Cladding a wood beam in aluminum?

Does the concrete overhang have a drip ledge?

ferret wrote:No it doesn't...and I know it should. Can I do that with a bead of silicone?

I don't know if that would work or not. You could put a piece of copper flashing in front of the beam's end somewhat as you mentioned.

A bead of silicone a 1/2 " deep and wide is kinda tricky. Nail or screw a metal shield across the cement could be better

I was thinking of installing the flashing vertically, maybe to the roof's edge in order to keep the rain from hitting the beam. You could also build or have an aluminum fabricator make a 4 sided screen (end, bottom and both sides) a little oversize and place it around the beam, maybe an inch between wood and screen. That would keep the bugs off the wood and not trap moisture.

Does the beam serve a purpose or is it solely decorative?

Nothing too serious - just a neglected beam, one or two years behind in maintenance. If it was me, a coating of pesticide, if there are deep pockets they have to be drilled and injected with a syringe (no needle). Wait for it to dry, then coat with a marine epoxy, tinted dark brown, possibly thickened with thickening powder. Epoxy sticks much better to wood than "bondo' - polyester resin. Epoxy turns yellow in the sun - but that is not a problem with this color. I don't have a clue where you would get someone in to do this for you - in the coastal areas you would find a boat yard.

What you do not want to do is go up a ladder to do this work. Interestingly, working off a ladder is illegal in B.C. and Ontario. This is because on a ladder, you most always have three points of your body connected - which is difficult to do while working. A professional (in Canada) would put up a scaffold and fall arrest points, even for this small job. In Mexico, there are some very good ladder acrobats who seem to get the job done, just wanted to point out how many seniors are seriously injured every year working off ladders.

Should scaffolding not be available, cross bracing ladders makes them safer:
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Or you can use an alternative solution:
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ferret wrote:Beam from the inside...



Beam from the outside...


These pics were taken with iPad...since my camera (Fuji Finepix 3800) is now 10 years old, I can no longer get it to "talk" to the computer even after downloading the drivers for windows 7. Hope these pics are clear enough because it's been a frustrating technologically challenged day.

do you know a carpenter? pretty rough beams so nobody planed them before install. too big a job fer you. i even hire people to do this sort of thing and not just because i don't like ladders. yes have him treat wood and use the marine varnish. he will know what stain to ad fer matching to the rest. to bad that main beam has an upper surface exposed to the elements. in any event, don't let it get that bad again. some of our exposed wood is getting near time for maintenance. i wouldn't bother messing with the overhang as long as you keep an eye on those beams once you have the minor repairs and refinishing done.

Thinking again - sending a workman up there with creosota and a paintbrush every year would be an effective and inexpensive solution. It turns out that why it is not seen in Canada and the U.S. is that it is classified as a pesticide, you need to show your permit to buy. Try that hardware store I mentioned - maybe the ranchers still use it. The reason it would work better than diesel is that today's diesel has the sulfur removed - but that's what kills/repels bugs.

ferret....I think what you and pedro are referring to as "main beams" are two different things.
pedro is referring to the beam over the column and you are referring to the "rafter" beam. Am I wrong?
Regardless, I agree with the advice pedro and chillin has given you.

creosote stinks. let your carpenter select his own products. i did and i know about wood. you don't and he will know that and resent your interference.
the carpenters i have had here drool over what i have in my woodworking shop,but i still let them do their thing. when the last one was here, i asked him use my joiner to prep the boards and beams and that's all the interference i did. fortunately it's a 6 in rockwell.
that main beam sure looks like wood or a hell of a good paint job-SNORK!

Forget about creosote, diesel/used motor oil mix and marine epoxy. Wire brush the beam, use a penetrating wood preservative, fill the holes with wood filler. Use an oil base paint, the same color as the concrete beam, as the top coat. It will give much more moisture protection and is easily redone in the future.

seisdedos wrote:Forget about creosote, diesel/used motor oil mix and marine epoxy. Wire brush the beam, use a penetrating wood preservative, fill the holes with wood filler. Use an oil base paint, the same color as the concrete beam, as the top coat. It will give much more moisture protection and is easily redone in the future.

and there you have it! your carpenter will know what 6 fingers said.