Installing a Wood Fireplace Mantel
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- čas přidán 12. 06. 2015
- Scott Wunder from WunderWoods shows how he installs solid wood mantels for his customers. This method works for all fireplaces, including brick and stone. In this video Scott mounts a mantel cut from river-recovered maple on a reclaimed wood fireplace surround.
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simply yet efficient, thank you
This is how I do it. I figured this out the first time I did it with the same concrete form rods. Crazy to see someone else figured it out the same way🤙😎
Thanks for the video. It's helpful, and just what I was looking for. The out-takes at the end were fun too :)
Great video, love the end too.
Very well done!
Good stuff Scott!
Great video especially the part after the camera credits!!!!
Go easy on her and be careful, she's going to steal the show from you!! :-) Thanks for posting that. I was wrestling with a similar install.. Was considering mounting a 4x4 to the wall, then hollowing out the back of my mantel to mount to the 4x4. WAY more work and likely not as secure. Thanks for posting!
I have a 5.5" x 9.5" x 72" piece of reclaimed oak I am wanting to install as a mantel on a brick fireplace. Pretty stout piece of wood so I want to make sure this doesn't become a hazard after installed. 1.) Have you had issues the steel rods slipping out of the wall even with the epoxy? I am going back and forth on using the same smooth surfaced rods you show or using a threaded steel rod for better grip to the adhesive. 2.) Should I drill into the brick or the mortar? I don't know if there are studs or if it is cinder block behind the brick facade. Thanks in advance for any feedback.
How did you make out with your project, Jason? Did you go with the smooth pencil rods or something else? I have a similar project that I doing doing now... 3.25" x 14 x 76. Did you go into the brick 3 or 4 inches or mortar etc?
Hi Scott, will 2 rods be enough to hang an 8”x8”, 6 foot piece of pine? I’m going into brick. The first fireplace was a huge success, so thank you!
It will be more than enough. After they are installed try hanging on one to test it. They are really strong.
Scott, the wood surround on the wall looks awesome. I'd like to do something similar in my newly finished basement. What were the dimensions of the cuts and how did you build the surround? Thanks -Jay
The surround is 6' wide and about 10" deep. It is a framed wall covered with tongue and groove flooring that I got out of a hay loft of an old barn.
Awesome video Scott. I really appreciate the tips. I'm renovating my fireplace with stone veneer and a 5'8" x 12" x 4" mantel. Two questions: 1. Do I need to cut out drywall so the mantle rests up against the studs or is it ok to install the mantel over the drywall or even over the cement backer board I will install over the drywall? 2. Are 2 rods enough for that size mantel? Thanks in advance!
I recommend doing all wall work, including stone before putting up the mantel. 2 rods are enough.
I love the outtakes … who says she can't talk, lol.
How about this; wanting to install a six foot 6X6 cedar mantle onto a brick wall. Would I need to find studs to put metal bars into? I think it'll be really difficult to find the studs. Or, would it be okay not to go into studs and let the brick and motar hold the weight?
Just into the brick is strong, but there is usually something behind the brick, either studs or concrete block to add even more support. Luckily cedar isn't too heavy so I think brick alone is enough. You will know when you are drilling if you have hit another material beyond the brick and if it will provide enough support. Studs are usually 16" on center starting from one side, so I would drill my first hole there and see what happened. As long as your holes are hidden by the mantel there is no harm in drilling an extra hole or two if you need it.
Do you think you need any mechanical connection to hold to the wall. Obviously the steel holds the beam up but what keeps it from moving off the wall?
There is no need to affix the mantel to the rods. The mantel will still be difficult to remove and it is nice to be able to remove the mantel if you need to.
Do you think you could use this same process to make floating shelves out of natural edge slabs 8/4?
It works great for floating shelves. Think of the floating shelves as a small mantel.
Scott, I really like this install method. I've got a 5.5"x10.5"x96" solid ash mantel I milled from a log. In your experience, how much weight/load will two of those bars hold? I've read your comments to previous inquires below, but I'm unclear if two will suffice with the size of this mantel. Also, how deep do you sink your bars with a brick fireplace install?
Two will be more than enough for that mantel. I usually completely hang on each rod after install to make sure they will hold me. That's at least 400 lbs. of support (now you know how much I weigh). Your mantel is much less than 400 lbs. As far as depth, 4" is a good number to shoot for, or at least the depth of the brick.
@@ScottWunderWunderWoods Perfect. Thanks for the quick response.
Thanks for the video.
how deep do you drill into the fireplace and mantel? thanks again.
I usually drill about 4" deep. That is about the depth of the studs on a framed wall. If drilling in stone, depths will vary based on the fireplace.
What size paddle bit do you use for the holes in the mantle? And how deep do the bars need to penetrate the mantle? Cool stuff
Usually 1" on the drill bit and I drill into the mantle as deep as possible without the danger of drilling the entire way through. On a 10" deep mantel, that means about 8-9".
And are these steel formwork posts too big for connecting to 2x4 studs?
No. They are 5/8" in diameter and I routinely use them in 2x4's.
Did you use a twisted drill bit in the wall and a spade drill bit in the mantle? I will have to go pretty deep in the mantle, about 9”. Thanks!!
Either will work. Usually I use a spade bit.
I like the video better with your helper in it;)
It looks like you oversized the holes a bit to allow the posts to slide in easier. What size holes did you drill and what is the diameter of the posts? Thanks in advance!
The posts are 5/8" diameter and I drill a 1" hole in the mantel
Hi Scott, we are installing a mantel to a brick fireplace. Our mantel is douglas fir, 6x8, 80 inches long. It's a heavy piece of wood so do we need to worry about the wall itself? I worry about compromising the wall itself because of the weight of the mantel. Thanks.
I install many mantels that size, plus Doug fir is lighter than many other woods. Your wall will be fine.
Leslie DuFresne
Leslie DuFresne
What type of epoxy do you use? I’m going into 2x4s on regular drywall. How deep should I drill on wall? Thank you.
I used a 5 minute epoxy, available at any hardware store. Lately, I have just been using shims to fill the voids in the hole and skipping the epoxy. It seems to be just as strong and allows later adjustment if necessary. The epoxy is still a fine choice and affords a bit more confidence in the strength of the mounting. I drill as deep as possible to mount the stakes, basically through the 2x4, making sure to stop before going through anything of consequence on the other side.
I'm sure this was asked but comments won't load. Do you put any epoxy in the mantel when sliding it onto the rods to keep it from falling off or being pulled off?
No need. The mantel won't come off too easily.
Hi Scott, installing 8x8x81” Hemlock mantel, 2 rods enough? What size drill bits did you use with theses rods, 5/8? Is there any method for adjusting/leveling the beam if rods are not perfectly installed?
Two rods will be more than enough. We usually drill 1" holes. I use tape wrapped on the rods wherever it is low. It works great and is easily fine tuned.
Thank you
How many rods would you recommend using for a mantle weighing 50 lbs and 4' wide? Thanks for sharing your knowledge here.
Two is all you need. More aren't necessary to hold the weight and just make installation more difficult.
what king of wood you use for the beam?
This was a piece of river-recovered maple.
I'm looking to do this for my mantel but I'm having a really tough time finding these stakes. Home Depot doesn't seem to have these, only rebar. I'm searching online and the closest I find is theough ebay but I'd prefer to not wait for shipping. Do you have a link for them or other options? Thanks!
If you can't find these stakes you can pick up a similar product from a steel supplier (rod without a point). You can use regular steel for most mantels. If you are worried about the weight you can go to cold rolled steel or a larger diameter. There is nothing set in stone about the size of the steel, except that the 5/8" diameter is a reasonable size hole to drill and the steel is still very strong.
Share link where you bought the poles/rods please.
I get mine from Home Depot in the concrete section, though they have them at every hardware store that I frequent. They are stakes for holding concrete forms.
cut the metal rods to size before fixing to wall.
You can trim the rod first, but I have found that sometimes the rod doesn't always end up at the depth planned. I've found it easiest to leave long and trim later.
Can I do the same thing on a brick fireplace
Yes, just drill in the mortar.
Do you need a different bit for brick?
Can I do this on a regular wall- no stone, no wood- by finding the studs?
Yes you can. That would be the most simple situation.
Thank you
Do you have a link or specific name for the rods? I tried o find them in a search and they didn't come up on home depot.
www.homedepot.com/p/Acorn-International-12-in-x-3-4-in-Nail-Stake-with-Holes-10-Pack-NSR3412/311428700#overlay
@@ScottWunderWunderWoods Thank you very much!
are the metal rods mild steel
I'm not sure. They are super stout and much more rigid than rebar.
Also, you better check you code for combustible surfaces above a fireplace. I believe you might be out too far with that wood or not high enough. above the fireplace box.
It's not an actual fireplace, just a space heater dressed up like a fireplace. If it was a true firebox the mantel would be too low to pass inspection.
what's the name of the apoxy you use ?
I don’t recommend using epoxy anymore. It’s fine if you do, but I just use wedges now. Simply break some store bought shims lengthwise into smaller slivers and jam them in around the rod. I like this method because it allows you to adjust the level of the rods if you need to.
@@ScottWunderWunderWoods ok thank you for the help !
What pipe or steel rod are you using? Size? Diameter? Can't find it ad Home Depot. Also looks like you used a very large bit for the mantle yet a smaller one for the wall.
They are steel stakes for concrete forms in the concrete area at Home Depot. They are 5/8" in diameter. I drill 3/4" in the wall and 1" diameter in the mantel.