# How to cover/clad RSJ and valley beam too ?



## EdK (16 Aug 2008)

Hi,
I was planning on finishing my house this year (next year, sometime...) and have got to the plasterboard stage.

I have a valley beam that sticks down into a room and I was wondering what the best way of making it look nice was.







Can I buy some nice good and clad it ? 
Best off gluing venner to it ?
What looks good - dark or light or is that just personal preference ?

Additionally I have a steel beam (a light one as I discovered - phoned a friend when they dropped it off and found it a bit hefty for just me  ) I am keen to clad this and was wondering what the options were.






As you can see it sits below the joists.
I was planning on keeping a large part of the joists visible by using a small batten and screwing plasterboard to them (maybe a bit of sound insulation between - no electrics run in the space but yet to do plumbing.

So far I have ash stairs and like this wood - not much experience of other woods - I'm still learning...

Thanks for any advice.
Thanks Ed


----------



## krismusic (16 Aug 2008)

I believe that you can hire a Hilti gun that will fire nails into an RSJ. :shock: Maybe something like this, http://www.hilti.co.uk/holuk/modules/pr ... OID=-27919
Then you could fit battens to clad to.


----------



## dennis (16 Aug 2008)

Ed

Regarding the valley, how much headroom do you have at the lowest point, as if there is plenty you might be as well continuing the ceiling through on that plane.

As for the girder you can make a pattern of the web using hardboard or similar, then cut noggins that are a tight fit in the web and flush with the edges. You can then batten long ways onto these noggins, keeping the bottom battens flush with the bottom of the girder. You will probably have to fireproof the girder, depending on building regs that apply to you.

Dennis


----------



## Oryxdesign (16 Aug 2008)

Generally they need to be fire-prooofed with 2 layers of plasterboard


----------



## miles_hot (17 Aug 2008)

in our new kitchen we have an I beam above the patio doors which runs all the way across the room. For the section above the door we have clad it in Oak - basically a "u" shaped mitered (with bevel edges) which sits against the outside wall so that the bottom, top and front of the beam are covered and the back of the beam is hidden by the wall. I believe this basically rests on the top of the beam and is secured into the wall at either end. 

Coming out of this is a naked vertical strut which we've left as it looks rather nice.

There was talk about fire proofing it as Oryxdesign mentioned however it turns out this did not apply to us, not sure why as these are certainly structural - it may be worth paying a little bit to someone to establish this fact!

I terms of your beam would it be possible to make a U shaped box for it (tight fit to the beam) which is them secured to a) the wall at either end and b) sections placed over the top between the joists etc?

Miles


----------



## dennis (17 Aug 2008)

As Miles points out you could make a U shaped box, and put several tight noggins in the web of the girder to fix it to. Or if you intend to plasterboard make a U shaped frame with battens, and screw fix it into the joists, bearing in mind that any extra material under the girder reduces headroom, if this is an issue.That is why I made my first suggestion of noggins with battens flush with the bottom of the girder,as it keeps height loss to a minimum if plasterboarding. As with most jobs there are always several alternatives.

Dennis


----------



## EdK (18 Aug 2008)

Thanks for the info guys - my understanding is that you need to fireproof it with plasterboard.

I like the idea of noggins and then a mitred (oak?) wooden cover that is U-shaped.

I guess I'd have to do that with plasterboard first to ensure 30mins fire resistance (according to my struct. eng. mate steels go pretty fast with fire...) and then with whatever wood I go for.

The existing joists are douglas fir I think - incredibly long lengths to my thinking (7m I think) - I am currently stripping them back (varnish in some places and paint in others) and was thinking about wither oiling them or waxing them (any thoughts ?) happy to let them mellow with age (well, actually quite mellow after stripping already).

Would an oak U-shaped cover look out of place ? Or am I better off with something easier to work ? Douglas fir ? Ash ? 

A mate has a workshop (he is a joiner) so I have access to table saws etc.

I think I'd have to cut out slots for where the joists cut across as I am plasterboarding between them.... Would this be straightforward or will I see gaps opening up over time? Or do you allow a 2mm gap and then fill with something flexible ?

As for the valley beams.
I don't have much room and on the other side is an upstairs corridor with the stair well. Keen to maintain space !
I guess I could make a small U-shaped box (mitred) and glue it on ?
Maybe it would be good practice before the larger steel beam work ?
Wood suggestions ?
Oak / walnut ?! / ash / ? As you can see I am not very well versed in suitable wood ...

Thanks
Ed


----------



## dennis (18 Aug 2008)

Ed

Again there are many options that you have regarding the valley.One would be to clad it with matchboard,secret nailed, mitred up the angle, possibly using a batten of the same wood up the joint, as opposed to mitreing board to board. It is really down to personal preference what you clad it with. It may do just to plaster it. It really depends on if you want to make a feature of it.

Dennis


----------



## EdK (22 Sep 2009)

Just to revisit this (now that I am ready to clad...).

I was planning on using noggins to attach plasterboard and then clad that with wood. (Have enough headroom for plasterboard and wood cladding together).

I'm keen to make a feature of it.

I think that the lengths are about 6m or so. 

I was planning on using 21mm thick stock.
As for construction I was planning on using two side pieces with a bead routered in (quirk?) and then having a small rebate on the inside edge so that I could fit in the bottom piece and it could expand a little if needed.

What wood ?! Oak ? I think this is my main concern at the moment - I want to pick something that looks nice.
Thanks,
Ed.


----------



## Mr Ed (22 Sep 2009)

EdK":1yzky1bv said:


> Thanks for the info guys - my understanding is that you need to fireproof it with plasterboard.



You only need to fire protect structure supporting an upper floor, if its the roof then no need. If it is supporting an upper floor then plasterboard is without doubt the cheapest way of achieving the fire rating- 2 X 15mm boards will give you one hour.

Ed


----------

