Ceilings Archives

Finishing Touches: 7 Inspiring Eastern White Pine Ceiling Ideas

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Jeff Easterling

Eastern White Pine proves to be as versatile as your imagination when used as a primary ceiling material, whether you apply an experimental mix of stains, arrange it in unexpected geometric patterns, contrast it with drywall or hang it in an unconventional way. These seven pine ceiling ideas range from the simple and rustic to the modern and complex.

Cloud Effect Ceiling

This unique ceiling finish by Historic Flooring, called Cloud9, is a result of blending gray, cream and white paints in rough, rustic layers to mimic the sky on a cloudy day.

Custom Eastern White Pine Frame

From Woodhouse Timber Frame Homes comes this gorgeous 3600 square foot timber frame home built in New York, showing a great example of how pine framing contrasts against finished wall and ceiling materials.

Geometric Pine Paneling

For the Yountville Community Center in California, Siegel & Strain Architects created paneled triangles that stretch up toward a central skylight, filling the interior with natural daylight and creating a visually interesting effect.

Crossed Hammer Beam Trusses

Crossed hammer beam trusses made of Eastern White Pine produce a cathedral-like effect.

Basket Weave Ceiling

Learn about an unusual ‘basket weave’ ceiling featuring Eastern White Pine with Todd Fratzel of Front Steps Media in this exclusive NELMA video.

Slatted Ceiling Embedded with Lights

An eco-friendly, affordable cabin in rural New Hampshire made of locally sourced Eastern White Pine gets a fun ‘experimental’ touch in the kitchen, with a system of wooden slats attached to the beams, crossing over the ceiling lights like a screen for a built-in effect.

Modern Minimalist Pine in an Austrian Cottage

Made primarily of white pine, House Weinfelden by K_m Architektur overlooks the mountains of Austria from its perch on a cliff. The construction of the ceilings is simple and elegant, lending the home a clean and polished look.

Unusual Effects with Eastern White Pine: ‘Cloud’ Ceiling Planks

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Jeff Easterling

Straightforward paint or stain application can certainly be a beautiful way to showcase the natural charm of Eastern White Pine, but it’s not the only way. Consider getting creative with experimental finishes that add a serious ‘wow’ factor to an interior space. This particular paint finish, called ‘Cloud9’, is definitely eye-catching when placed alongside black beams.

Johnson City, Tennessee company Historic Flooring starts with a lightweight Eastern White Pine and mills it to half inch thickness, beveling the edges and lightly sanding the surface while preserving all of the original character, like saw kerfs.

Craftsmen then strategically apply a special blend of gray, cream and white paints in rough, rustic layers that mimic the sky on a cloudy day. The result is almost iridescent: with the right lighting, it seems to come alive.

Pine is a particularly suitable wood for faux finishes. Its soft surface readily accepts paint and stain, so the possibilities are virtually endless. Pickling, the use of diluted paint, is a popular treatment for pine because the surface easily soaks up the paint for an even finish. Pine is also easy to distress with strategic sanding.

Pine Possibilities: Ways to Incorporate Wood Into Your Home

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Jeff Easterling

By their very nature, new structures can lack that ‘old house’ character and charm, which often comes from the use of hand-crafted materials and components, and the time-worn qualities that wood takes on over decades. But even brand-new wood can go a long way toward making a house feel like home. Eastern White Pine has been a highly-prized species of wood for both exterior and interior applications in the home since it was first discovered in New England by settlers looking to start new communities. Here are eight ways to use it in your home, from floor to ceiling.

Interior and Exterior Siding – Board and batten, tongue and groove, D-log and bevel styles of cladding are all available in Eastern White Pine in a variety of sizes and grades, with smooth surfaces and just enough knots to give the wood texture and character.

Ceilings – Whether it’s allowed to be the main feature or whitewashed to set it back visually in order to highlight other architectural elements, Eastern White Pine is a rustic alternative to drywall for ceilings. Check out a video of a unique basket weave ceiling featuring this wood.

Floors – Wide-plank floors are one of the most popular ways to use Eastern White Pine, and they’re an especially beautiful choice in farmhouses and log cabins.

Moulding and Trim – Eastern White Pine has long been a favorite species for use as trim because it’s so easy to work with and provides such a fine, smooth finish that holds paint and stain exceptionally well.

Millwork – A combination of softness and strength makes Eastern White Pine ideal for detail work. Carpenters love it because it’s easy to carve with both hand and machine tools.

Cabinetry – Thanks to its light weight, good looks and affordability, Eastern White Pine is often used for cabinetry and built-ins throughout homes and businesses.

Timbers – Few species of wood work better for rustic, beautiful timber frame homes, in which tree trunks are kept in their natural shape rather than milled into lumber.

Photo: NELMA.org