New mantle ?

[Ralph Okonieski]

I wish to replace the mantle on our fireplace. The current one is rough sawn and very difficult to clean due to the roughness. The mantle and fireplace extend across the entire width of the room, approximately 12 feet. Replacing it with one board is not practical; I am not sure I could scribe the wall on each end to get a perfect fit.

Hopefully, someone has replaced a mantle and has design suggestions. As an example, I was thinking about three separate sections, perhaps separated with a contrasting color wood? The contrasting wood might even be raised above the primary wood to give an architectural look to it.

I though about using a veneer but only if I could install the substrate and glue the veneer in place. All veneer I used previously was on a thin substrate and veneered on both sides. Would 3/4 inch mdf be suitable for a one sided application like this?

The wood will probably be QSWO. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Paul F Franklin]

Check out this thread from a little while ago for a very nice example (and it's QSWO):

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....Mantle-Cabinet

[Lee Schierer]

What type of wood is the mantle? Is there a way you could plane it down either by hand or with a power planer or belt sander?

[Jim Becker]

Ralph, I have felt your pain...the mantle (and some cabinets) in our Great Room were all made of rough barn wood when we first bought the property. Dusting and cleaning was nearly impossible. The cabinets disappeared and the mantle was replaced with a simple cherry mantle with hand-cut dovetails in the corner.

Here are the old threads from 2004/2005

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....ghlight=Mantle
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....ghlight=Mantle
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....ghlight=Mantle

[Dan Baginski]

I’m my last house I went to a lumber yard that supplies builders for log homes. They cut me a timber that was about 6’ long and 8” by 4”. They even put some hand hewing on it and ran it through a machine that roughed it up but not to the point where it was like barn wood.

I put a coat of shellac on it then some stain. Rubbed of some of the stain with steel wool and then some poly. Had a nice rustic look but also easy to wipe dust off of. I attached it to the wall with some metal rods.

I don’t know if that would work for your application, but it only cost me $50 for the timber.

[Ralph Okonieski]

Duh, never thought about searching for other threads. Silly of me. Very nice work in those threads!

Lee, I think the current wood is pine. I guess it could be smoothed but after 30 years, it is time for a change (according to SWMBO).

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

[Mel Fulks]

Sounds like the mantle is much longer than the fire box and surround. I would make the mantle a conventional shorter
length. The fireplace needs a vertical look to be a feature. It should not be just a blending part of a long wall. That is
always a fault.

[Zac wingert]

What is SWMBO?

[Phil Mueller]

“She who must be obeyed”