New Mantle "Capper" Project

[Jim Becker]

My next flat project is likely a new Mantle "Capper" for the very large fireplace in our great room. It currently sports one make of rough barn wood, which while it matches the room fine with the barn beams, etc., is very hard to keep clean, etc. I've included a picture of things as they are now (Those barn wood cabinets/shelves will be "going" at some point, too.) and a SketchUp! rendering of what I'm thinking about at present for the new cherry version. Simple, but with nice details like the hand cut dovetails at the corners. I put a few dimensions on the thing so you can see the scale of the fireplace. Comments are welcome.

[Dave Richards]

Jim, I like the dovetails on the corners. Will you replace the beam that crosses the fireplace beneath the mantle? What will you use for that?

Are you planning to replace the cabinets as well? Or are you just going to ditch what you've got and put free-standing furniture in there?

p.s You're doing a good job with SU!

[Jamie Buxton]

From your pic, it looks like you have a wood lintel beam across the top of the fireplace opening?! If this is true, it doesn't conform to modern building code, which forbids inflammables this close to the fireplace opening. Of course, old houses don't always conform to modern code, so I guess you just live with it.

As for your new design, it seems to me that you're going to have some new-looking stuff (the new cap) right next to old-looking stuff (the rustic lintel beam). Have you considered covering the beam too? That would give you a more consistent look. Maybe you could bring the new cherry down to the 4'4" altitude all the way around the fireplace. That'd give you a big front surface, which might get some frame-and-panel decorative treatment. With that, the room would start to look less rustic, and probably demand that the barnwood shelving go away too.

[Mark Singer]

Jim,

I think the character of the fireplace is primative and rustic. I would use 8/4 and not cap it with a thin top. Do the dovetails and infil the top leaving the fascia full to the top....the stone looks great and is massive and wants something heavy ... BTW I love the way we are using the Design Forum!

[Jamie Buxton]

Or, following Mark's line, how 'bout a Nakashima-style piece of tree? That is, locate a big slab of tree, complete with live edge. Surface the top, so you get away from the cleaning issue you cite. Fasten it down to the top of the stonework, and you've done. If the top of the stonework is rough, carve out a recess in the bottom side of the slab so that it will sit down far enough to cover the roughness. No skirt, no apron, no nothing -- just a big slab of tree.

[Jim Becker]

Will you replace the beam that crosses the fireplace beneath the mantle?
From your pic, it looks like you have a wood lintel beam across the top of the fireplace opening?! If this is true, it doesn't conform to modern building code, which forbids inflammables this close to the fireplace opening. Of course, old houses don't always conform to modern code, so I guess you just live with it.That beam is embedded in the stone and is about 10" square in cross-section. It has a metal fire shield behind it and presumably met code at the time it was built back in the 1980s


Are you planning to replace the cabinets as well? Or are you just going to ditch what you've got and put free-standing furniture in there?New cabinetry is planned as a future project since I hate the existing ones with a passion! I'm hoping that the wide-plank pumkin pine flooring goes all the way to the wall, however, but I haven't had the opportunity to "explore" that inside one of the rustic cabinets yet.


As for your new design, it seems to me that you're going to have some new-looking stuff (the new cap) right next to old-looking stuff (the rustic lintel beam). Have you considered covering the beam too? That would give you a more consistent look.We are not trying to take all the rustic look out of the room, just make adjustments to things that are either too far off or problematic. The hand-hewn beam is not a problem for us and since it's duplicated in the "fabulous fake fireplace" in the kitchen, keeping it visible is consistant in that respect. Dropping the whole frame down would be super complicated due to the stonework that would be getting covered. This design leaves the existing wood below the top in place under the new cherry which also give a slightly deeper shadow line.


I think the character of the fireplace is primative and rustic. I would use 8/4 and not cap it with a thin top. Do the dovetails and infil the top leaving the fascia full to the top....the stone looks great and is massive and wants something heavy The planned cap is 8/4 thick...the dimension just is not on the sketch. The new top should absolutely be at least as heavy looking as the existing 8/4 barn planks that sit on the top now. While making the new one from solid 8/4 stock is an option, I wanted to carry the dovetails up for consistancy. Given the height of the fireplace the joinery on the top would not be normally visible (except from the loft/library clear across the room) and building it this way would likely be less expensive and easier for me with respect to the dovetails...and, I already have the material in inventory except for a piece of cherry plywood for the field. But then again, making it with 8/4 stock can still have the dovetail detail with a little creative work to accomodate wood movement on the "breadboard" end. I will give that some thought!


Or, following Mark's line, how 'bout a Nakashima-style piece of tree? That is, locate a big slab of tree, complete with live edge. Surface the top, so you get away from the cleaning issue you cite. Fasten it down to the top of the stonework, and you've done. If the top of the stonework is rough, carve out a recess in the bottom side of the slab so that it will sit down far enough to cover the roughness. No skirt, no apron, no nothing -- just a big slab of tree.I thought about that, especially since I have one piece of Nakashima style in the room already...just out of the picture to the bottom right. But looking up under the existing skirt reveals that I'd need to bring in a stone mason to clean up things big-time. It was a half-"you-know-what" job up top. The previous owners of this house were not really skillful in choosing contractors and this great room is a huge example...consider this...there is no plate on top of the foundation; the joists sit right on top of it. There is little insulation in the walls; something we'll have to deal with from the outside when we eventually get to a planned addition off the back of the room. Etc. But back to your suggestion, I actually have a piece of cherry that I might be able to use in that manner, but with the skirt. I'll think about it...it's an interesting suggestion.

[John Weber]

Jim,

Depending on your budget I would have a mason pull out the wood beam and replace it with limestone. You might also consider a limestone cap, but that wouldn't give you any ww to do. I like Jamie's taller piece a little better, and agree with Mark on the dovetails. I love cherry, but think walnut or hickory, might look really nice as well.

Just a couple thoughts - John

[Joe Mioux]

Jim:

I don't care what you do with the mantel, but that thing in that vase has to go. j/k.

Maybe can I can help you with a new mantel floral design thread.:)

Best regards
Joe

[Jim Becker]

I don't care what you do with the mantel, but that thing in that vase has to go. j/k.I don't disagree...but Dr. SWMBO did create it to take up the space... ;) That's a very big wall that goes from the top of that mantel up about another 14 feet to the peak of the lofted ceiling. I'd actually like to relocate our wedding quilt (made by Dr SWMBO's older sister) right over the fireplace once we have the room painted.


Depending on your budget I would have a mason pull out the wood beam and replace it with limestone.The wood beam is outside the limit for combustable materials based on the wood stove's requirements and will stay in place. (We checked the specs before installing the stove. We cannot use this fireplace as a regular fireplace...too big and poorly designed to pull a draft so it fills the house with smoke) We actually like the hand-hewn lintle.

[Tom Scott]

Jim,
Like you, I like the lintel beam especially since it has darkened from the heat of fires. But given it's rustic nature, I think whatever you do new will need to blend to keep it from looking out of place. If you go with cherry, I would try to age it by adding dings, fake worm holes, etc., then dye and glaze. Another possibility is to go with a similar design as your original, but use antique wood. I did this with our fireplace by planing off just enough of the old dead wood, but leaving the marks of time, and giving it an oil finish. The final effect is one of age, but not rustic.
Also, have you considered matching the stone masonry below to extend the chimney above the mantel? This may be a bigger undertaking than you were planning, but it really serves as an anchor in the room.

Tom