How to Treat Indoor Wooden Beams

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Things You'll Need

  • Safety goggles

  • Dust mask

  • 100-grit sanding sponge

  • Duster

  • Tack cloth

  • Wood stain

  • Stirring stick

  • 2 brushes

  • Rag

  • Sanding sealer

  • 280-grit sanding sponge

  • Wood varnish

  • Painter's rag

  • Foam brush

Treat wooden beams with stain and varnish to preserve their condition.

Indoor wooden beams are typically intended to support the roof of a home. They can extend from the floor to the ceiling as a column, or as rafters along the ceiling. Like all wooden surfaces, the beams are susceptible to regular wear. This includes a gradual loss in color and density, or even cracking over time. To prevent these natural occurrences, treat the wood with a stain and varnish to preserve and protect it.

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Step 1

Protect your eyes with safety goggles and wear a dust mask before working on a beam overhead. Sand the wood with a 100-grit sanding sponge until it appears uniformly dull. This prepares the surface for staining while eliminating dirt, blemishes and other surface imperfections.

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Step 2

Dust the beam to remove the grit that resulted from sanding. Wipe it down with a tack cloth to clean the remainder of the sawdust.

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Step 3

Stir a can of wood stain with a stirring stick to thoroughly mix all of the contents at the bottom of the container. Saturate the wood with an even coat using a natural-bristle brush or paint roller to even out the wood's natural color. Quickly wipe away the excess product before it dries.

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Step 4

Brush a single coat of sanding sealer over the stain once it has dried overnight. Use long, back-and-forth strokes for even coverage. Once the coat is dry to the touch, smooth it thoroughly with a 280-grit sanding sponge.

Step 5

Seal and protect the beam's reconditioned finish using a polyurethane wood varnish. Apply the product with a painter's rag or foam applicator brush. Allow it to cure overnight, then sand the coat with the 280-grit sponge.

Step 6

Repeat the same procedure for at least one to two more coats of varnish to seal the moisture in the wood. Leave the top coat unsanded.

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