Handy Dandy! Guest Highlight

One thing I wish I had is a fireplace, but what is the fun of a fireplace without a mantel?  Well here is what Cece of One Handy Chick did for her mantel-less fireplace, I think it looks great, don't you agree?

One of the items on my house's "to do" list was to build a mantel (or mantle?) for my fireplace.  I am happy to say, it is now complete--or should I say complete for now! I had no plan to begin with, I just took some raw meansurements and starting piecing things together to make it look good.

What do you think?

please pardon the naked windows....I have a plan!

Here are some step by steps for making my mantel:

1) check to make sure the proposed mantel is level. mark your spots and prepare to drill.

i needed a hefty board to hang the actual mantel from, so i used a 2x6 in the center and then 2 smaller pieces on the outside to help with level and load.

2) with someone holding the boards in place, mark for holes to be drilled.

3) add suuport brackets if you want to make sure that you definitely trust anything you put on your mantel that is screwed into your 40 year old brick to stay secure!

4) invite a big strapping young gentleman to come over and help you screw in these massive bolts to the brick.

5) these are the bolts that i used and they definitely felt secure.  i tested it by hanging off of the wood base before i slid the mantel on!

6) once the base was set, I slid on my mantel piece and here is how it looks today!

the actual mantle is made of 1x 8 white pine boards that I have beat up and stained dark walnut. 

 

She did a great job!

Anyone inspired to build a mantel now?