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(This article is part 3 of our Fireplace Makeover series.)
We built this mantel entirely from a few pieces of rough-sawn lumber pulled out of a recycled building materials yard. Part of the fun of building it was deciding how to combine the pieces while keeping the rustic charm of the wood. Our local yard is great, and you can probably find lots of reclaimed wood sources in your area to build your own mantel.
Build Notes
The mantel is composed of three pieces of reclaimed wood:
- A 6 x 6 post, cut in half to make the legs
- A 2 x 12 board, with a piece cut out to fit around the brick. We then used the cutout as a cross-piece below the top, and
- A 4 x 3 post, to run underneath the shelf, for another cross-piece
Keeping The Rustic Look of Reclaimed Wood
We chose to preserve the rough look of the wood — there were holes, gouges and visible saw marks that provided lots of character. The wood needed some cleaning, but otherwise we only performed a little sanding areas that would be dangerous to the touch. before putting a dark stain and some polyurethane on the wood.
Use Lag Screws for Solid Attachments
We attached the mantel to the wall on either side of the fireplace with lag bolts. Those bolts sit an inch or so deep in the post and are covered with a decorative dowel. The top shelf is also attached to the posts with countersunk lag screws. The two cross-pieces are attached to the shelf through the bottom of the pieces, again with recessed lag screws. Finally, we put some felt furniture pads on the bottom of the posts to protect the floor. With all the hardware, this was still less than $10 to build. It’s been in place for more than 10 years now and we still love it.
Making the Cutout in the Top Shelf
In order to make the cutout, you’ll need to make a plunge cut with a circular saw, then finish the corners with either a handsaw or a jigsaw (and you’ll want to sand down the inside corners afterward). A plunge cut can be a little nerve-wracking if you’re not used to holding up the blade guard of your saw while you lower it into the cut. Lining it up to start is also critical — if you’ve got a laser guide, that’ll make it easier to check your line before you drop the blade into the wood. Otherwise, clamp a guide to the piece and set the nose of your saw’s base plate against the guide while you lower the blade.
Last bit of advice: Know where the back of your blade is going to hit! It’s easy to drop the blade in and wind up cutting past the corner. It’s better to start with plenty of room behind the saw to avoid this mistake. You have to finish the cuts anyway.
Don’t Stop with the Reclaimed Wood Mantel
The mantel was just the first step in a very satisfying fireplace makeover. Read our other posts on the rest of the process:
Trading (Fire) Places — A Weekend Fireplace Makeover
