A fireplace adds both real and perceived warmth to your den, family room, or even bedroom, but it’s the wood fireplace mantel shelves that are placed on top of the fireplace that really draw attention. A wood fireplace mantel shelf is the perfect focal point for displaying treasured items that you want guests to see and also provides the perfect spot for family photographs and mementoes. And since your fireplace is one of your home’s most attractive features, adding a beautiful wood fireplace mantel shelf can really help spruce up your fireplace and add to the future resell value of your home. To get started installing your new wood fireplace mantel shelf, you will need a few tools and (if possible) a buddy to help out. The following tips can help you to sort through the vast number of wood fireplace mantel shelves and install your shelf in just one afternoon of do-it-yourself fun.
- Check with your local county officials to determine if the material that you choose for your fireplace mantel shelf material will meet the National Fire Code guidelines for fireplaces before purchasing it. The Code also requires that you mount your fireplace mantel at least one inch from the edge of the firebox for each one-eighth inch that it extends from the wall. Translation: if your wood fireplace mantel shelf sticks out three inches from the wall, it needs to be twenty-four inches above your fireplace’s hearth portion.
- There are many choices available today when it comes to wood fireplace mantel shelves. The choice you make for your mantel shelf will depend not only on the room that your fireplace is located in, but also on the type and size of the fireplace itself.
- If you are like many homeowners, you might like to construct your own wood fireplace mantel shelves, which adds to the character of the fireplace and also instills pride in doing it yourself.
- Tools you will need for installing your wood fireplace mantel shelves include: your mantel shelf kit (or supplies to build your own), 2 ½ inch long concrete screws, 2-inch finish screws, wood putty, carpenter’s level, and a power screw driver.
- When choosing your wood fireplace mantel shelf, it’s a good idea to take into consideration the other woods that are prominent in your room. For example, if you have hardwood flooring – you can coordinate your mantel shelf to compliment your flooring, or perhaps the furniture or woodworking trim in your room.
