Mantel designs

[PVR]

I wish to build a wood mantel for a 32" electric fireplace insert. I have some pictures and brief dimensions which I can easily use but I would like to see some alternative designs.

Anybody know where I can see or obtain plans for wood mantels?

Peter.

[RicodJour]

Mantels are about as straightforward as it comes in woodworking, there are very few critical dimensions, and they're usually just flights of fancy unless you're going for a mantel from a specific period. Google will turn up hundreds of examples under images, and you'll find lots of plans for sale. But plans aren't really not needed. You're looking for inspiration - keep browsing and you'll find something that will grab you. Spell it both ways in your searching - mantle and mantel - and search for mantlepiece as well.

R

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Check out the stairs he builds also.

[RicodJour]

A shop to drool over and the guy does some really nice work. The mantle he made is kind of kludgy though. It looks pasted on to the brick work and it's much nicer than the brickwork. It would have looked a lot better if he had wrapped the woodwork around the sides of the brickwork and had the corbels sitting on top of that. The ledges on the tops of the corbels are odd - why would they stick out so much? It almost looks like he made the corbels the same depth as the mantle and then realized after the fact that he had neglected the thickness of the brick. I'm sure that wasn't the case, but it looks like it.

Still drooling over that shop...

R