Ideas for a mantle for a fireplace?
by
Karen
+6
Just bought a 1930s home. Brick fireplace in basement is missing a mantle. What’s better, a stone or wood mantle? Which would cost more?
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A stone mantle will cost more, depending on the type of stone you use. It could be slate, large rocks, whatever you choose. The wood mantle can also be pricey, depending on the wood. See if you can find a how to book at Home Depot or Lowe's on finishing the fireplace mantle.
Stone is generally more expensive than wood but if you use specialty wood, it could be more costly than stone.
in terms of what is better is a matter of opinion. what kind of look do you want to achieve. I would look up mantles On Pinterest to get ideas of what you like. Cost out the loom you like best. If it is too expensive try to figure out how to achieve a similar look using less expensive materials. tile is cheaper than natural stone, basic building lumber is less expensive than fine/specialty wood. if you intend to paint the mantle I wouldn’t use specialty wood because you won’t see It through the paint. “Live edge” wood is trendy right now but very expensive.
There are websites that offer leftover building materials at a reduced price.
good Luck!
I would use wood braces and put a piece of stone on them. Granite and stone stores always have a stone graveyard, where you can get smaller pieces of marble stone, used stone at a cheaper price. I would use large thick wood brackets, I believe they call them corbels.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ekena-Millwork-4-in-x-12-in-x-16-in-Western-Red-Cedar-New-Brighton-Rough-Sawn-Corbel-COR04X12X16NEB00RWR/205774145?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-Pro-PLA-D30%7c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhOXax-Xf2wIVwl6GCh3HpgdAEAQYBCABEgJdcPD_BwE&dclid=COWHldDl39sCFU4IDAodgsYGXQ
Wood will attach to an existing fireplace far better than stone. Not sure if you can even do stone now? Adding just a mantle instead of a surround will be the cheapest. You can buy some on resale sites. Repurpose an old barn beam ( still expensive). Depends really on what you want and your style. In the first picture we recovered old 1970’s white brick with faux stone and added just a mantle at that time over the new fireplace insert. Second picture is a wood surround built around marble. Two very different looks. First mantle several hundred dollars for just mantle. Second.....several thousand.
Go to a Rehabit places they sometimes have mantles u can buy cheaper
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