How to Install a Fireplace Mantle

Unless you want to look at a crooked fireplace mantle for the next five to ten years, it will be important to know the right steps to install the fireplace mantle. The process to install a fireplace mantle might seem like a fairly easy task. Many people have gone wrong with this line of thinking. Unless you have had experience with how to install a fireplace mantle, you should become familiar with the steps that are involved with the process. You should know the tools that are needed and the order of how to install the different parts of the fireplace mantle. Once you know this information, you will have what is needed to install a fireplace mantle.

Prepare to install the fireplace mantle by attached a brace to the wall. This brace will be used to hold the fireplace mantle in place after it has been completely installed. If you already know the height that you will install the fireplace mantle, use a pencil to mark this spot. The fireplace mantle is most often placed 60 inches from the floor. Measure the length of the wall from the floor up to 60 inches and mark this spot with a pencil.

Use a level to make sure the brace is centered before you install it. Use a drill to pre-drill holes in the wall that are in line with the mortar joints. Once this step is complete you can then install the brace to the wall using 10-inch masonry screws. After you install the brace for the fireplace mantle, if you think that extra support is needed you can install another 2x4 in front of the brace. For this you will need to use 2-1/4 inch wood screws.

Once the brace is in place, you can then begin to install the fireplace mantle. The first piece of the mantle that you should install is the breastplate. Pre-drill the holes that are necessary for the breastplate and then attached the breastplate to the wall. You can use 2-inch masonry screws for this step. The next step is to nail the corners together. The crown of the fireplace mantle should be nailed to the breastplate and the shelf by using 1-inch nails.

After you have completed the steps necessary to install the fireplace mantle you can finish in the manner that you wish. Use sandpaper or an electric sander to smooth and rough parts on the mantle. You can also stain the mantle to bring out the color of the wood, given that you have a wooden fireplace mantle. After the install of the mantle you might consider placing decorative items on top of it. Whether you place things on the mantle or not, be sure that you allow the mantle to dry completely before placing any objects on top of it.

By knowing the steps that are required to install a fireplace, you are improving the chances that of a job well done the first time around. The last thing you want is to have to install the fireplace mantle more than once.