Turn An Unsightly Basement Support Pole Into A Stunning Finished Feature

Do you have hideous support beams in your basement? You know, the ones that are necessary for structural integrity but are so ugly you pretend they aren't there? Well, there is a very simple weekend basement remodel project that can turn those metal poles from bland to grand! All you need is some strong adhesive (like Loctite PL-375), two-by-fours, and clamps.

You will take each section of two-by-four, heavily line the center of one side with your adhesive, and attach it firmly onto your support beam with your clamps. Ideally, you will wait a full 48 hours for the adhesive to dry before removing the clamps. From there, you can seal the edges where each of the four two-by-fours meet, sand the wood, and paint or stain it as you would like.

After doing this very easy DIY, your unsightly basement beams resemble wooden columns instead. They might still be a nuisance for room layout, but they will look a lot better after a little TLC.

If you don't feel like dedicating a few days to making faux columns in your basement, there are a few easier ways to cover up the poles. You can purchase a basement beam wrap kit from home improvement stores like Lowe's or Home Depot. These flexible wrap kits take just a few minutes to install, as the wraps have adhesive backing for easy application. The kits don't include a cap and base decoration, though you can purchase them separately to make the beams look more finished.

Given that the average basement has a height of seven to eight feet, the do-it-yourself wraps at about $100 for a 96 by 12-in wrap may be more expensive than building a four-by-four case. If the average eight-foot four-by-four is about $10, the wood alone for each beam will cost about $40.

What you trade in using the pre-made wrap kits is the multiple steps to covering your basement beams. You don't have to wait for the adhesive to dry completely or sand anything; you can just wrap the poles and be done.

Here's the thing: no matter what you do to pretty up the beams in your basement, they're still going to be there. You can make them bigger, try to make them look like wood, or you can roll with them and make them a focal point of the room. Instead of trying to hide the beams, why not spruce them up instead? Your basement deserves the extra glitz.

On average, a roll of peel-and-stick wallpaper will run you between $20 to $50. By opting for an innovative wallpaper makeover instead of plain wood, you can add some flair to your basement. It can match whatever kind of aesthetic you're going for with little effort needed. You can always use plain colored wallpaper as well if that's more your style, or you can get some shimmering foil wallpaper instead for an accent moment and make your beams the stars of the basement.