Pre-assembled fireplace mantels are available at many home improvement centers. However, you can save money and add your own personal touches by building and installing your own mantel.
Materials: drill, with drill bits and a Phillips driver bit
hammer
circular saw or table saw
miter saw
wood screws
finish nails
1"x12" boards
1"x6" boards
2"x4" boards cut into wedge-shaped blocks (90-degree triangles)
fluted wood molding
crown molding
base cap molding
joint molding
Steps: - Install backing boards around the fireplace. You'll secure the mantel to these. Use a 1"x12" board (figure A) for the top backing board, and attach it with screws to the studs behind the wall. If no studs are available, use toggle bolts.
- Use wood glue to attach fluted molding to the center of the upright backing boards (figure B). Secure the molding with finish nails or brads.
- Attach another 1"x12" board directly above and flush with the outside edges of the fluted molding (figure C).
- Attach base molding to the bottom of the fluted molding (figure D), and attach base-cap molding to the top of the fluted molding (figure E). You can also add base-cap molding with mitered corners where the mantel meets the fireplace surround.
- Install joint molding 2-1/4" above the fluted molding to break up the flat surface between the fireplace surround and the top of the mantel.
- Cut a 1"x6" board to be used as a shelf, and nail it onto the 1"x12" backing boards (figure F). Level the shelf, using wedge-shaped blocks (figure G), which also provide a sturdy surface for nailing crown molding to.
- Cut and assemble crown molding to be placed beneath the shelf of the mantel. Attach it to the wedge-shaped blocks, backing board and shelf using finish nails (figure H).
- Attach the molding of your choice around the edge of mantel shelf (figure I ).
- Finish the mantel by filling nail holes with wood putty. Sand the wood putty smooth, then stain or prime and paint the mantel the color of your choice.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
