Method for installing a faux wood ceiling and apparatus for use therein

Abstract

An apparatus for building a faux wood ceiling includes wooden beams and interlocking planks or panels. Each of the beams are attachable to a wall or ceiling. Each of the interlocking planks has a lip on one side and another lip on an opposite side. One lip engages with another lip of an adjacent interlocking plank when installed, while the other lip engages with a first lip of a second adjacent interlocking plank when installed. Each of the wooden beams is actually a hollow wooden beam, which can be finished to appear as an older wooden beam. Adjustable height brackets enable the ceiling to be mounted below and existing structures. The wood ceiling can be installed quickly and easily on site from a kit of parts. Once installed, access to wiring and plumbing is available by removing any of the wooden panels by simply pressing upwards. The end result is a finished wooden ceiling that requires no complex brackets or hanging structures, yet provides all of the conveniences of a drop ceiling.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for building a faux wood ceiling comprising: 
 a plurality of wooden beams, each of said beams being attachable to a wall or ceiling; and    a plurality of interlocking planks, each of said plurality of interlocking planks having a first lip on a first side and a second lip on a second side, said first lip for engaging a second lip of a first adjacent interlocking plank when installed and said second lip for engaging a first lip of a second adjacent interlocking plank.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of wooden beams comprises a hollow wooden beam.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of wooden beams is finished to appear as an older wooden beam.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of adjustable height brackets, each of said plurality of adjustable height brackets including a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed in a plurality of predetermined distances from an edge of the bracket, and a second plurality of fixed holes at other predetermined distances.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of beams includes a molding attachment on which several of the plurality of planks rests when installed.  
     
     
         6 . A method for installing a faux suspended wooden ceiling comprising: 
 attaching a plurality of faux wooden beams to a ceiling or two or more walls;    resting a plurality of wooden planks on each other perpendicular to a length of the faux wooden beams; and    disposing an edge of each of the plurality of wooden planks on an edge of at least one of the plurality of faux wooden beams.    
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of wooden beams comprises a hollow wooden beam.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said plurality of wooden beams is finished to appear as an older wooden beam.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the step of resting the plurality of wooden planks on each other further comprises resting the plurality of wooden planks in an interlocking manner.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the step of attaching includes using a plurality of adjustable height brackets to mount the wooden beams to a ceiling or wall.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of adjustable height brackets includes a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed in a plurality of predetermined distances from an edge of the bracket, and a second plurality of fixed holes at other predetermined distances.  
     
     
         12 . A kit for installing a faux wooden ceiling comprising: 
 a plurality of faux wooden beams, each of said plurality of faux wooden beams being attachable to a ceiling or wall, each of said plurality of faux wooden beams having an edge; and    a plurality of panels, each of said plurality of panels having a first lip on one side and a second lip on another side opposite said one side, said first lip couplable with a second lip of a first adjacent panel when installed and said second lip couplable with a first lip of a second adjacent panel on an opposite side from said first adjacent panel when installed.    
     
     
         13 . The kit according to  claim 12 , wherein each of said plurality of faux wooden beams comprises a hollow wooden beam.  
     
     
         14 . The kit according to  claim 12 , wherein each of said plurality of faux wooden beams is finished to appear as an older wooden beam.  
     
     
         15 . The kit according to  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of adjustable height brackets, each of said plurality of adjustable height brackets including a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed in a plurality of predetermined distances from an edge of the bracket, and a second plurality of fixed holes at other predetermined distances.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for creating a wooden ceiling comprising: 
 a plurality of hollow beams, each of said hollow beams being attachable to a wall or floor joist and being substantially parallel to each other and having their lengths disposed in a first direction; and    a plurality of panels, each of said panels having a length such that the panel spans a distance between two adjacent hollow beams when said panel is mounted substantially perpendicular to the two adjacent hollow beams.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each of said plurality of panels has a first lip on one side and a second lip on another side opposite said one side, said first lip couplable with a second lip of a first adjacent panel when installed and said second lip couplable with a first lip of a second adjacent panel on an opposite side from said first adjacent panel when installed.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of adjustable height brackets, each of said plurality of adjustable height brackets including a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed in a plurality of predetermined distances from an edge of the bracket, and a second plurality of fixed holes at other predetermined distances.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of beams includes a molding attachment on which several of the plurality of panels rests when installed.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each of said plurality of hollow beams is finished to appear as an older wooden beam.