I am in the process of giving my fireplace a facelift and we are now looking for a new mantel. I found these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/main?i...=ATVPDKIKX0DER&orderID=&seller=A2Y7QNFN1Z5S9Q and Im wondering if they are really worth the money? I dont mind spending the money but I cant help but wonder if I can replicate these myself for cheaper. We are also looking at this one http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Mantels-412-72-70-Shenandoah-72-Inch/dp/B009NRLAMI/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_4 the only problem I have with the last one is that is not a solid piece of wood and its made in China. Let me know your opinions of these and also if you know of something similar to these please tell me about it.
what kind of "look" are you aiming for? We have a country home, lots and LOTS of wood (tons of barnwood), lots of stone from the local mountains, etc.....so I wanted a hewn mantel. I chose to use a piece of hand-hewn pine beam from a barn I tore down around 8 years ago (I have lots of antique hewn beams in storage), and we love the character it gives the fireplace..... Just a suggestion, look around at some local salvage places for a hewn beam. You could even have it planed on top (if you want it to be perfectly smooth). We left ours "hewn" on top as it was amazingly level, I cleaned it with a brass brush, air compressor and lots of elbow grease. Oh, and I also recessed two receptacles into the top of it and wired it through the wall to a switch, so the "boss" can decorate it with her little "knick-knacks" and just have to flip a switch to turn them on.....no wires hanging everywhere, neither!
You seem to be learning toward big thick wood. If it were me, I wouldn't buy a stock mantel. Take your time. Find a beam of wood that tells a story. One that you can talk about. Then the rest of you redo can be the backdrop for this center of attention. You won't regret it. A commercial mantel can only say someone made a profit.
Thanks Scotty lots of good ideas there. Do you have a bigger picture of your mantle its a little hard to see in your profile pic? Were aiming for a rustic modern country look I think. So we want the old hand hewn type mantel. Well have to look around a little more and see what we can find. That one from Amazon is definitely out its just junk from China. Were going to look around for something thats solid, old and rough cut.
Matt, I'll ty to take some close-up pics of our mantel tonight for you. Like fishingpol said, demolition and salvage dealers usually have a cache of good stuff that you could fabricate your own mantel out of. I think that reclaimed items have a certain nostalgia and charm to them that cannot be replicated by modern pieces.....adds to the beauty in the end.
All I bought one its a 100 year old piece of cedar from an old barn its an old rough cut beam cut down to mantle shape and size. We got it all installed this afternoon along with a homemade heat shield. For the heat shield I took a piece of sheet metal and bent it at into an L cut it down to size and screwed it to the back of the mantle. The heat shield is only temporary until I can find/afford a piece of copper sheeting I would like to replace it with copper I think that would look a lot better. Now all I have to do is put the trim in on the sides and redo the hearth floor.
I like it a lot. The tile goes well with the soapstone too. I was at the local architectural salvage shop yesterday. It is like a giant candy store for me. How about a simple sheet metal heat shield painted primer gray?
I was thinking about finding a high heat copper colored paint and getting a bigger piece of metal. Well have to see, but for right now this will do just fine its not terrible looking.
I think it looks great! As for the heat shield, maybe consider a piece of old barn roofing tin or copper with a nice, rust-colored patina to it for the heat shield....... Either way, that mantel gives LOTS of character to the install, helps pull the tile and soapstone together IMO....nicely done!
Thanks Scotty Im really happy with how it turned out I think it looks really good. Im hoping to get the trim on the sides done before Thanksgiving but with the way my work schedule is going it might have to wait. As far as the heat shield were going to wait and see what we can find probably going to hit up some auctions and antique stores to see what we can find.
