Oak beam

[Bogart]

Have now got my oak beam to install in the kitchen. Is air dried and a nice golden colour when I planed the surface off. It will be about a metre from the hob so am not sure what to treat it with as I would like it to remain its current
colour, certainly no darker. Not sure how oils would like being fairly near a hob would a wax be better?

Thanks

 

[88v8]

Even a clear oil will darken it to a degree. Try an offcut.
Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural would be an option. Sample sachets are available.

A clear wax will not darken, but if it's above the hob as distinct from just nearby, I'd probably leave it bare. Not that I think the wax would melt from a yard away, but again it may darken.

Ivor

 

[Edward Ian]

If you don't seal it you will get a lot of grease coming from the hob ruining it no?

 

[Pennyviz]

Have now got my oak beam to install in the kitchen. Is air dried and a nice golden colour when I planed the surface off. It will be about a metre from the hob so am not sure what to treat it with as I would like it to remain its current
colour, certainly no darker. Not sure how oils would like being fairly near a hob would a wax be better?

Thanks

Abi Cott will know for sure, but I believe you are safely within guidelines for combustible material above a hob. An extractor fan for example should be about 760mm. Having said that, it seems pretty close to me and I would err for something as fire resistant as possible, in case of eg chip pan fire, and as stated grease build up so easy to clean. Would a varnish be more stable?

Penny

 

[88v8]

Mmmm didn't think about grease. You can tell who does the cleaning around here.

Clear varnish then, although all varnishes darken, both initially and with time.

Mind you, if this is going into a period kitchen, then darkening and grease are period features.

Does anyone still use chip pans? Are they 'period'? Perhaps nowadays used for frying Mars bars.

Ivor

 

[Pennyviz]

Does anyone still use chip pans? Are they 'period'? Perhaps nowadays used for frying Mars bars.

Ivor

ok Wok fire then!

 

[Abi Cott]

Have now got my oak beam to install in the kitchen. Is air dried and a nice golden colour when I planed the surface off. It will be about a metre from the hob so am not sure what to treat it with as I would like it to remain its current
colour, certainly no darker. Not sure how oils would like being fairly near a hob would a wax be better?

Thanks

Abi Cott will know for sure, but I believe you are safely within guidelines for combustible material above a hob. An extractor fan for example should be about 760mm. Having said that, it seems pretty close to me and I would err for something as fire resistant as possible, in case of eg chip pan fire, and as stated grease build up so easy to clean. Would a varnish be more stable?

Penny

It depends on the distance laterally as well as vertically. If its directly above, 800mm is the minimum I work to, though this can be reduced with an electric hob. If it's off to one side but directly adjacent it's 500mm and if it has 100mm of lateral distance then 400mm above is fine. If it's more than 300mm laterally then nobody cares.

 

[Bogart]

I do not consider the necessity of any fireproof coating to be required. The nearest the hob gets to the beam is 1100mm. I have spoken to a few suppliers and have decided on Osmo Polyx Raw. Will give the slightest of white finishes which am told will disappear in time leaving the natural colour showing.

 

[Bogart]

Hmm anyway cannot fit the beam as is. After removing some of the plasterboard ceiling I found that the heating pipes that come form the boiler house, a separate building , pass right under where the beam was meant to be half hidden in the ceiling void. As these pipes are in 2in iron and the existence of other pipework the beam cannot be used as such. The structural engineer has now gone away to do more calculations regarding fitting a steel I beam and boxing that it . As a better method of boxing in, than using 3 pieces of wood to look like a beam, what are peoples thoughts on hollowing out the beam so as it is one piece. I have watched You Tube videos and is possible but will involve a lot of sawing, circular and chainsaw, plus a fair amount of planing. The beam is 250mm x 250mm x 4500mm and I need to leave a skin of at least 40mm so quite a bit of wood needs removing. Any ever tried this?

 

[a twig]

A decent carpenter will be able to join and shape 3 pieces to look like one.

My parents employed one in a similar situation, and you can't even see the joins, the grain is matched, they still get asked how they got hold of such a huge piece of oak

 

[Bogart]

Very apt you used the word "decent". Then I have the problem of getting the 3 pieces. I would need to take the beam to a sawmill for three strips to be cut from it.

 

[Andys]

Maybe a channel could be made in the beam with repeated cuts from a chain mortiser. How many mortices long would your channel need to be Bogart, about 30? Ah, it's quite a wide channel, maybe 60. Oh, that's a lot isn't it:-/

 

[88v8]

.... what are peoples thoughts on hollowing out the beam so as it is one piece.

Bummer.

Hmm. Could you brace it across the top after fitting so it's not just three sides?

Depends how hollow, but unless it has a decent wall thickness it will eventually split.
There are companies that specialise in making mock hollow beams.
You can leave a time capsule inside it, including your thoughts on Part P.

Ivor

 

[a twig]

Very apt you used the word "decent". Then I have the problem of getting the 3 pieces. I would need to take the beam to a sawmill for three strips to be cut from it.

If you are prepared to take the time and constantly measure, adjust, re-measure, adjust there's no reason you couldn't get good results.

Yes taking it to a sawmill would be a lot easier but you could also do it with a chainsaw if you knock up a "fence" to keep it straight and true, a few slight wobbles would make it more "authentic" :lol:

 

[Bogart]

Maybe a channel could be made in the beam with repeated cuts from a chain mortiser. How many mortices long would your channel need to be Bogart, about 30? Ah, it's quite a wide channel, maybe 60. Oh, that's a lot isn't it:-/

Using the chainsaw I reckon I could do it in 5 cuts each 50mm wide then use my adze to chip out the wood.

 

[Bogart]

.... what are peoples thoughts on hollowing out the beam so as it is one piece.

Bummer.

Hmm. Could you brace it across the top after fitting so it's not just three sides?

Depends how hollow, but unless it has a decent wall thickness it will eventually split.
There are companies that specialise in making mock hollow beams.
You can leave a time capsule inside it, including your thoughts on Part P.

Ivor

Minimum of 40mm thickness is recommended so I would probably err on 50mm.

 

[Bogart]

I am sure once I saw a "fence" to attach to the chainsaw which keeps the depth constant, must try and find it again.

 

[a twig]

https://www.amazon.com/slp/chainsaw-guide/ocpr34rpdu295us

Other vendors are of course available

 

[Bogart]

That is the sort of thing that would do the job. The one I originally was smaller but had no guide just a roller to keep the depth correct.This type of thing looks like another
tool I need for my collection