About Decorative Wood Ceilings

History

• No one knows for sure who first decided to create a wooden ceiling, but historians and archeologists know that wood ceilings have been around for hundreds of years. In some countries, such as Spain, beautifully carved wood ceilings were common in religious buildings. However, they were relatively rare throughout the rest of Europe, though a few examples exist in Italy. Since then, wood ceilings have grown in popularity and have popped up on nearly every continent.

Styles

• Wood ceilings come in a plethora of styles, including traditional wooden beam, carved wood, suspended wood, paneled wood and tongue-in-groove wood. Historically, some wood ceilings were carved with intricate details, but not all wood ceilings were meant for decorative purposes. Wooden beam ceilings were often for support in times when metal and other construction materials were not yet available. Carved wood ceilings were also popular in Victorian times. Not everyone could afford an expensive wooden ceiling, so metal stamped versions that mimicked the look of wood patterns were created in the late 1800s and referred to as tin ceilings.

Types of Wood

• Several different species of trees are used for a wooden ceiling. Popular choices include oak, cherry, walnut and pine. Often, softer and lighter woods, such as pine, are used as they are less cumbersome to the overall structure. Tongue-in-groove styles use some of the same species as used in hardwood floors, including Brazilian cherry, American Beech or teak. Reclaimed barn wood and other types of reclaimed woods have also been used in wooden ceilings.

Wood Ceilings Today

• Today, the majority of wood ceilings that are installed in the United States are purely for decorative purposes. Wood ceilings can change the overall tone and feeling of the room. For example, a wooden beam ceiling can make a room feel more rustic, while a tongue-in-groove ceiling may give the room a more elegant, refined feeling.