Easy Mantel Makeover

By: Joseph Truini (Page 1 of 5)

Geoffrey Gross

cover brick ends of firebox with slate tile

Geoffrey Gross

Cover up the ends of the bricks on both sides of the firebox with slate tiles cut 35/8 in. wide.

use a rubber mallet to set slate tiles in mortar

Geoffrey Gross

Use a rubber mallet to firmly set the slate into the mortar. Thin cardboard strips act as tile spacers.

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Press the tiles into the thinset mortar above the firebox. The 1x3 support shelf wedged in the opening helps keep the tiles from sliding down.

Geoffrey Gross

It's in the bag: Fill a plastic bag with grout, then snip off one corner and squeeze the grout into the joints.

Geoffrey Gross

Wait about 20 minutes, then use a wet sponge to wipe off the excess grout from the surface of the slate.

Geoffrey Gross

Screw a 2x3 cleat to the wall above the fireplace. Position it so that the mantel will just slip over it.

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Mark the cleats' positions with tape to indicate where to drive in the screws when attaching the mantel.

photos: Geoffrey Gross

Tilt the mantelpiece into place, making sure it slips over all three cleats and fits tight against the wall.

drill a counterbore hole and screw the mantel into the cleat

photo: Geoffrey Gross

Drill a counterbore hole, then drive a 2 1/2-in. screw through the mantel shelf and into the cleat

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Easy Upgrades That Say Welcome Home

What You'll Learn:

There's nothing as warm and welcoming as a crackling fire in an open fireplace. The dancing flames can lift your spirits and melt away the most stressful day in a matter of minutes. But to truly be part of the home, a fireplace must warm our hearts even when there"s no fire in the grate. That's where the mantelpiece comes in.

Like an ornate frame around a pretty picture, a mantel should enhance the fireplace while adding its own style and interest to the room. In this "Weekend Project," I"ll show you how slate tiles and a wood mantel can transform a bare-brick fireplace into the masterpiece that's shown here. And best of all, by installing a prefabricated mantel, you can complete the entire project in only three days.

It takes two days to apply the natural-slate tiles to the brick around the fireplace opening and another day to install the wood mantel (it actually takes less than two hours). The mantel shown here (Model 436, about $1,500) is from Readybuilt Products. It's made of paint-grade poplar and comes fully assembled, primed and ready for installation. The company offers more than 50 styles of mantel in red oak, mahogany, cherry and other species, with prices ranging from $350 to $2,500. For other prefab-mantel offerings, see the companies listed on the facing page.

Safety Issues
Fire prevention is always a concern when installing a wood mantel around an open fireplace. Before ordering or installing any mantel, consider the following requirements:

According to the National Fire Protec-tion Association--the agency that writes fire-safety codes--there must be at least 6 in. between the sides and top of the firebox opening and any wood that projects up to 1 1/2 in. from the face of the fireplace. Any wood that projects more than 1 1/2 in. (such as the mantel shelf) must be at least 12 in. from the opening.

Note: Every town has the power to modify the national building and fire-safety codes; be sure to contact the local building department for specific codes requirements in your area.