Dado Cuts
Dado-Cut Timbers: The Solid Timber Look at a Fraction of the Weight
Solid timbers with the back hollowed out, so they're lighter to hang or can slip right over a glulam or steel beam.
30 years · Serving UT · ID · MT · NV, CO, NM, AZ and CA
What is a dado-cut timber?
A dado cut is a channel milled lengthwise into the back of a solid timber. The visible faces and end grain stay real, full-thickness timber, while the hidden core is removed. The result is a beam that looks and feels like a solid timber but weighs far less, and can wrap around structural steel or a glulam so the structure disappears behind real wood.
Why choose a dado cut
- Lighter weight: easier to ship, lift, and install overhead, with less load on your framing.
- Real timber, not veneer: solid faces and authentic end grain from a single timber.
- Hides structure: wraps steel I-beams and glulams so they read as solid timber.
- Cut to fit: channel width and depth milled to the beam you're covering.
Common uses
- Decorative ceiling beams and trusses
- Wrapping steel I-beams and flanges
- Wrapping glulam beams and headers
- Porch, entry, and exterior beams
- Fireplace mantels and architectural accents
Featured projects
Steel Beam Wrap
Dado-cut timber slid over a structural steel beam for a solid-timber ceiling.
Lightweight Ceiling Beams
Hollowed timbers hung as decorative beams without the weight of solid stock.
Glulam Cover
A dado-cut timber wrapping an exposed glulam header.
Specs & options
- Timber: West Coast Doug Fir, rough sawn or S4S. Ask about other species.
- Dado size: Custom width and depth to fit your beam or weight target.
- Lengths: Custom lengths available. Contact us for your span.
- Finish: Rough sawn, S4S, or ask about custom textures.
How to order
- Measure what you're wrapping: width and depth of the steel or glulam (for steel, include the flange width).
- Choose your finished size: the outside dimensions you want the beam to show.
- Give us the length and whether the ends will be exposed.
- Request a quote: we'll confirm the dado size, wall thickness, and lead time.
Related products & services
L-Cuts · Wide Beam Wraps · Timbers & Beams
Only one side of your beam exposed? See L-Cuts. Covering a large glulam or building a box beam? See Wide Beam Wraps.
Frequently asked questions
How much lighter is a dado-cut timber?
It depends on the timber size and how much of the core is removed. Tell us your size and we'll estimate the weight savings.
Can a dado-cut timber fit over a steel I-beam?
Yes. Send us the beam's flange width and depth and we'll mill the channel to fit.
Is a dado-cut timber structural?
Dado-cut timbers are intended as decorative wraps and covers. The steel or glulam inside carries the load. Consult your engineer for structural requirements.
How is it attached?
Attachment depends on what's being wrapped, typically blocking or fasteners into the beam or framing. We're happy to talk through your install.
Do you ship outside Utah?
Yes. We serve projects across Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Get the solid timber look without the weight.
Talk to the team that's known timber for 30 years.