Project Information
This mantle was hung on a rock fireplace wall. My client provided the beam and I hung it today! It is 6 inches by 6 inches by almost 70 inches long. The natural character is preserved and only lightly sanded to reveal some of the natural wood tone. It completes the space in my clients newly remodeled home!
I know there will be questions on how the mantle is mounted so I will show you how I do it in process pictures. The pictures are NOT from this mantle, but it shows how I mount ALL of my mantles. I locate the studs in the wall and insert two 3/8×6 inch or 8 inch lag bolts through the mounting board (into recessed holes so the bolt heads don't stick out) and into the wall studs. The two rods are 3/4 inch black iron pipe and mounted with the floor brackets on the back side so they don't move. To get the mortise on the back the beam, I use my router with a 3/4 straight bit and use my router edge guide to slowly take out all of the wood in the mortise. It takes a while, but it's worth it in the end!! On larger beams I will use a 2 inch thick backer board and make the mortise about 2 1/4 inches deep and on smaller beams I will use a 1 1/2 backer board and make the mortise about 1 3/4 inches deep. The material for the backboard is typically yellow pine or oak.
It's solid and works perfectly. Some clients want lag bolts through the front to add to the character of the beam and some don't want hardware showing at all. Either way, the solid beams, weighing anywhere between 100 lbs to 300 lbs, this system will work and has worked!!!!
I know there will be questions on how the mantle is mounted so I will show you how I do it in process pictures. The pictures are NOT from this mantle, but it shows how I mount ALL of my mantles. I locate the studs in the wall and insert two 3/8×6 inch or 8 inch lag bolts through the mounting board (into recessed holes so the bolt heads don't stick out) and into the wall studs. The two rods are 3/4 inch black iron pipe and mounted with the floor brackets on the back side so they don't move. To get the mortise on the back the beam, I use my router with a 3/4 straight bit and use my router edge guide to slowly take out all of the wood in the mortise. It takes a while, but it's worth it in the end!! On larger beams I will use a 2 inch thick backer board and make the mortise about 2 1/4 inches deep and on smaller beams I will use a 1 1/2 backer board and make the mortise about 1 3/4 inches deep. The material for the backboard is typically yellow pine or oak.
It's solid and works perfectly. Some clients want lag bolts through the front to add to the character of the beam and some don't want hardware showing at all. Either way, the solid beams, weighing anywhere between 100 lbs to 300 lbs, this system will work and has worked!!!!