How to mount mantel to brick veneer wall
I’m almost done with my custom made mantel. It’s approx 80 inches wide by 8.5 inches deep. It is made from a combo of clear pine shelf, mdf crown trim, and pine box frame (not sure if that’s the right term but I’m sure you guys know what I mean.) There are two 8″ tall by 5″ deep corbels on it. They will be attached to the bottom of the mantel for decoration only. The box frame is big enough for a 2×4 stud to be placed in it.
Here’s what I was planning on doing –
– attach the 2×4 to the wall
– screw thru the top of the mantel shelf into the stud to hold
– used deck screws to hold shelf to stud (is there a different screw type that I should be using)
– cover holes with small plugs painted to match mantel
How do I mount the 2×4 to a wall that is covered in a brick veneer (the man made stuff that is thin but made to look like full bricks)?
Do I use lag screws? How do I find the studs underneath the brick? My studfinder can’t locate it thru the brick.
Can I use toggle bolts instead of lag screws? What’s the weight rating of a toggle bolt? The mantel is probably ~25-30 pounds max…it might even be less but I don’t have a scale.
Provided I have the stud mounted sturdily, is top screwing the mantel shelf into the stud the correct way?
I’ve seen it done many times on home renovation shows and in books but was wondering if there was a better way.
All the pieces of the mantel are glued and screwed together (except for brad nails for the trim). I didn’t have enough clamps so I used screws to hold the pieces together. I’m mentioning this because the shelf should be able to hold the weight of the mantel as long as the shelf is secured.
Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for the help. It is the great info on this site that has enabled me to do all the work I’ve done on my house.
Replies
That's 25-30 pounds plus whatever they'll put on it. Like a TV, lots of pictures, ceramics, etc. Things that don't need to fall on the floor. What's behind the brick face? If it's drywall, toggle bolts should hold it if it's not loaded down too much. or, you can drill a small hole where the mantle will cover the wall and, with a bent wire, find out where the studs are by rotating the wire(finding one should let you know where the others are if they're spaced evenly). Then you can use lag bolts. Toggle bolts should do the job, if there are enough and they're big enough since the mantle isn't very deep.
That's a good tip with the bent wire. I've seen it done for locating ceiling joists for recessed lighting. I'll definitely give it a shot. There won't be anything heavy on the mantel. Maybe some small 5x7 picture frames, Xmas stockings, candles...that kind of stuff. I know my wife has a ton of knick knacks planned...fighting that'll be harder than mounting the mantel. I may do a mirror but that would be mounted on the wall to look like it's resting on the mantel...not sure. When you say lag bolts, you mean lag screws, right?
Since it has a bolt head, shouldn't it be called a bolt? I don't ask at the hardware department, I just look for whatever I need, usually without looking for any kind of label. Half of the time when I ask for something, they look at me like a dog watching TV, anyway. I don't think I would go any smaller than 5/16"-3" for something like a mantle, one on each stud if you're using a 2x4, laid flat for blocking.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
There was a discussion here about lag screw or bolt, and the consensus was that since it has wood screw threads and does not use a nut, then it is called a lag screw.
emaxx - sounds like you're on a good plan. I would not bother plugging the scrwws that hold the mantle to the 2x4. If you ever need to remove the mantle, you'll pay heck getting the scrwews out. Is the mantle about eye level or higher? Then if the screws are set flush, and covered with a picture frame, they won't be visible.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
The mantel is above eye level...has to clear a gas burning stove's flue.I may leave the screws unplugged if they're not visible. I did countersink the screw holes already in preparation.
Even if YOU don't put anything heavy on the mantel, it doesn't mean the next person won't.Can you remove the brick veneer in the area the mantel attaches to?
Veneer is probably the wrong word...while it's not a full sized brick, it is a pretty thick brick installation. Removing bricks would be quite a mess and a definite last resort. I wouldn't even know how to go about it without making a complete mess of the room...which just got finished.Is the proposed method by the other posters to find a stud and use lag screws not sufficient?And not to sound snotty, but is it a real concern to worry about the shlep who tries to mount a heavy mirror or plasma tv on an 8" deep mantel without either checking to see how the mantel is attached or providing a secondary saftey connection for the piece. I have lag hooks screwed into studs for all of my tall cabinets, i.e. entertainment cabinets, dressers, armoire, just to prevent tip overs.
while it's not a full sized brick, it is a pretty thick brick installation. Removing bricks would be quite a mess
Sounds like a good "cultured stone" product. So, the bricks are probably 2- 2 1/2" thick, then set in a heavy coat of thinset on (possibly) a decent brown stucco coat. So, yeah, that could be a bit nasty to demo down to the substrate. Do-able, but a bit of a mess. Then, you'd have to bring you support back out to the finish thicness, again, anyways.
If it's a good c/s application, then you could approach it just like a masonry install. Bore in the grout joints, set anchors/shields, and use screws to attach your 2x4 support. Or, you could just use a lag into the studs--you'll still want to drill through the grout and not the brick, IMO. Studs will likely be centered on the opening for the old f/p; centered "on the space" or "on the stud," I could only guess.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
I think your description is dead on. To add, there was never a fireplace...it's a brick wall bumped out from the main wall. I'm thinking it's a 2x4 wall framed on top of the main exterior wall's drywall (I can see drywall run behind the brick via a small gap). There is a matching brick hearth with a gas stove on it. If I remember the other houses in the neighborhood correctly, none had fireplaces. I think they were all wood or gas stoves. I think I'm going to go the route of lag screwing the 2x4 into the studs.
I think your description is dead on
Hope so, that's the way I've built more than a few . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
As long as you hit the studs, it doesn't really matter what layers are between the mantel and the stud. You want a good 1" of penetration into the stud, so add all the thicknesses together, plus 1". I'm not a toggle bolt fan, as there just seems to be problems over time, but that's just me.The only issue with lag screws into the studs (besides finding the studs) is that the screws may loosen a bit as the studs shrink. But it should still work fine.
I think I would lag screw the 2x4 and use some construction adhesive on it also. Better safe than sorry you never know when someone's kid is going to hang off the the thing playing Spiderman. When I do my mantels I usually can screw through side of the legs making it less visible to see the screws.
Hmmm...construction adhesive is a good thought. I'll have to see how I can apply it to the 2x4 without making a mess. I have the Locktite Grabit latex adhesive which has worked really well for me...I'll never use PL poly adhesive again...what a mess! The mantel will be ~5ft off the floor...I will quickly slap the crap out of any kid big enough to reach that mantel but not smart enough to know better...hmmm, on second thought, I was a kid once and almost killed my brother playing Superman. :-)I should state that this is not a complete mantel but the shelf sitting on two corbels...similar to this one:
Edited 10/24/2005 8:27 pm ET by emaxxman
Sorry, here's the image:
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