My vote is NO PAINT! I agree with the previous poster, you will always regret painting them.

pbibbo is correct. Cost and time are determining factors. If you can handle the cost AND the contractor has the TIME (they often don't have a lot to spare...which is why he may want to go with the easier way out) then you are welcome to ask for the service.

You might want to be aware that if the contractor REALLY doesn't want to do it, s/he will most likely double the price so you DON'T ask them to do it (they intentionally bid themselves too high because they don't want the job).

If s/he prices seems VERY HIGH it might be their way of saying, "Please don't ask me to do this." At that point, you may want to get another bid...just to compare.

Grrrr, I totally agree with Cancork Floor. My contractor always said it was ridiculously expensive if he didn't want to incur the labor (or didn't know how to do it! ). Hmmm, get someone else to do just the beams if it is really what you want done. I wouldn't paint them either.

Is there some magic potion?
I was thinking about how furniture is refinished. You brush on some stripper, wipe it off...is that an option?
Wood bleach?
Or do I just start sanding?

Then....wax? Oil? Or polyurethane? I really don't want them shiny...can I leave them raw?

There are probably 30 beams, 15' wide. I guess I'll just start on one with an electric sander and see how it goes.
If anyone has an idea, I'd love to hear it

Post some pictures of your beams. Some close up.

Thank you. I will. It may be a few days

We recently ran into a similar situation. It took some time to warm up to the idea but eventually the homeowner took our advice: we had the beams patched and faux finished to look exactly like the gray-wash, distressed columns she was looking for. That way we were not depending upon the wood to take a particular stain (or bleach), we could patch any damage done to the beams, etc.... What your contractor feels may be too expensive may be worth it to you to have what you want. Every remodeling project is a process and it's one where you have to make decisions regarding what is a value to you. Price doesn't always determine the value but certainly has to be factored in. Long story short - our client LOVES their family room now and is THRILLED with the end result! Good luck on your project!

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They look great just the way they are, if keeping them is an option, that't what I would recommend.

Here are some pics of the beams as is...
The first two are from the master
The third pic is from the kitchen
The last pic is from the living room, these are the darkest, stained, they were already exposed

Advice? Suggestions? Miracle cure?

I agree with "Design Styles Architecture +" that the beams look great the way they are full of character and charm. They might be more "rustic" than the beams in your "dream room". I recommend looking into having them sandblasted. That will take the old darker stain right off and leave them natural looking like in the picture.

That's an interesting idea

Your beams are not so bad! With everything torn up, NOW is definitely the time to get up there and make them beautiful. It's not brain surgery, it's not structural....we're just talking surface treatments. It's fine to experiment with sanding or beadblasting or scraping or planing. Worst case you have to give up and paint with a weathered wood look; best case you have a wonderful natural wood feature that really make the space sing. Your dream space is gorgeous and is well within reach IMO.

Your contractor sounds like a go-get-'em, bang up the drywall, slap on the paint type man of action as so many GCs are (and often have to be). They are only comfortable undertaking tasks that have very clear methods with predictable outcomes. But with stains, aging, different wood species, grain, density of wood, oxidation etc., nothing is completely straightforward. For sensitive treatment of wood surfaces, I prefer a wood specialist, such as a refinisher, cabinet maker, or certain experienced and meticulous house painters. They have the skills, but more importantly, the mindset and the orientation to respect the surface and try different processes to bring out its best appearance.

Glad you like the idea!

I had a beach cottage that when the ex and I purchased it, had painted open beam ceilings throughout. Before moving in, we had the ceilings sandblasted to remove the paint (probably 4 layers) and the result was a really great rustic beam, where all the character of the knots and the grain of the wood were highlighted. We left them as they were - no waxing, staining, or other finishing were needed. There were some holes, nails. and other things left from the previous owners, but I just chalked that up as character.

If you aren't sure that is the right look for you, see if you can get a hunk of similar wood, and take it somewhere they do sandblasting, and ask for a sample.

tongue oil (also known as China Wood Oil) makes a good flat clear finish. On new beams it helps slow the drying process which means less warp/twist/checking (cracking). Timber framers regularly use it.

Thank you all for your input. I did refinish and wax. I'm very pleased with how they turned out

We would love to see the before and after photos if you have them!

Thiamom. We have exactly the type of fir beams that you showed in your photos, I would love to see how they turned out in your project and to know if you refinished them by sanding, sandblasting, bleaching or what. . . Thanks!

Please leave the beams alone. Only sand or fix imperfections on those beams that you feel really need the attention or those that are very close to you. Once the space is finished you will like the end result. Right now you are focused on the unfinished ceiling. In a recent cottage reno we took down the living room ceiling to uncover a beautiful wood ceiling. The ceiling had some mold in places and some imperfections but we decided to focus on the safety (mold issue) and leave the imperfections. The finished project is very rustic and beautiful.

I just recently started on a very similar project. My beams were painted white, same as the rest of the ceiling. I was able to strip off the paint and now am in a process of cleaning them up completely mostly by sanding. I think it already looks much better.

Maria - Did you hand-sand or use a sand-blaster of some sort? I think we are going the route of sanding/cleaning up and leaving it alone for a year or two and then painting white is we really don't like it. Even in it's dark, only shop-vacced state, it is already growing on me! I admit that I am a bit daunted by the amount of overhead sanding involved in really cleaning it up. Thanks for sharing!

Do it the way you want it done. Ultimately you are the one that has to live with it and love it. I overrode our contractor on our current home with the stone/brick on my porch. It was the best decision I ever made. I still love it!!!

dianegentry- I used a small electric sander with 100 grit sanding paper as well as doing some hand work with sanding blocks and steel wool while the beam was still wet from the paint thinner. I have 5 beams that are 14 feet long, it took me 3-4 days, 4-5 hrs each day to be done with. Painting the walls lighter color and painting the rest of the ceiling helped bring out the beams even more so. I left them with their natural color.

We do this type work on a regular basis because contractors do not want to be involved in tedious time consuming work

OP, @Bartlett Design Studio What did you end up doing? DO you have an AFTER pic? I am wanting to paint my planks and sand my beams. We are getting new floors and paint and I want the beams lighter. Should I strip first? Or can I just sand? Did you end up needing bleach? Thanks for any tips!

@Maria Icheva is all you did was sand those? those are perfect and so much like what i want. Here are mine now.

I am wanting to paint my planks white and sand my beams. We are getting new floors and paint and I want the beams lighter. Should I strip first? Or can I just sand? Did you end up needing bleach? Thanks for any tips!