Fireplace Mantel Designs: How to Build a Mantel

Before we have a look at fireplace mantel designs and the various methods to build a mantel, it is necessary to tell you what a fireplace mantel is all about. A fireplace mantel is also known as a mantelpiece or a chimneypiece.

A warm, roaring fire from the fireplace truly completes the picture of a perfect, cosy home. And what about the sentimental value attached to the photograph of your beloved on the mantelpiece, or the mantelpiece clock? A fireplace mantel became very popular during the medieval times and in the later period it became a decorative piece that projected over the fireplace. Many beautiful and ornamental mantle designs were created to add beauty and charm to any room that had a fireplace. However, today fireplaces have been replaced with modern heating devices such as room heaters. Hence a fireplace and the mantelpiece have gained more of a decorative significance than a practical use.

Fireplace Mantel Designs

A fireplace is not complete without a fireplace mantel. There are many beautiful fireplace mantel designs that you can choose from. If you are interested in and good at carpentry you can also take it up as a do-it-yourself home improvement project. Before you plan to install a fireplace mantel, you should have a general idea about what you wish to keep on the mantle. Choose a design that gives you ample space to keep the curios and the photographs.

Tips to Build a Fireplace Mantel

You can seek the help of a professional or take up the project of building a fireplace mantel yourself. Some of the tools required to start this project include the following:

• Miter saw - to cut the wood
• Hammer - to hammer in the nails
• Brad nailer - a battery powered nail gun that is used in carpentry
• Sandpaper - to smoothen the surface / hole filler mounds
• Drill driver - used to fix heavy screws and nails
• Paintbrush - used for giving a touch of varnish to the finished wooden mantel.

Here are the steps to build a simple but an elegant wooden fireplace mantel.

Before you begin the project of building a fireplace mantel clean the fireplace and seal the grate for the time being. If your fireplace has a molding remove it carefully using a wide putty knife. Ensure that you do not spoil the surrounding wall while removing the molding.

Before cutting the wood for the molding take the measurements of the surround. Cut the required length of the wood lengthwise along the grain of the wood and also width-wise across the grain of the wood.

Apply wood glue on the three pieces of the wood. (One for the top and two for both sides of the fireplace surround.) Allow the glue to set in the wood.

In the meantime, using a stud finder, locate and mark the stud points on the wall. Using a level, draw a straight line vertically on both sides before fixing the wood on the top surround. Nail the wood into the stud marked on the wall, using a brad nailer. Use construction adhesive to glue the wood of the top surround that is facing the vertical side of the wall.

Once the surrounds are in place you can fix the decorative molding. Using miter saw cut the moldings at angles. Apply glue on the underside of the moldings of the mantle. Before nailing the mantle into place, apply construction adhesive on the surround pieces to hold the mantle firmly.

Ensure that the fireplace mantle is firmly fixed before adding the decorative details. The decorative corner blocks of the moldings are first cut using a miter saw and then nailed into the top and base of the surround on all the three sides, using a brad nailer.

The nail holes and the minor gaps are filled using Spackle (Spackle is a powder that contains gypsum and glue. It is mixed with water to form a paste and is used to fill the cracks and holes in the wood.). Use sandpaper to rub in the Spackle over the nail hole fillings.

Apply a layer of primer to the wood. Allow it to dry before applying a coat of paint.

A fireplace mantle can be made from various kinds of woods such as pine, cedar, oak or teak. Many shops offer custom-made fireplace mantle according to your artistic interest and project budget.