I've come across some exposed beams in my 1960s split-level home in a Minneapolis suburb, and I'm curious about their purpose. They don't align perfectly, which made me wonder if they're decorative or functional. The center of the upper floor has a metal I-beam running perpendicular to the joists and these exposed beams. Here's a photo I took for reference: https://i.imgur.com/19xRkWR.jpeg. What do you think?
4 Answers
I'd say they look like they're made from 1x material, which typically indicates they're just for show. They definitely add some character but aren't structurally necessary.
From my experience, those kinds of beams are usually just for decoration. I have some similar ones in my house, and they definitely don't hold anything up.
Most likely, those beams are decorative. In many cases, they help cover up drywall seams for a more polished look. If you decided to remove them, you'd probably end up having to retexture the entire ceiling.
100% just decorative! They definitely give a nice aesthetic but don’t serve a functional purpose.
Yeah, I agree! There's a good chance they're just hiding something structural, but usually, they're not doing much else.