regular screws.

Using just a few wooden beams can bring any renaissance-inspired design to life – your only limit is your imagination!

If you’ve used our wooden beams for a historical-themed project, we’d love to see pictures of it! Send them to info@fauxwoodbeams.com.

The post Love the Ren Faire look? Recreate it with Faux Wood Beams! appeared first on Faux Wood Workshop.