Wood movement and coating the back of fireplace surround

[Wayne Watling]

Is it desirable to splash a cost of finish on the back of a solid mahogany fireplace surround and mantel. The house is always rather dry and being so close to a source of heat it could suffer cupping or other issues if the panels are not evenly finished. I was thinking about a coat of shellac on the back, staining the visible surfaces, and finishing using Waterlox

Thanks,
Wayne

[Joe Cowan]

I built a Mantel and surround using solid mahogany. I finished it using Minwax Tung Oil Finish. I screwed it to the wall frame, behind the surround and allowed for some movement by drilling an oversized pilot hole for the screws. I have not had any issues in the 4 years I have had it.

[Wayne Watling]

Hi Joe,

Did you apply finish to the back of the panels or just the front visible areas? Thanks for your input.

[Larry Edgerton]

I finish the backs of mine and more importantly hang them in a way that lets them move. I usually use no fasteners at all but rather hang them on a sort of heavy duty french cleat top and bottom. It takes a couple of tries to get them adjusted right, and if the mantle ever needs refinishing you can just tap it up and remove it.

[Wayne Watling]

Hi Larry,

I'll coat the backs with some cheaper finish. Everything is mounted using screws but the holes are over sizes, so there is room for movement.

Thanks,
Wayne