Mounting a fireplace mantle beam

[Brian Showalter]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the best way to mount a fireplace mantle beam? I've got a solid cherry beam about 5"x10"x5.5' to mount above my fireplace. I'd like it to be a floating mount with no corbels. Estimated weight maybe 150 lbs.

There is a 2x6 mounted flat to the wall studs with the stone surround. The studs behind it are marked.

I've considered drilling holes in the wall for rebar and then drilling matching holes in the back of the beam to slide on. This seems like it would hold well but I have my doubts about getting it level.

Another thought was a large piece of angle iron and then route a groove in the back of the beam to slide on. I think I would probably have to put at least a screw or two into the angle iron from top or bottom to feel good about this method.

Any other thoughts or ideas? Photo below is of the mounting location. Thanks!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_8e97WsOC04g/TYTSmViNSoI/AAAAAAAAAaM/ZjGyt65PDDY/s640/IMG_9213.JPG

[Philip Johnson]

I just used a french cleat to hold mine on...worked great. Do a google search if your not familiar with them and you will find some examples.

Phil

[Rob Sack]

Since you can still locate the studs, I would use 3/8" - 1/2" steel rod through your face mounted 2 X 6 and into the studs and then drill corresponding holes into your mantle beam. I would not use rebar, it has too much friction. I've installed floating shelves this way using steel rods and it works beautifully. Just be precise in all your drilling. You might want to bend the rods ever so slightly up prior to sliding on the beam so that the beam will "settle in" level.

[Jonathan Spool]

Brian,
A method that I have used with both wood and stone mantles is to use the OSB that is designed for industrial stairways, or other very stable material. In your case I would ;laminate a piece together that would measure 2.5 x 3.5 x 4'. Drill and lag the piece to your fireplace, scriibng it to fit snug if need be (I incorporated a lateral 2x6 in my framing prior to putting sheathing on and lagged this piece on prior to the stone work, but if you know where your studs are, you should be ok). Cut a 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep x 4' mortise in the back of your mantle. It should slip right over your mounting board. It can either be secured with screws and plugged, or with construction adhesive.
Volah, your mantle is secure with no corbels or brackets. Another plus, is that internal the mounting piece lends stability to the mantle.

[Tom Grant]

Being as you have the flush 2x6, four pair of heavy-duty bed rail hangers (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10) would do nicely.

[William Hamilton]

+1 for a french cleat. I've seen it done numerous times and it's not that difficult to swing. Also it makes getting level easier.

[Dennis French]

Brian, This is a mantle commission that I did about 12 years ago. It is solid ebonized mahogany so the center component is quite heavy. I'm sorry for the crappy image, but the the mantel has a curving gesture to it which puts it at about 15" at its widest point. I had two steel brackets fabricated and basically created a french cleat (kind of the way a lavatory is mounted) However, I had to cut a recess in the rear of the mantel so the fit would be flush.
187682

[Mark ten Haaf]

I like the idea of the angle iron, but what about snugging it up to the wall with a drawbore instead of screws? To me, that would be pretty stout.

[Brian Penning]

OK I know what a french cleat is but can't figure out how you'd use it in this case.
You have to make a large recess in the back of the beam?

PS. Not sure if that 2X6 is flush to the wall or not..

[Danny Hamsley]

I used threaded rod. The threads provide enough friction to hold the mantle firmly to the fireplace, plus it is easy and fast to do.

[Art Mulder]

was at a friends house just the other week, and I asked him how his mantle (a 4x8ish pine beam) was hanging on the brick... His answer was that he just put in several LONG tapcons in on a 45-degree angle from above and below. I looked and found 3 underneath, but they weren't easy to find. And the ones on top are hidden also. Amazing how it doesn't take that much to do the job.

[Larry Edgerton]

I just used a french cleat to hold mine on...worked great. Do a google search if your not familiar with them and you will find some examples.

Phil

Ditto. Have a bunch of them out there on french cleats. Gravity is hard to beat.

[phil harold]

7" x 3/4 inch lag bolts into studs angled at 22 degrees, cut bolt head off ,leaving 2-3 inches sticking out
drill matching holes in beam

its a combination of pin and french cleat

[Dennis French]

Brian, here is a simple sketch of how I did my cleat
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[Brian Showalter]

Dennis,

Thanks for the drawing. I assume that your cleat was made of some type of metal? Where did you get that? My first thought was something exactly like this but I couldn't figure out where to get the cleats from. I don't know anyone with a metal brake.

[Larry Edgerton]

Mine are kind of like Dennis's but I made it out of wood. I route out a recess in the back of the beam tapered 15 degrees toward the top [narrower] with a dovetail bit, 1/2" deep, and then make a cleat that will fit in this recess, but that does not go quite all the way to the top of the recess. The cleat that screws to the wall has one slotted hole, and one fixed. I figure it out and screw the cleats to the wall in the center of the slotted hole, check for fit and tap the cleats up and down to where they need to be, then put in the fixed screw and set the mantle back on the cleat. This way the weight is being supported by the strength of the long grain as well.

Different way to skin a cat.....

[Dennis French]

Brian, I just went to a place I deal with here in central Illinois called the Farm Shop. They are excellent metal fabricators. I think I had them use 12 gauge steel and then they just bent to the angles specified in my drawings. Very inexpensive. I then drilled the mounting holes myself. I would guess any metal fabrication shop should be able to handle this. For me I did not want the thickness of a wood cleat. By doing it in steel it only needs to be around an 1/8" thick. It worked really great for me.


Dennis,

Thanks for the drawing. I assume that your cleat was made of some type of metal? Where did you get that? My first thought was something exactly like this but I couldn't figure out where to get the cleats from. I don't know anyone with a metal brake.

[Dennis French]

Dennis,

Thanks for the drawing. I assume that your cleat was made of some type of metal? Where did you get that? My first thought was something exactly like this but I couldn't figure out where to get the cleats from. I don't know anyone with a metal brake.
I had a metal fabrication shop bend them up from 10 gauge steel, if I remember correctly. I wanted the thinner profile that steel would give me over a wood cleat. I t was very inexpensive to have done and it worked great!