DIY: mantle pieces In its most basic form, a mantlepiece is a flat piece of timber or material placed above a fire opening Images courtesy of www.thomsontimber.co.uk
Make your own mantlepiece Think of all the items you have placed upon your mantlepiece over the years. Apart from the normal things like a vase, clock, ornaments, candles and photo frames, there are also temporary residents such as cups of tea, letters, phones, keys, books, etc. As a result, the mantlepiece has to be flat, wide enough to accept everything listed above, heat resistant, decorative, low maintenance, tough and, above all, stylish...
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here are many materials that mantelpieces can be made from including timber, marble, slate and brick. Each has its merits and your choice will depend on the style of
the room. The focus of this article is on timber mantlepieces; where to get them, how to install them and what would be the best material to use.
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In its most basic form, a mantlepiece is a flat piece of timber or material placed above a fire opening. It usually rests upon the fire surround and is fixed to the wall in a number of different ways.
Fitting in
The first job of fitting a mantlepiece is to select timber that is going to blend in with the room. You