Construction of the fireplace surround is underway. Here’s a recent picture.
Mantel under construction
The surround I based this design on was constructed from quarter sawn oak. After a visit to a local lumber supply, I decided on red oak. There was plenty of stock to choose from and I really liked the grain of the wood. I built the legs of the surround with pocket screws and glue. The mantel is joined in the same manner except that the bottom is fixed with glue and brads since there isn’t enough room to join both the top and bottom with pocket screws.
Three corbels (brackets) will be mounted under the mantel shelf. There are also a few pieces of trim to apply yet. Joining each piece to the wall creates its own set of challenges. I want to minimize any visible hardware and I want to be able to build it in place, remove it for finishing, and then reinstall it. I’ll try to post more detailed pictures of the underlying construction when I do the final install.
There’s a picture of the fireplace without the surround in this post.
January 26, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Very nice work on the fire place, it’s really a great structural piece and add a lot of visual appeal to this room.
Great job. I cannot wait until you add the corbels and trim to be able to see the finished project!