Advice on hanging stockings?

[Kevin]

The SWMBO says just hang them on nails. I tell her that that may be how Norm would do it, but not me. I told her I would come up with a better idea, but haven't yet. I'm really hoping you guys can help me out with an alternative. The mantel is plain sawn red oak, looks like several coats of semi-gloss polyurethane. Poly, yes, I know, I know, it was here when we bought the house.

The stockings (four total) are about 18" deep and will probably contain about about 5 pounds each. We don't put the stocking stuffers in until the night before so the fasteners only need to hold the empty stockings for a couple weeks and then the full weight for about 10 hours.

Kevin in Bakersfield

[Dave Balderstone]

Some holes (3/8" or so) in the top that can take wooden pegs, and be covered with bric-a-brac or ignored the other 364 days? Spaced properly, they'd be hardly noticed...

[Murray Peterson]

"Kevin" wrote in news:mDasd.1663$ [e-mail]:

Do you insist on a solution involving wood? The usual (and easiest) solution is some sort of decorative metal weight with a hook on the front:

[Dave Balderstone]

We use those, but they won't hold the 5 lbs Kevin's talking about. At best they'll hold 2-3 pounds.

[Murray Peterson]

Dave Balderstone wrote in news:031220042228355667%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_S.balderstone.ca:

They work much better after bolting a heavy weight onto the backside.

[Dave Balderstone]

I bet *that's* quite attractive...

[Murray Peterson]

Dave Balderstone wrote in news:031220042326197253%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_S.balderstone.ca:

Obviously it depends on the weight and how it is attached. A chunk of rusty angle iron would probably be a poor choice for most decors :-)

[J. Clarke]

How about putting some pegs on a separate board that goes on top of the mantel, and then putting some potted plants or something else heavy on top of it to hold it down? Or make the thing out of lignum vitae .

[Dave Balderstone]

Better to use a cherry stain on it...

;-)

[jo4hn]

[snip]

Since I built the mantel, part of the front is false and has permanently affixed hooks screwed into the back. They cannot be seen unless you are laying on the hearth but hold up the stockings just fine. mahalo, jo4hn

[mac davis]

a fireplace shelf to slip over the top of the mantle, like they sell to make a brick mantle look like antique wood, with candy cane painted pegs... use every year or until you hate the sight of it.. lol