How To Install A Mantle Piece

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The addition of a mantel can greatly enhance the look of whatever fireplace likewise equally add a focal betoken to a room. Mantel kits can exist purchased to create the right wait for the fireplace, or mantels can be constructed and installed with relative ease. Using a few simple tools, you can install a mantel kit without too much difficulty.

1. i

   Position the mantel around the fireplace. Advisedly arrange the mantel and then that the fireplace is framed evenly, with the mantel extended an equal distance on either side of the hearth. Use the measuring tape to make sure the position is ideal, and follow with the use of a level to brand sure the mantelpiece is perfectly horizontal.

   • You want to make sure the mantel is level not only side to side, but also forepart to back. Use a torpedo level to check the level front to back.^[1]

2. 2

   Marking the territory. Using a slice of chalk or a pencil, make an outline around the edges of the mantel, both along the superlative and the sides of the fireplace. Once the marking is complete, pull the mantel away from the fireplace and position information technology face up downwards on a smooth surface.

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3. 3

   Mark the location of the mounting board. Make a 2d set of lines, which will serve as the outer edge of the mounting boards, too called cleats.

   • 1 way to measure the cleat is to fit it into the back of the mantel like information technology will be on the wall. Utilize a measuring record to measure the length from the top edge of the mantel to the lesser border of the cleat. Place the measuring tape along the line drawn in stride 2, and then employ the measurement and describe a new line beneath the beginning. For example, if the length from the height of the mantel to the bottom of the cleat is 3", measure iii" down from the line on the wall and depict a second line.
   • Another method to mensurate the cleat is to measure the size of the within of the mantel from the peak of the shelf to the edge just above where y'all will place your cleat. Then, measure out the length of the side of the cleat you will affix to the wall. Add together those totals together. For instance, if the measurement from the mantel shelf to the edge is two" and the length of the cleat is 1-3/8", then your measurement volition be 3-3/viii". Draw a line under the line on the wall using your measurement.

4. four

   Prepare the mounting boards. The mounting boards will exist affixed to the actual wall surrounding the hearth at strategic points, creating a framework for the mantel. A minimum of 3 mounting boards is required, i for the top and 1 for each side, although additional cleats can be used.

   • Measure the size of the mounting boards against the new markings on the wall, and utilize the saw to cutting the cleats to size. The elevation cleat should be 1 foot shorter than the shelf.
   • Dry out-fit the mounting boards in the mantel. The peak cleat should be fitted commencement, so the two legs. They should fit snugly together, but don't have to be fitted perfectly. Make any adjustments to the length of the cleats if you need to.

5. 5

   Locate and mark the wall studs. If you are attaching the mantel to dry wall, yous will need to attach the cleats to three studs backside the mantel.^[ii] When you take located the studs, make a marker in the eye of the stud along the cleat line.

   • Wall studs are meant to support and hold upwards dry wall on interior walls.^[three] When you are hanging heavy objects, such as a mantel, you lot want to brand sure that you hang the object on the studs. The easiest mode to observe a wall stud is to use a stud finder, which can be purchased from a local home comeback shop.
   • Studs are evenly spaced behind walls. In well-nigh houses, studs are spaced sixteen" apart. Studs are usually 1.5" in width. When y'all attach an object to a stud, you demand to attach it in the middle of the stud, which is three/four" from the edge.
   • Try finding an electrical outlet on the wall. 1 side of the electric outlet will be nailed to the stud. To locate which side, you lot tin can do the knock test. Using the heel of your hand, gently knock the wall on each side of the outlet. The side without the stud volition sound hollow, while the side with the stud won't. Subsequently you have determined the side with the stud, measure 3/iv" from the side of the electrical outlet. This will be the eye of the stud. Using a record measure out, you can mark the studs along the wall every 16".
   • Some other way to locate the studs is to wait at the baseboards. Baseboards are nailed to studs, so if y'all discover holes or indentations that have been painted over or caulked over, you can measure 16-24" inches from that point to locate additional studs.

6. 6

   Affix the mounting boards to the wall. Hold the cleat against the wall and align the bottom with the second set of drawn lines. The bottom edge of each cleat should line up along the meridian of the second line. Utilise the level to make sure the cleats are completely horizontal from left to correct across the meridian and perfectly vertical from top to bottom on the sides.

   • Drill holes through the cleats and into the wall. Make certain each hole is drilled into the center of the studs yous marked before. You can as well nail the mounting boards to the studs instead of drilling holes.
   • If your wall is brick, make certain that you lot drill into the brick, not the mortar. Mortar doesn't have structural strength, and so y'all want to avoid attaching the shelf to the mortar.^[iv] Utilize a hammer drill, physical screws, and masonry drill bits. If you are drilling into softer brick, a carbide-tipped bit in a power drill can work.^[5] Drilling into brick takes a lot of force and power, then make sure yous accept the holes exactly where yous want them.
   • When you have the holes, complete the task by screwing the cleats into position using the drilled holes. Be sure to plow your hammer drill to regular drill mode earlier doing this.

7. vii

   Mount the fireplace mantel. Button the mantel against the wall, using the fatigued lines. The mantel should fit around the cleats, which concur it in position.^[six] And so use the drill to insert screws through the mantel and into the cleats. These screws should be roughly 16 inches autonomously.Fasten the mantel to the cleats along the height shelf and along the two legs.

   • You tin also nail the mantel to the mounting boards if y'all wish.

8. viii

   Put on the finishing touches. Attach the scribe molding. In that location will be a gap betwixt the wall and the mantel, so the molding will cover this. Yous can use nails to attach the molding.

   • Apply forest putty to cover the screw heads, taking intendance to smooth the putty evenly with the surface of the mantel. Permit the putty to dry out, and and so paint to hide the holes completely.

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1. 1

   Position the shelf on the wall. Decide the exact placement of the mantel shelf in a higher place your fireplace. Well-nigh fireplace mantel shelves are placed 50-60 inches to a higher place the floor. When positioning your shelf, make certain to retrieve virtually the combustible height. Since forest is a combustible material, in that location are codes and guidelines that must be followed when placing a mantel over a flammable chamber, such equally a fireplace.

   • If a mantel is 10" broad, the minimum distance from the top of the fireplace is usually 19". For an 8" wide mantel, the distance is 17", and for vi" it's 15".^[7]
   • After levelling the shelf, depict a line on the wall that corresponds to the edge of the mantel. Brand a marking in the direct center of your fireplace. You want to make certain your mantel isn't ane-sided.

2. two

   Prepare the cleat. The cleat is what holds the mantel shelf to the wall. The mounting board should be long enough to fit the width of your shelf.

   • Measure the length of the cleat. Then, using that measurement, find the center line and mark that on the cleat. ^[8] You will line this marking upwardly with the marker y'all made on the wall in Step ane.
   • The top of the cleat needs to have an angled edge, non a direct edge. Accept a saw and cutting a 45 caste angle lengthwise forth one edge of the cleat. This is what the mantel hangs on.
   • Dry-fit the angled edge of the cleat into the mantel. Make sure they fit snugly together so that the mounting lath will support the mantel.
   • If y'all do not want to saw an angled edge, you lot can use a flat edged cleat. Brand sure your cleat is broad enough for the mantel to be fastened to the cleat with screws.

3. 3

   Mark the cleat line on the wall. Dry-fit the mounting board into the mantel. Using a tape mensurate, measure the length from the tiptop edge of the mantel to the lesser edge of the cleat. Draw a second line beneath the line drawn on the wall from Step 1 using the measurement you just took.

   • If y'all exercise not want to measure the 2 pieces together, measure the length of the mantel and the length of the cleat. Add together those two measurements together to determine how far to describe the second line beneath the first line.

4. 4

   Locate the studs in the wall. When yous hang a mantel, you want to make certain that you hang the object on the studs.^[ix] For a mantel shelf, y'all will probably have 3 studs.The easiest way to find a wall stud is to utilise a stud finder, which can be purchased from a local home improvement store.

   • In about houses, studs are spaced sixteen" apart. Studs are usually 1.five" in width. When you attach the shelf to the stud, you need to drill or blast into the middle of the stud, which is 3/4" from the edge.
   • If you don't have a stud finder, effort finding an electrical outlet on the wall. One side of the electrical outlet will be nailed to the stud. To locate which side the stud is on, use the heel of your hand and gently knock the wall on each side of the outlet. The side without the stud will sound hollow, while the side with the stud won't. After you have adamant the side with the stud, measure iii/4" from the side of the electric outlet. This volition be the heart of the stud. Using a tape measure, you tin can mark the studs along the wall every 16".

5. five

   Adhere the mounting board to the wall. Align the flat, bottom edge of the cleat with the lesser line. Brand certain the cleat is level before y'all adhere information technology to the wall.

   • If you are attaching the shelf to brick, try for around 5 screws.^[x] If you are attaching the shelf to dry out wall, drill or boom into the studs.
   • Drill holes into the wood before you spike it to the wall. This helps the woods non to carve up.^[eleven]

6. 6

   Install shelf. If you lot are using an angled cleat, fit the shelf over the mounting board, making sure the shelf fits tightly against the wall.^[12] Brand sure the shelf is level.

   • If you are using a flat cleat, fit the shelf over the mounting board. Then, fasten the shelf to the cleat forth the dorsum edge most the wall. You lot can either attach the mantel to the cleat using nails or screws. When attaching the mantel, you desire to endeavor to drill or boom in the eye of the side of the cleat.

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• Question

  Is information technology safe to apply limestone surrounding a gas fireplace?

  

  Yes. Even though limestone is brittle, it is strong enough for this task.

• Question

  What screws are needed to hang a floating mantel to drywall?

  

  Drywall screws are the best because they have more threads per inch and will hold onto the 2 past fours.

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• The number and length of the cleats used will vary slightly, depending on the actual weight of the fireplace mantel. Lightweight mantels can be installed using smaller cleats, while a heavier mantel requires the use of longer cleats.

• Always make sure the drill bit is slightly smaller than the countersunk screws that are used. This will result in a tighter fit that makes information technology possible to secure the fireplace mantel affluent with the wall.

• Installing a mantel with someone else will be easier than trying to install it alone.

• You want to make sure that the size of your mantel opening meets or exceeds the required clearance to combustibles rules for your fireplace. For most masonry fireplaces, y'all demand a minimum 6" of clearance on either side of the opening and 8" of clearance higher up the opening. Note that the depth of the mantel tin can change these minimum clearances. While adding a mantel can certainly heighten visual touch, one must exist aware of these sizing requirements and select the proper item for installation. Make sure to cheque these codes before installing a mantel.

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Things You'll Need

• Measuring Record
• Level
• Chalk
• Drill and Drill Bits
• Countersunk Screws and Screwdriver
• Wood Sections for Cleats
• Skill Saw
• Wood Putty

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Install-a-Fireplace-Mantel

Posted by: meyercoudescres38.blogspot.com

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