How is a BoxedBeam fixed?

Slide it over a batten mounted on the ceiling or wall and screw through both sides into the batten.

Does the batten have to be as tall as the U-profile is deep?

No, only the width matters. It is slightly narrower than the inside of the U, the height is up to you.

Can I clad a steel joist?

Yes, with suitable metal screws straight into the flange, or via filler blocks between the flanges that take wood screws.

Are the screws visible?

Slightly countersunk they are barely visible. With a pilot hole and a glued-in knot plug they are invisible.

Can LED spotlights be fitted?

Yes, inside the cavity. Cut-outs are made on site, the connection is done by an electrician, the luminaires need heat protection.

How do I install a BoxedBeam®?

A BoxedBeam® is slid over a batten fixed to the ceiling or wall and screwed into that batten from both sides. The batten is slightly narrower than the inside of the U-profile; its height does not matter.

The three installation steps side by side: screw on the batten, slide the BoxedBeam over it, screw in from both sides — The installation in three steps.

What you need

Wooden batten or square timber, slightly narrower than the inside of the U-profile
Screws and plugs to suit the ceiling or wall
Wood screws for the side fixing
Drill, spirit level, pencil
Option B only: drill bit matching the screw head diameter, knot plug or wooden dowel, wood glue

1

Fix the batten

Fix the batten to the ceiling or wall. It is a few millimetres narrower than the inside width of the U-profile; its height does not matter.

The batten is slightly narrower than the U inside, its height is free.

2

Slide the BoxedBeam® on

Slide the beam over the batten until it sits flush against the ceiling or wall. The cavity takes cables or spotlights if needed.

Cross-section: BoxedBeam slid over the batten, flush with ceiling or wall — The beam sits flush, the cavity stays usable.

3

Screw in from the sides

Screw through both sides into the batten. Option A: Countersink the head slightly and it stays barely visible. Option B: Pre-drill at the diameter of the screw head, countersink the screw, close the hole with a knot plug and glue it in. The fixing is then invisible.

Cross-section of both screw options: head slightly countersunk, or pre-drilled and closed with a knot plug — Option A slightly countersunk, option B invisible.

Special cases: cladding an existing beam or a steel joist

Instead of the batten, the existing element fills the U-profile. The inside dimension then equals the outside dimension of that element plus a few millimetres of clearance. Please state this measurement with your enquiry.

Existing wooden beam

Slide it on and screw directly into the beam from both sides.

Steel joist

Method A: Suitable metal screws, for example self-drilling, into the flange from both sides. Method B: Fit filler blocks between the flanges and screw into them with wood screws. The filler blocks sit inside the profile and add no thickness.

Good to know

A BoxedBeam® is not load-bearing, it is purely cladding.
The batten must be fixed in a way that suits the substrate. Concrete, brick, timber and suspended ceilings require different plugs and screws; in plasterboard, fix only into the load-bearing substructure or the structure behind it. This guide shows the mounting principle and does not replace on-site assessment. If in doubt, have the fixing carried out by a qualified trade.
Spotlights and cables: cut-outs on site, luminaires with heat protection, connection by an electrician.
Reclaimed wood is a natural product, all dimensions are approximate.

Matching beams are available as BoxedBeam® classic and BoxedBeam® oak.

Read on: Which reclaimed beams are available? → How old is reclaimed wood? →