I have a customer who would like to install a mantle to her fireplace.
She would like a simple 4×8 rough cedar beam, and if possible avoid using brackets.
I think the mantle projects to far and will way to much to rely on a french cleat.
I was thinking of doweling 1/2 or 5/8 steel rod into the back of the beam, setting them in epoxy and doing the same in the brick?
any better ideas out there?
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Replies
CAG
I like the idea of the dowels and the epoxy, done some shelves that way.
Another thing that you might try if its possible, can you hog out the back side of the mantle to fit a 2X4(or two of them) in it? If so you could mount the 2X4 to the brick and then slip the cedar beam over that and attach with some counter sunk screws. I'd put the screws in the top and bottom, then plug the holes, the plugs should be damn near invisible.
Doug
That's not a bad idea, if I end up using brackets I may hog out the back of the them, and screw through the sides. Brackets would be about 3" wide, do you think if I cut 1 1/2" out of the center, leaving 3/4 on either side it would be strong enough to screw the sides and hold the mantle? I don't imagine there will be much weight on the top of it, but a 8' long piece of 4x8 cedar isn't all that light.
I've been trying to come up with a way to avoid screwing though the face of the brackets.
Not sure I could come up with a way to hog out the back of the beam, at least not as easy as I could dowel it.
I think the dowels will work fine.
But,
Not sure I could come up with a way to hog out the back of the beam, at least not as easy as I could dowel it.
You could chuck a router bit up and do it that way. Circular saw back and forth until you get most of it and then clean up with the router. Either or. Just a couple suggestions.
I think if you do decide to use the dowels and also the brackets you will be fine with 3/4" on either side. Those epoxied dowels will hold one hell of a lot!
Doug
while I got ya here...
any idea what the code is on combustables in relation to the firebox? I know it's a function of height and projection but I have no idea what it is.
I have a call into inspector but they are really slow at getting back to me
Here read this I'm trying to find the other thread that was recently talking about this very subject.
61925.1
61801.1
Both of these threads talk about it.
I recently put a mantle in a house that is going to have to be moved,(Dennis if your reading this its your fault!!!) the HO/GC and I both thought that we were ok but it seems that we were wrong.
The important thing is the height above the mantle. It is a combination of the protrusion of the mantle in respect to the fire box. Obviously I don't know the answer to the question though!
Edited 8/20/2005 11:48 pm ET by DougU
Well I milled up the mantle today.
I have four 5/8" all thread rods stuck 4-5" into the 8" thick mantle and sticking out 3" to go into the mortar. I thought all thread will give the epoxy something more to bite to rather then smooth rod?
Have the epoxy set to go, made a 1x4 template to use for lining up the holes in the fireplace easily and the corbels have a 1" deep by 1 1/2" wide dado in the back of them to accept the blocks I'm going to attach to fireplace as well.
I called the building department and the head inspector said there was NO local code for how close combustables can be to the opening... I find it un-likely that it's true we settled on 21" clear of the opening.
I agree with you on the threaded rod, it can only help.
I cant believe that the building inspector/department didnt have anything on this, your in Kansas arnt you? There must be something that they are overlooking.
I think your pretty safe with the 21" though.
Pictures to follow I'd assume.
I can post some pictures, but it's nothing spectacular. Just a rough cedar 3x8 with a couple of 6" tall x 6" deep, 3" wide corbels with a quarter circle cut in them.
I don't believe the inspector was correct, I'm betting he just missed it somewhere. At least I think I have my bases covered though, he said 21" min. it will probably end up being a little bit higher then that.
Here's a couple of pictures of it ready to install.
Like I said it's nothing special, kind of ugly IMO but it's exactly what the customer wanted. and it matches the rest of the rough cedar beams in the room.
The all thread is sunk 4-5" deep, pita trying to get them plumb since my baby drill press only has 2" travel, drilled the rest by hand. The 1x3 is my template, which should prevent the holes from being miss drilled I hope.
The corbels/brackets are too small IMO, but they should hold her up long enough for the epoxy to start helping out.
CAG
You might mask off any area that the epoxy could run down on. Wouldnt be any fun trying to get the crap off of stone.
You also might need to stand a 2X4 or two to prop the mantle up until the epoxy sets.
Doug
I planed on some braces to hold it up, the epoxy I'm going to use is pretty thick but thats a good idea.
Am I right to assume that the 1x4 is only a template for the threaded rods? so you can slide the 1x4 template off the back of the mantle and use it to locate the spots to drill through the stone?
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Yep, it was the best way I could come up with to make sure all the holes are drilled in the correct location, hopefully it takes any of the guess work away.
Doug,
went in today flawlessly, it even looked pretty good which I was surprised by. After putting the mantle in place I realized I could have gotten away with out the corbels, it wasn't going anywhere, homeowner was gone or I would have asked if she wanted them.
she wasn't, it was a b-day gift for her signifigant other, arranged for them to be gone so she would be surprised when she came home.
Even put a red ribbon on it for her....
one pleased cutomer anyway.
one pleased cutomer anyway.
And thats what were after!
Well, you used most of what came to my mind--epoxy allthread into the chimney, then bolt the mantel on the allthread. (Use sawsall to skim a slab off of the bottom not full depth of the mantle; this then hides the slots for the nuts on the allthread.)Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Cag,
I just took one down that had 6" x 1/2" lag screws. 3" screwed in the back with the head set in mortar joints with constuction adhesive.
Really had to pry to get the sucker off.
Been up for about 30 years.
KK
I built this entertainment center and mantle about two yrs ago and the mantle was hung from a cleat that I attached to the fireplace with tapcon screws. If I remember correctly, I used two inch screws and went into the brick - not the morter. The body of the mantle is hollow and I just ran some screws thru the back edge of the top into the cleat. You could either hide the screws with plugs or just sit something on them.
I told the customer that it should hold up fine with the normal selection of mantle clutter but they probably should find another place to display their anvil collection - lol.