Kristel - Author
See the different types of wood ceilings including the benefits, different ceiling styles, materials, classifications, and differences between hardwood and softwood.
The main rule of thumb, if you’re planning on playing around with wood ceilings, is that you should make it your priority to uphold the authenticity of the wood at all times or as much as possible.
Play on the wood’s natural strengths and beauty. You can go with whatever finishing you may want but always make it a point to preserve the wood in the best possible way.
Why Use Wood Ceilings?
If you have a wood ceiling in place, you’re bound to find a specific design that will fit right into the rest of the other elements you have in that space. That’s always a guarantee.
If ceiling decorations have always been a bit of a hurdle for you to design or decorate, then wood ceilings just might be the answers that you’re looking for. There are a lot of wood ceiling decorations and variants to choose from.
Because of the fact that there are so many variations and designs to choose from, the best way for you to pick out the wood ceiling type that would work best for you and your home is to make sure that you familiarize yourself with the choices that you have in the first place.
We’ve gone ahead and made the entire process so much easier for you to understand and take in. Read on down below.
Wood Beam Ceiling
A wood beam ceiling typically aims to visually lower the ceiling length, making the space look and feel a bit more welcoming and cozy. A lot of contemporary styles in the home would finish the look off with wood beam ceilings as a classic touch.
You have the option to go for an all-wood beam ceiling or play around with a combination of wood and metal beams if you would like to create a nice contrast.
Wood Plank Ceiling
Real wood planks in particular have the added benefits of getting tongues and grooves featured. This means that there might be some gaps in between the wood pieces.
Caulk is usually used to smooth these gaps over, making the ceiling look seamless. This costs a bit more compared to the other ceiling designs because of the sheer amount of material used but when achieved, its design component is unlike any other you’ve ever seen.
Shiplap Ceiling
This ceiling design is comprised of long and horizontal panels of wood that are usually installed with gaps in between the boards. Although shiplap is more commonly seen in walls, they are now becoming more and more popular for the ceilings as well.
If you happen to be in an area that has harsh weather and you need a bit more of protection and insulation, this is among the types of wood ceilings that can definitely be something worth considering.
Wood Slat Ceiling
The key to achieving this is that when you look up to the ceiling, you see nice slats of wood that are comparable to a flooring system. The biggest offering of wood slat ceilings is the acoustics that they bring in.
There’s usually a little bit of open space in between the wood planks, which is where its acoustic value comes from. The slats can either be directly screwed into a grid or it can be attached to the main ceiling with a clip.
Tongue And Groove Wood Ceiling
A protruding tongue side fits into a receiving groove side which cuts down on the use of nails or glue. Frequently the T & G boards are long and stretch across the ceiling without any visible seams.
Flat Wood Ceiling
It’s comprised of wooden panels that create a simple and low-cost yet still elegant ceiling design. If you like the flat wood design but don’t want the surface to be too plain, you can always get patterned woods to bring in that added element of design.
Coffered Wood Ceiling
These types of wood ceilings are expensive to install mainly because it takes up so much more materials, time, and requires a lot of strategic planning and execution to get done.
However, despite of the obvious challenges, it’s something worth having because the finished effect can be breathtaking. This works particularly well for vaulted ceilings.
Slanted Ceiling
The effect these types of wood ceiling designs create is a great attention grabber. It’s a bit disorienting and has a certain edge to it. This can be done in spaces that have particularly high ceilings.
Vaulted Ceiling
A vaulted ceiling is usually recommended for the living room, the dining area, the master bedroom, or basically any other room or space in the home that enjoys a fairly ample amount of square footage.
Panned Ceiling
Cathedral Ceiling
Both of these sloping sides are usually parallel and symmetrical to the pitch of the roof, which marks out its difference from the vaulted ceiling design. This design got its name from the shapes of the cathedrals and churches it resembles.
There are two wooden slanted sides that meet at a certain point, usually smack in the center of it. There’s just so much architectural design and substance that goes into this that it really is worth the cost to put it in.
Understandably, cathedral ceilings are extremely beautiful. They are often found in large dining rooms, living rooms, and even in master bedrooms. However, they do present special challenges because the sloping fixtures are steep and hard to get to.
It makes it difficult to install fixtures or even get them cleaned. Suspension loads also need to be considered along with other types of professional fastening methods to get the installation done right and properly.
Drop Ceiling
There’s usually a metal grid added to the said main ceiling to support the secondary suspended ceiling. This is perfect for spaces that have flat ceiling designs but you want to add in a bit more personality and detail to it.
Arched Ceiling Or Curved Wood Ceiling
This can be in spaces where you want to connect rooms and give it an archway effect, or if you’d like to pump up the acoustics in your entertainment rooms at home.
Curved ceilings require a lot of engineering though and will cost a lot more compared to other ceiling designs but higher-end homes do take advantage of its aesthetics and advanced functions.
Tray Wood Ceiling
The center part of this ceiling design is around 6 to 14 inches higher compared to the main ceiling perimeter.
This ceiling showcase a visual difference in the ceiling height that naturally makes it the focal point of the room that it’s in. It also puts in a multi-dimensional effect and can totally change the look of even the smallest rooms in your home.
Tray ceilings usually start off from one height and then they drop as you go on and continue to add levels. Since the layout resembles a tray, the flat ceiling on the outside of that tray surrounds the raised center, which is the highest part of the ceiling.
The dramatic effect this brings in is that it can make a room look taller because it provides a somewhat vertical illusion because of the design. You also have the option to add some molding in between the layers for some added aesthetics.
Facing Plates
You can go with simple designs but more often than not, people who have facing plates installed on their ceilings go for the carved and art deco-inspired designs. This is perfect for high ceiling heights and for spaces where you often entertain or have a lot of people coming to and fro.
Combination Ceiling Design
What we mean by this is that if you want to be a bit more daring and playful with the design, it’s definitely OK for you to combine two or more ceiling designs in order for you to come up with your own distinct style.
With so many wooden ceiling designs to choose from, it can be quite understandable why it would be challenging to pick out or stick just one particular design. All you need to make sure is that your designs are cohesive and meaningful and that they’d work for the space that you’re creating.
Everything really is up in the air and completely up to you at the end of the day.
Wood Wallpaper On Ceiling
You can still achieve that natural but elegant wooden look for your ceilings at home with the use of wallpapers that are made to look like wood.
This can create a unique look and there are tons of options for you to choose from because there are literally hundreds of wallpaper designs to choose from and they can come in every color, pattern, and wood grain imaginable.
This is also something that you will be able to DIY so that can help you save up on a lot of costs as well since there isn’t a need to hire out professionals to get the job done.
Ceiling Wooden Moldings
It can come in a lot of various materials. Wooden moldings on the ceiling are some of the most original decorations that you can use to decorate your ceilings. They’re quite versatile as they can work with either modern or classical interiors.
They can definitely make your ceiling design unique and you can get them custom made or you can buy them in prefabricated pieces.
False Wood Beams
It’s usually made out of a high-density polyurethane material that’s made to look and feel just like the real thing. They’re easily obtainable and widely available in different textures and styles.
They’re also incredibly lightweight and are much easier to install compared to regular wood beams. Read more about faux wood beams here.
Wooden Lattice Design
This makes up your overall ceiling design. This particular ceiling can definitely hold its own weight in terms of attention. You’re almost always guaranteed that this is bound to be a conversation starter for people visiting your home, especially if it’s their first time to step into that certain space in your home.
This ceiling design can often be seen in bedroom ceilings as well as in public spaces. Its appeal specifically lies on you being able to see it while you’re lying down or while you’re looking up. This is why it’s perfect for public spaces with vaulted ceilings or in the bedroom.
What Type Of Wood Is Used For Ceilings?
The first categorization in woods to pick out for your ceilings should be based on the cut. Here are the common cuts available.
Veneer: If you would like to go for an economical wood choice for your ceilings at home, then veneer is a great option to go with. Aside from ceilings, wood veneer is also commonly seen in lower end furniture pieces as well.
Veneer is an interesting material because it has a specific way of manufacturing. To make it, a thin layer of wood needs to be sliced off of a solid wood piece. It is then glued to either a chip board or some sort of fiber board.
Veneer is made to look like solid wood. It also offers out a natural wood grain finish but its majority comes out of a composite material. The main benefit of opting for veneer is that it comes at a much cheaper rate compared to wood. It does, however, have a downside.
When the surface eventually gets dents over time, it cannot be sanded over as this process can tear the finish away.
Plain Sliced Wood: As opposed to veneer, plain sliced wood, on the other hand, is made out of solid and real wood. It is still a pretty cost-effective cut so if you’re on a budget, this is still a pretty good option for you to consider for your ceiling construction.
The boards are cut one after the other after an initial slab has been cut off of a log. Once it gets nearer to the heart or the center of the wood, the log is then flipped over, making its opposite side positioned and ready for the next series of cuts to be made out of that same log.
Popular wood types used for this particular cut are white maple, red oak, white birch, white oak, cider, beech, black walnut, poplar, carbonized bamboo, white fire, cherry, white ash, alder, mahogany, and even flat-grain hemlock.
Quarter Sliced Wood: Quarter sliced wood is a slightly pricier cut of wood. Similar to the plain sliced wood though, it is also cut from a solid piece of wood.
To get this particular cut, the woodcutter would usually first cut the log into quarters. After that, the quartered pieces are cut so that the rings in the wood are at a 90-degree angle, or at least in its closest approximation.
Popular woods that are being cut this way are oak, white oak, white birch, black walnut, sycamore, bamboo, white maple, cherry, vertical grain hemlock, and vertical grain Douglas fir.
Now, for actual wood types.
Luan: Luan is a common wood type that comes from the Pacific Rim species. It is also known as Meranti and Philippine mahogany.
Although Luan isn’t true mahogany, it is named as such because its finished surface area closely resembles it. This type of wood is oftentimes marketed as a solid wood board in the US but it also isn’t uncommon to see it supplied in the form of light plywood.
Luan plywood is much softer than the other types of plywood out there and is oftentimes used as trim work or for furniture pieces. This is a type of wood that can be readily carved or worked on.
Because this type of plywood is available in thin panels, it’s also a favorite for dollhouse constructions. Its plywood is ¼ inch thick or thinner than that. This is also at times referred to as die-cut plywood because it can be cut to shape with dies instead of saws.
Mahogany: Mahogany is a type of wood that’s considered very sought after. It’s mainly because of its beauty, its resilience, and its inherent hardness. This is considered the top choice of wood for high quality furniture all over the world.
Aside from ceiling applications, mahogany can also be used in cabinetry, carving, sculptures, and interior trims.
Mahogany is usually pink, red, or salmon-colored when it’s first cut. Its color tends to deepen over time or as the wood matures more and more.
This is why as it ages, mahogany is more known for its brown-red or rich red color. Its texture is from fine to medium and its grain patterns vary from wavy to curly. Irregularities in the grain are considered unique and much desired.
This wood is known to resist swelling, warping, or shrinking over time; which makes it a really great choice as a wood ceiling material.
Different Classifications Of Wood
By understanding the different ways that wood is classified, you’ll be able to identify your wood types better; particularly if you are planning to DIY your ceiling construction.
Classification based on size: One of the first few ways to identify any type of lumber is based off of its dimensions. Lumber typically comes in 2-foot multiples with a thickness ranging from 2 inches to 16 inches.
As the thickness of the lumber changes, so does its name. Any wood piece that’s less than 2 inches thick is called a board. Pieces that are 2 to 5 inches thick are called lumber. Anything thicker than 5 inches is regarded as timber.
Classification based on level of dress: A lumber’s pre-treatment is regarded as “dressing”. They come in different classifications:
• Rough lumber: this type of wood has been cut to a specific size but other than that, has not really had any type of extra work done on it.
• Dressed lumber: this has been smoothed out and trimmed down into uniform pieces.
• Worked lumber: this is taking it a notch up, with the lumber being prepared specifically for immediate use.
Classification based on grade: Lumber is usually graded on a scale of 1 to 5. Here’s how they vary from one another:
• Grade 1: This is lumber that’s being used for construction. This comes moderately sized and can be easily painted. Lumber of this grade is ideal for furniture making and siding.
• Grade 2: This lumber grade is similar to Grade 1 but its knots are much larger.
• Grade 3: This lumber is considered as lower quality wood and at times, it can bear certain signs of splitting. This is typically used for non-cosmetic construction work such as for subflooring or crates and the like.
• Grade 4: This lumber shows more signs of defects. This means that much of the wood needs to be cut away so it’s also used for non-cosmetic grade purposes.
• Grade 5: This lumber grade has the worst possible quality and is used for throwaway projects such as for concrete pour areas that require some roughing out.
Hardwood Versus Softwood
The main difference between these two types of woods is in their cellular composition. Hardwoods have cells that are porous and large that can be visible to even the naked eye. Softwoods, on the other hand, are much smaller and less dense.
Both can be utilized for ceilings and floors but softwoods are more recommended for cost-efficiency for ceiling use.
See more related content in our article about ceiling texture types on this page.
