Shopping for a Fireplace Mantel: Where to Look

The first thing you need to consider when looking for a fireplace mantel is how much you're willing to spend. A simple wooden long beam mantel can cost less than $200. On the other hand, an antique solid carved marble mantel will probably set you back $50,000 or more. Realistically you should expect to spend between $400 and $2,000 if you have a normal size fireplace. You should also be considering what type of fireplace mantel you want. Fire Place Mantels Guide is a good place to start if you have no idea what kind of mantel you really want.

A simple wooden beam mantel is going to be the cheapest and easiest way to go. Although a beam mantel will likely fit nicely in any home, they tend to have a rustic or traditional feeling to them which is perfect for log cabins or in the homes of people who enjoy outdoor activities. A good place to start shopping for beam mantels is Brick-Anew where you can find a wide variety of rustic wooden beam mantels. If you're looking for something a little less rustic, try Mantels Inc for some beautiful stained wood beam fireplace mantels. Just remember that with this type of mantel, you will need to purchase a set of corbels to hold the beam up. Almost anywhere you buy beams, you can find matching corbels. Expect a nice set of carved corbels to cost about $100-200. You can probably find some beautiful corbels for large bookshelves at your local hardware store for less than $20 if you want to save money, but you might have to stain them yourself.

The next step up is a mantel which surrounds your fireplace which is therefore known as a "surround mantel." If you're looking for something relatively inexpensive, you may want to start by looking at Fireplace Mantels for some simple wooden surround mantels. If you want something a bit more fancy, Mantels Direct might be a good place to look around. In addition to being a bit more expensive than beam mantels, surround fireplace mantels have the other disadvantage that they must fit your fireplace exactly. Make some careful measurements of your fireplace before you order a surround mantel and be especially careful to consider whether it will fit if your fireplace is near a wall's corner. You can find some excellent instructions on how to measure your fireplace when choosing a mantel at Agee Woodworks, which also has some well priced mantels.

So far we've talked mostly about wooden fireplace mantels in the range of $400 to $2,000. When you start looking for stone or marble mantels, prices are going to be much higher. The most inexpensive stone and marble mantels are around $2,000 and as mentioned above can easily reach $50,000 if you're looking for something really special. Mantel World offers elegant stone and marble mantels for reasonable prices.

Whether you're looking for a simple wooden beam or an elaborate marble mantel to adorn your fireplace, the most important thing is to take your time and see what's out there. Don't rush yourself when choosing a mantel or you will likely end up disappointed or find a better deal elsewhere. A Google Image search for "fireplaces" will give you thousands of fireplace pictures to take a look at, which can really help you figure out what type of mantel will best fit your home. Good luck!