Basement Support Beam cover

Feb 08, 2008 15 Replies

Hey guys. In my finished basement there is a support beam right in the middle. What are my options to pretty this up a bit? What kind of covers are available?



Thanks!!


Have it chrome plated and build a stage around it.

I googled it and found levels. I didn't find anything. Actually, I think we might be talking about something else. I mean a pillar from the floor to the ceiling. Sorry, I don't have a very good construction vocabulary.

I googled it and found levels. I didn't find anything. Actually, I think we might be talking about something else. I mean a pillar from the floor to the ceiling. Sorry, I don't have a very good construction vocabulary.

Sometimes called a column or a lally column. I've seen them framed and boxed in with drywall, rope wrapped around them, fake decorative columns put around them, or just painted. I've heard that there are covers for them.

Ooops - ok - *vertical*! You can get hollow decorative pillars to encase the beam, or use the same idea as a box-beam - make it look like an old 8x8 rough hewn support.

a

OK, thanks. BTW, what is the proper name for what I am talking about?

Jack post cover?

formatting link
Decorative pillar?

a

They are called lally or lolly columns. I use these in my basement. Hold up very well, year 4 of kids climbing all over them and still look like the day they were put in.

formatting link

I bought about 200 feet of 1/2" rope. Started at the base in the back of the pole with a dab of Liquid Nails and a clamp to hold it until it dryed. The I just rolled it TIGHTLY arount the pole all the way to the top. About every 12" I added another dab of LN for the heck of it. When I got to the top, I glued about 4" with LN at the back and clamped it overnight. 20 Years later it looks like new and blends in with a rustic theme I used.

For the transverse beam, I LN'ed and clamped 2x4's along the edge of the beam/ Then I used 1x6 cedar, again LN'ed against the bottom of the beam, and screwed into the 2x4 on the reverse edge. After that set for two days, I nailed more cedar, 1x8, to the bottom piece of 1x4 and a 1x2 runner I nailed to the ceiling joist. Also still in place 20 years later. (I may have attached a jpg of the beam if I did it right)

begin 644 BoxBeam.jpg M_]C_X``02D9)1@`!`0$`E@"6``#_VP!#`"09&R`;%R0@'B`I)R0K-EL[-C(R M-F]/5$);A'2*B(%T?WV1H]&QD9K%G7U_MO>XQ=C>ZNSJC:____[C_]'EZN'_ MVP!#`2'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'A MX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'AX>'_P``1"`&H`E8#`2(``A$!`Q$!_\\0` M&@`!``,!`0$```````````````,$!0$"!O_$`$$0`0`!`@(%!PH&`@$$`@,` M```!`@,$$1(44W*Q!2$Q0U&1DA,R,S1!4H&AP=$B-4)A]P,0=TJO>GO-*KWI[W`Q!W2J]Z>\\TJO>GO] MP,0=TJO>GO-*KWI[W`Q!W2J]Z>\\TJO>GO]P,0=TJO>GO-*KWI[W`Q! MW2J]Z>\\TJO>GO]P98-ZFQ:B.:W3'P=\\C;]RGN>XZ('`>)LV\\O,I[GC M#TU46J9IN5TZ41,Y9)IZ$=GT-O=C@V#WI7-M7WP]6J[D8BW$W*JHF9B8G^)>

M7;?K-G>GA+;!>'B;]J*IIF[1%4=,35&8D>P`9][%8>QRC3:KM1$U93Y3/HEH M,G$X>G%G)'@

Mine was just sheetrocked along with the rest of the ceiling.

(snip .jpg file that is discouraged in this group.)

  1. It was actually the lally column that OP wants to cover, not the I-beam.

  1. You seem to have left some screws out of your diagram. Nothing holds the sides on, other than gravity on the 2x4 sitting on the shelf of the I-beam. The 2x4s aren't really needed anyway- just some long drywall screws into the plate above the beam will hold the sides with no problem. If you want to get fancy, add a cleat to the inside bottom of the side rails to catch the bottom board, or use 5/4 stock for the sides, and cut a kerf on a table saw. No good way to specify exactly without seeing the basement in question. aem sends...

cover?

formatting link

Could go to Bed Bath and Beyond, and buy a pillar cover...

(sorry)

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required