Ideas for a Homemade Fireplace Mantel

Manufactured Lumber

• A fireplace mantel made of manufactured lumber constitutes a solid woodworking project. Pre-cut pieces of wood form the left and right sides of the frame. The top section, or mantel, consists of pieces that extend from the wall and a horizontal piece along the top that serves as the mantel shelf. This mantel looks impressive with decorative effects, such as crown molding and other wood pieces that accentuate the design. A natural finish of stain or varnish may work, but a final coat of paint such as ivory can make pre-cut lumber look more refined.

Timber

• Your fireplace may include a frame of natural stone instead of brick or wood. Use expensive craftsman timbers or found timbers to create a simple horizontal mantel piece. This type of wood gives a different look than manufactured lumber, especially because you can see the wood's knots and other imperfections. Another option involves visiting a junkyard or wood salvage yard and finding timbers. They might be left over from old boats, heavy furniture or even fireplaces. With a simple piece of timber mantel over stone or brick, the challenge becomes dressing the mantel for the seasons.

Concrete Work

• Sometimes you can't rely on wood or timber for your mantel design when your fireplace recesses into a flat brick wall. With concrete block, wallboard or other masonry materials, you can build two wall extensions, one on either side of the fireplace frame. These sections of wall create a sense of depth for an otherwise flat wall. The design becomes complete with a long piece of lumber or even the top section of an antique headboard serving as the mantel shelf. Braces on these wall extensions provide support for the shelf.