Ideally, your fireplace and mantel system should complement your home’s design, as a mantel is often the key focal point of a room, if not the entire home. We like to think of a mantel frame as a three-sided picture frame and the brick, stone, or tile fireplace surround that surrounds the fireplace opening can be thought of as a carpet within the frame. For the past 30-odd years, fireplaces were commonly built with a plain brick facade (siding) and there may not even have been a mantel or, if there was a mantel, it could be a simple frame mantel or a shelf of shelf you need to change your image. Fireplaces like this allow you to start with a clean slate to design a style that you like and that fits in with your home décor!
When considering replacing or updating your mantel, we suggest that you also consider renovating your fireplace surround. As shown in most images of fireplace mantel systems, wood mantels surrounding wood-burning fireplaces typically have a non-combustible coating (for example, tile, brick, stone, marble, or granite) that completes the design both from an aesthetic point of view and another. security point of view. Most damaged, chipped, stained, outdated or uninspired fireplace surrounds can be easily removed or covered with something more attractive and when paired with a new mantel it can really style your space!
Fire codes vary across the country, but most require five to six or more inches of noncombustible lining between the opening of a wood firebox and the leg of a wood mantel, and codes generally require ten to twelve inches of noncombustible coating. between the top of a wood burning fireplace opening and the bottom of a wood mantel head. In addition to facing the wall around the fireplace opening, wood-burning fireplaces require a non-combustible hearth that extends outward 18 to 20 inches deep from the fireplace and 8 inches or more on either side of the fireplace opening. Fireplace. Always check local building codes for minimum clearances!
Keep in mind that gas or electric fireplaces generally require less cladding on the wall around the opening than wood-burning fireplaces and the owner’s manual for the fireplace (or its manufacturer) may provide minimal information on clearance. (Clearance information is sometimes detailed on a tag or sticker attached to the fireplace.) TIP: For optimal aesthetic appeal, we recommend that gas or electric fireplaces also have several inches of lining between the fireplace opening and the mantel and a stone hearth on the floor under the mantel! This will help make it look more like a natural wood fireplace.
Granite fireplace surround is popular because of the variety of colors available and because it is much more durable than most marble or ceramic tiles. In addition, granite is much more resistant to stains than other stones and can bring a luxurious, color-coordinated design to your home. Popular granite cladding colors include: absolute black, tan brown, shimmering pebble green, and golden sand, and there are others as well.
Full granite slabs (versus 9 “x 9” or 12 “x 12” tiles) are preferred by most homeowners, decorators, and interior designers, as full slabs provide a custom fireplace liner system without the need for individual tile and grout joints that you have with square tiles. Most granite siding kits are available in at least two sizes and custom cutting services are usually offered to the right size! Standard siding sets generally include four pieces, a header, two legs, and a large hearth for the floor. Optional risers are also available for use in situations where the bottom of the chimney opening is raised above the floor / hearth.
How is the granite fireplace liner installed? For a complete fireplace makeover, many homeowners will simply use construction adhesive (one specifically labeled for masonry applications) to apply a new marble, granite, or stone cladding right on top of the existing brick. Others will remove some or all of the existing surface before installing a new facing stone. Once the new fireplace surround is in place, you can install a new wood mantel on the wall. Most shelves are designed to overlap the outside edges of a stone siding for a clean / professional installation and for a truly designed, updated look.
Many mantel sources offer multiple wood-burning fireplace mantel designs, usually divided into collections based on general pricing guidelines, priced from $ 400 to $ 2000 or more. Shelves can usually be ordered in your choice of wood (suitable for painting, such as poplar or birch) or if you prefer to see the natural beauty of the wood grain, you can get many shelves in furniture grade maple, cherry , mahogany, walnut, or oak woods. Sometimes you also have the option of ordering your mantel unfinished (to finish on site during or after installation) or for a modest increase, many online retailers will professionally finish your mantel at the factory with a wide selection of colors from finish.
Some retailers offer only standard sizes, but the best sites will also offer custom sizes to fit the width, height, and depth of your stone cladding. The outside edges of the facing are generally overlapped / covered with the inside edges of the wood ledge and any remaining gaps between the facing and the back of the leg are neatly and professionally hidden after the included trace molding is installed. with the ledge.
You can be sure your mantel will fit, if you go with a reputable company to provide you with a line drawing of your custom mantel before charging you or starting to build your mantel. Nearly twenty years of experience has helped Design The Space develop a near-foolproof system of designing and building blankets of the right size for our clients. If you provide us with all the requested dimensions of the fireplace, we guarantee that we will design a mantel to suit your space!
If your fireplace is different and does not appear to match any “normal” illustrations, please fill out the form to the best of your ability and submit some photos. As we all know, a picture can say 1000 words! We have built mantels for almost every situation and we would be delighted to work with you on your project as there are likely a variety of mantel design solutions for your unique fireplace.
