Build a Mantel

The most-used spot in your home very well may be your family room, and a fireplace adds additional coziness to this space. If you don't yet have a fireplace mantel installed, or want to install a different mantel over your fireplace, you should consider building your own mantel. Building a mantel for your fireplace is a great weekend project, and you'll end up with a unique piece for your home that you can take pride in and you will save yourself a ton of money as opposed to buying a pre-fabricated mantel. Following are some tips on how to build a mantel that will add aesthetic beauty to your family room or den.

Before building your mantel, you should consider the design that you wish to accomplish. Determine whether you want a rustic feel or a more refined look when building your mantel. Depending on your creative abilities, your mantel can have intricate designs or can be simple and full of country charm. Draw out the design of your mantel by first taking measurements of the height and width of your fireplace and according to how you want your mantel to be installed in relation to the fireplace.

To make building your mantel easier and faster, have all of the tools, materials, and items that you will need during construction handy in your workspace. You should have the following within easy reach when building your mantel: a hammer, miter saw (to cut your stock to length and to cut angles for mitered joints), brad nailer (for fast finish work), sandpaper (for smoothing the hole filler used to cover nail heads), nail set (to make finish nails and brads are set below wood's surface), cordless drill (for securing heavy weight screws), paint brushes (to apply stain, varnish, or paint), and stock (for the surround and top shelf) in the lengths and widths that were determined when you designed your mantel, plus ten percent in case of mistakes, decorative moldings (if you elect to use them), wood putty (to fill in nail holes), heavy screws (at least 3"), and stain (or paint or varnish for finishing the woodwork).

When building your mantel, you will first install the flat part of the surround. Use pieces of 1" stock and heavy screws to attach the surround to the wall. Next, begin building up your molding. Attach any cornices or crowns to the top shelf and attach it. Apply your finish, allow to dry, and then enjoy your do-it-yourself creation. Now you know how to build a mantel!

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