Can I remove the mantel on a mobile home fireplace?

Robin Jarrett
by Robin Jarrett
The fireplace is a wood burning one and in good condition overall but I hate hate hate the mantel. I worry that if I pull it off there will be "nothing" behind it. I would like to take it off as it's fake golden brown shiny finish wood look. It is the focal point in the room and I just hate it. Did I mention I hate it?
  12 answers
  • Heidi Heidi on Aug 08, 2016
    I painted ours black and am happy with it. Maybe that would work for your situation?
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Aug 08, 2016
    Instead of looking at the mantel as hating it,consider options such as painting or placing assorted decorations to distract from the appearance you do not care for.
  • Phil a Phil a on Aug 08, 2016
    Ask any 4 year-old.. Anything that can be put together can be taken apart. It just depends on how determined you are. How long has the mantle been installed? This might help determine the method of attachment, since more modern mantles often use Z-Bar type mounts while older ones might be bolted and glued in place. Do a close inspection of the mantle to wall joints with a flashlight. Is the mantle embedded into the wall face? Or is there a space between the back edge of the mantle and the wall face? Can you see any light from the flashlight leaking through behind the mantle? Determined by rapping your knuckles on it, does the mantle feel hollow or solid? Can you see any screws or bolt heads on the underside of the mantle? Does the mantle rock or move at all when you tap "up" on it from underneath? All these will point you in the direction of deciding whether you want to replace the mantle or just refinish it. Let us know what you decide. Good luck. Phil
  • Phil a Phil a on Aug 08, 2016
    Yes, I saw that. But there are "mobile homes" and "modular homes", both often referred to as mobile homes even though their construction can be substantially different. You said it's a wood burning fireplace, which means fire brick construction inside and not just metal (which is used for gas fireplaces), which means extra support and bracing. You may have drywall on the fireplace wall, but that's usually reserved for gas fireplaces, which burn much cooler than wood fireplaces. So, I just assumed from your description that the fireplace wall front had to be brick or some kind of stone. I hope you haven't been burning wood in a gas fireplace as that is very dangerous. Regardless of the type of construction, you should still be able to remove the mantle. Your best bet is to call a tradesman and get an estimate. Then you'll know for sure. Phil
    • Robin Jarrett Robin Jarrett on Aug 08, 2016
      Thank you. It is a double wide by mobile home circa 1994. The mantel came with the home. The original owner had a woodstove set up in the fireplace area. I have had it inspected and it is a wood burning fireplace in great shape. The mantel looks to be attached with dowls.
  • Cherie Cherie on Aug 09, 2016
    ANYTHING can be painted! Including mantles, fireplace surrounds, etc! Mine had "brass" trim which I removed, replaced with wood moulding and painted white! I don't have any before and after pics but it looks good!
  • Fanny Smith Fanny Smith on May 26, 2017

    Im in a mobile home too. Mine is embedded into the stone. I want to at least paint it, but how do you get into the parts that are imbedded?

  • Robert Robert on Dec 05, 2017

    I have a mobile home with a stone fake fireplace The Mantel on it is turned upside down how do I turn it back around how do I fix that any answers

  • Brown Brown on Jul 13, 2019

    If someone turned it upside down, you can turn it right side up. The "mantles" are just attached with screws behind the round circle that you see that looks like a dowel. Pop that out, and you will see the screw behind.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 02, 2024

    Why can't you make a hollow shelf and slot it over the existing mantel?

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 02, 2024

    Yes, you may find just under the the wall finish screws holding it on at both sides.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jan 02, 2024

    Instead of removing the mantle, could you cover it with gel stain, paint, or maybe even mosaic?

  • Deb K Deb K on Jan 02, 2024

    Hi Robin, you can remove it to paint it or to replace it with something you like/love! If not you can put any finish you like on it. You can even paint the finish be it faux stone or whatever. It would be better to help you if you posted a picture. Hope this helps you. One cleat runs horizontally under the mantel shelf, and the others run vertically inside the legs (most mantels are hollow in back). Then you screw the mantel to the cleats along the back of the mantel shelf and the sides of the legs.