How to Build a Fireplace Mantel or Surround for an Electric Fireplace

There is no doubt that having a fireplace in your home adds to a sense of warmth, coziness, and community. There is something that feels nostalgic when sitting around the fireplace’s warm glow.

Whether you have a traditional wood-burning fireplace, a gas fireplace, or an electric fireplace, a fireplace mantel is just as important as the fireplace itself. It brings a new element to your home décor and gives an aesthetically pleasing focal point to your living room.

This step-by-step tutorial shows you how to build a fireplace mantel shelf. This can be for an existing fireplace or a fireplace you plan to install. We will show you how to build a fireplace mantel and how to attach it to a brick fireplace. Let’s break down exactly what we will cover.

In this post, you will learn:

• Quick Safety Tips – This will cover some important safety tips that you should practice.

• Collect Inspiration – Where to look for inspiration for your DIY fireplace mantel.

• Do Your Research – The importance of research, so your DIY fireplace mantel project goes smoothly.

• Fireplace Surround Kit – What is a surround kit, and should you use one?

• Materials – Different materials you may be working with.

• Tools – Different tools you may need.

• How To Make A Fireplace Mantel – Constructing your fireplace mantel.

• How To Build A Fireplace Mantel Shelf – Adding a mantel shelf above an existing fireplace.

• How To Attach Mantel To Brick Fireplace – How to get your new mantel to attach to your existing brick fireplace.

• Taking Your Time – An important lesson when building your DIY fireplace.

• Finishing Up – Adding important details and finishing touches.

• Decorating Your Fireplace Mantel – A few tips on how to decorate your new mantel.

Quick safety tips

Before jumping into this tutorial and beginning your home makeover journey, there are a few important safety tips that we need to cover.

It’s important to wear proper eye protection anytime you are working on home improvement projects. It’s too easy for a small particle to fly off during construction, and you don’t want anything damaging your eyes.

Always wear gloves to protect you from sharp edges of the material, protect you from splinters, and protect you from the tools that you use. This is important when working with any kind of power tools while making your DIY fireplace mantel.

Collect inspiration

It’s important to know exactly what you want your new fireplace mantel to look like before you jump into building anything. First, figure out your interior decorating style, and then look for fireplace mantel designs that will work well.

You can search for fireplaces on Instagram, Pinterest, and Google image search. There are also dozens of websites that are dedicated specifically to fireplaces and fireplace mantel design.

If you want something like a rustic mantel, look at wood mantels with more of a country aesthetic. If you want something sleek and modern, look for minimalist mantels. If you want something ornate and luxurious, consider something with crown molding. However, only consider something like crown molding if it is found in other places of the house, or it might look out of place.

Do your research

Once you have found some reference images of fireplaces that you like and want to replicate something similar, you need to do thorough research.

First, you should figure out what materials will be used and what elements you need to build. Are you doing any woodworking in your fireplace construction? Do you want to replicate the look of a stone fireplace? Are you the homeowner where you will be installing this permanently, or is this something you need to take with you when you move?

You need to answer these questions, and possibly more before you begin. You should also look up plans and specific tutorials on construction techniques depending on the type of mantel you are building. Many video tutorials can be found with a quick YouTube search.

Should you use a fireplace surround kit?

Surround kits are a great starting point for people that aren’t quite as experienced building things like a fireplace mantel. These kits either come pre-built or need very little construction. You can find surround kits on Amazon and other websites. Building a mantel from scratch can be a rewarding challenge if you feel a bit more adventurous.

Materials

There are a few main materials you might be working with when building your fireplace mantel:

• Wood – Using natural wood looks amazing but can require a bit more skill to work with. Choose a wood that fits the aesthetic you are going for, and make sure to use an oil or finish that looks good with the wood. You’ll also need wood glue to help hold the pieces together.

• Plywood – Plywood is a cheaper, thinner alternative to using natural pieces of wood. These thin wood veneer pieces are a good way to make a non-wooden material look wooden without adding too much additional bulk.

• Fiberboard – Fiberboard is another wood alternative that is commonly used. If you are using a surround kit as a starting point for your mantel, there is a good chance that it includes some fiberboard in its construction.

Tools

You may need a couple of tools to construct your fireplace mantel. Of course, you’ll need a starting tool kit if you don’t already have one. This should have all the basics like a hammer, saw, measuring tape, etc. You’ll also want wood clamps to help hold your piece together while the glue is drying. On top of this, there are a few power tools that might be useful:

• Power Saw

• Brad Nailer

• Router 

How to make a fireplace mantle

When constructing your fireplace mantel, you’ll want to use a miter joint for both strength of the construction and an aesthetically pleasing look. A miter joint is when two pieces of wood are usually joined at a 90-degree angle by connecting edges that have been cut at a 45-degree angle.

After applying glue to your edges, use your brad nailer or hammer in small finishing nails to secure the piece. Then, use wood clamps where needed to ensure there is a strong hold while the glue dries.

Keep in mind no miter joints are needed if you are building a floating mantel like a large beam mantel. A beam mantel is shelving that floats above the fireplace instead of resting on the ground with legs on either side.

Make sure to sand all the wood pieces thoroughly for a smooth feel and to help bring out the natural look of the grain.

How to build a fireplace mantel shelf

Building a fireplace mantel shelf is simpler than a more traditional mantel. You simply need a large piece of wood and attach it to the wall above the fireplace. Make sure to attach it to studs and not just to drywall or the weight of the shelf may come crashing down.

For an added visual treat and help with the sturdiness of your floating shelf, consider using corbels under your fireplace shelf. Corbels can be made of wood, stone, or metal. You can find corbels of different styles to fit your needs, or you can make your corbels yourself. You’ll want to use at least two, but you can use three for extra-wide mantels.

How to attach a mantle to a brick fireplace

You will want to use French cleats to attach a mantel to brick. A cleat is a piece of wood that first attaches along the brick using masonry screws and adhesive that works with both brick and wood. Once your cleats are secure, you attach your mantel to the wood cleats instead of the brick itself.

The cleats are usually cut at an angle to help grip the back of the mantel. You will need one horizontal cleat for the mantel top, and two vertical ones if your mantle has legs or columns.

You can find in-depth video tutorials of this process on YouTube.

Slow and steady wins the race

Keep in mind, especially if you are less experienced, to take your time and make sure everything is done right. When cutting wood, always measure it twice, and cut it once. Ensure that all of your angles are straight, and use a leveler when needed so that you don’t end up with a lopsided mantel.

By taking your time and paying special attention to details at every step of the process, you are more likely to have a finished product that you are happy with. If you rush the process, you are more likely to make mistakes that will take time, money, and energy to fix.

DIY: Building an Electric Fireplace Surround

A lot of electric fireplaces come with mantels, and that provides them with a likable appearance. But if you don’t have one, the addition of a surround/mantelpiece in front of the fireplace can give the room a noticeable style and appealing character. The realistic flame effects enhance the appeal of electric fireplaces, creating a visually relaxing experience.

Besides, installing a fireplace surround will further diversify your DIY skill set. On the other hand, a fireplace surround is cost-effective, profitable (as it may potentially improve your home’s value due to interior décor), and effective in the long run. Setting up the electric fireplace is convenient as you simply need to plug it into a power source.

Adding a surround to the fireplace involves a few steps. It involves taking room measurements, jotting down fireplace dimensions, purchasing the right tools, and getting the right surround material from a reputable brand.

Some of the main things that you will have to learn about your fireplace before installing the surround include:

• Heating source
• Hearth size (dimensions)
• Room dimensions, size detail, and other configuration
• Room furniture and its size
• Building code clearance and necessary permits

A fireplace insert surround comprises multiple components, with the first one being a header and then two columns. You may also call it a mantel or a breastplate. Above all of this is the crown molding covering the surround to offer an enhanced appearance.

Best Materials for DIY Fireplace Surrounds

Putting on a fireplace surround isn’t about inserting studs on the wall through nail holes.

Of course, you will make nail holes; use a stud finder when placing studs on the wall. Moreover, you will have to choose the perfect fireplace frame and attach the frame to the wall appropriately. But before that, you will have to choose the right material for the job.

Popular flame options for electric fireplaces include modern ember and flame type LED, which provide a visual simulation of a real flame.

The type of material you choose should depend on your interior décor, personal preferences, overall house style, weather conditions, and the quality of the electric fireplace.

Regardless of other factors such as price, complicated installation, sophisticated maintenance, and so on, the previously mentioned factors are the most important. The most popular materials to build a DIY fireplace surround for an electric insert are:

• Marble
• Caesarstone
• Terracotta
• Ledgestone
• Cast Iron
• Concrete
• Crackle Brick
• Wood-Look Porcelain

Fireplace Surround Requirements

When installing a surround, you can include many additional components such as light for greater visual appeal. Adding lights will give you a little bit more control over how the surround blends with the nearby furniture and other interior décor options.

Alternatively, you can opt for a mantel package that includes the mantel, surround, and fireplace for a single price, with various styles and sizes to complement your existing decor.

Some of the requirements that you must follow when installing a fireplace surround include:

• Choose a fireplace surround color that will blend with the color accents/range of the room
• Place heat-conserving materials such as coating and so on
• Measurements and dimensions of the hearth
• High-quality material-composed electric fireplace from a reputable brand

6 DIY Wood Mantel Ideas

1. Floating Shelf

A floating shelf mantel from manufacturers like Pearl Mantels looks classy and sleek. You can create your own, too, on a brick, stone or wood fireplace wall.

These types of wood fireplace mantels attach to a hidden ledger board at the top and bottom edges. The result is a unique floating effect. Although solidly attached to the wall, floating wood fireplace mantles looks as though they’re suspended in thin air.

The process is simple enough if you have basic carpentry skills. You build a three-sided box in your desired length and cap the ends with the same wood.

Plywood, MDF or natural wood planks would all work fine for floating wood fireplace mantels. Mitering the joints looks great, but it isn’t a must.

Once your box is sanded and stained, install two 2 x 4 ledger boards horizontally at the level you want your floating shelf. They should be spaced to fit inside the open back of the box.

If your fireplace wall is brick, screw into the mortar rather than the brick to minimize damage. When your ledgers are level and securely fastened, fit the mantel box over them.

Secure it to the ledger woads at the back edges on the top and bottom. Countersink the nails or screws, fill with wood filler and then dab on some stain to hide the fasteners.

2. Hand Hewn Wood Beam

A mantel made from a solid wood beam is likely to be heavy. Whether the beam is a distressed artifact of quarter sawn oak or a live-edge slab fresh from the forest, it requires some extra support.

One attractive way to bolster a weighty 6 inch by 6 inch or 8-inch solid beam is to set it directly atop your electric or gas fireplace structure. If you’re replacing a masonry mantel on a brick or stone fireplace, your beam should fit in its place.

Another way to stabilize a heavier piece is to use corbels or brackets. Plain iron brackets attached directly to the fireplace wall give a distressed beam a gothic vibe. In contrast, carved wood corbels compliment the wood while adding a dash of style.

Finally, you can add legs to your wood beam mantle. They should be the same type of wood and style as the shelf. Once grounded on the floor and secured to the fireplace wall, they will add strength and rustic good looks to your MagikFlame fireplace insert or outdoor electric firepit.

3. Reclaimed Wood

Barn wood, hardwood flooring or salvaged pine wood are all reclaimed wood. Home builders, architects and do-it-yourselfers like to use reclaimed wood because:

• It is often cheap or free.
• It has character.
• It has a story.
• It may not be available to buy anymore.
• It saves a tree.

4. Driftwood

You may not think of beach wood as good mantel material, but it can be quite distinctive if you do it right. You can saw a large chunk of this material into a uniform rectangle so it looks like a conventional wood fireplace shelf.

The resulting mantel will show the pits, cracks and color variations typical of this sea-weathered flotsam. The conventional shape will mirror the lines of your fireplace.

Another option is to step out of the box with a statement mantelpiece. Choose a distinctive log to use as a freeform fireplace shelf.

If you like, saw a whole log in half to create a flat surface for candles, maritime knickknacks or other seagoing accents.

5. Farmhouse Style Wood Mantel

Fabricate an eye-popping farmhouse-style mantel with wood from an antique plow or yoke. An old, weathered hand-hewn log with rusty iron bands is an ideal décor element for your whitewashed stone farmhouse fireplace.

Suspend it from the ceiling with wrought-iron chains for a mid-century industrial touch. Use iron brackets attached to the masonry to hold it up. Get creative for a truly custom result.

If your personal farmhouse style is more on the sparkling, neat and useful side of the spectrum, create a new fireplace surround from solid wood. Poplar, alder, pine or cherry are all decent choices for a farmhouse mantel. Stain it a light color or paint it a fresh, glossy white.

6. Pearl Mantels Wood Mantel Hack

You can find a ready-made replacement fireplace mantle from manufacturers like Crestwood, Pearl Mantels, Mantels Direct and Dogberry Designs. You can hack into the creative ideas of professionals when you browse their fabulous wood mantel and wall shelf designs.

Take it a step further when you purchase a Crestwood, Pearl Mantels, Mantels Direct and Dogberry Designs. If the standard sizes they offer don’t fit, you may be able to adjust it with a saw and some tools. Add your own artistic touches for a custom result.

For example, best sellers like Pearl Mantles 412 Shenandoah wood shelf and the Berkley Fireplace Surround come in a number of wood finishes. Once you select the one that will make a splash in your living room or family room, add the optional corbels, or replace them with iron brackets.

Add a few game-changers to the woodworks like iron L-brackets at the corners or decorative tiles along the front. The possibilities are endless. Since your basic mantel is ready to go, you can apply your excess creativity to making it your own.

Custom Wooden Surround Ideas

Coming up with a great-looking fireplace mantel to match the inspiring designs you find on Instagram can seem difficult with an electric fireplace. While electric fireplaces can seem limited, in many cases, you aren’t stuck with the fireplace mantel that came with your specific unit. With most units, it is pretty easy to swap out a fireplace mantel for one that fits your preferences more. You can even build a custom fireplace mantel. This will give you even more wood fireplace mantel options than choosing existing mantels from third-party companies. In the post below, we’ll talk all about fireplace mantel choices, tips, and answer any questions that you might have.

Are Electric Fireplaces With a Wooden Fireplace Surround The Best Possible Solution For Home Heating When Compared To Traditional Wood Burning Fireplaces or a Gas Fireplace?

Between the exposed flames and all of the really bad, harmful emissions wood and gas fireplaces have, safety is a major concern. Electric fireplaces with a good fireplace mantel are a much better choice because of this. They also don’t require all of the work to maintain them like these other types of traditional-style fireplaces.

Take wood fireplaces for example. If you wanted to use a kind of wood-burning fireplace inside of your home, you first have to be aware of the danger. The flames themselves can be dangerous and lead to a house fire, but it is the soot inside of the fireplace chimney that is the real issue. A thick layer of this soot accumulates over many uses of the fireplace. This soot is flammable. If not cleaned out quite regularly, you can expect this soot to eventually catch fire. This engulfs the entire chimney in fire, which will quickly spread to other parts of your home. Wood fireplaces are a leading cause of home fires because of this. The danger is only increased when you consider all of the smoke, carbon monoxide, and other emissions that fill your home. It doesn’t make a difference how good your ventilation is, these emissions are bound to fill your home somewhat and cause breathing issues.

Breathing problems aren’t the only cause for concern with the smoke from wood fireplaces. Wall yellowing and furniture staining are also things that happen when smoke is present for extended amounts of time in a home. With these stains, you’re getting smoke into the fibers of everything. That means that your home will not only smell like smoke while using your fireplace, but it will also smell for several days after as well.

Consider the work that goes into just using wood fireplaces. Splitting logs, cleaning out ash, building yourself a fire, it starts to feel somewhat like a part-time job. Once the fire is roaring, work isn’t finished. You’re now obligated to keep a watchful eye for safety and to add wood as needed.

Gas fireplaces are also a concern. Indeed, the safety concerns are a little bit less when dealing with gas fireplaces. Exposed flames can start house fires, but that soot buildup isn’t the same. Smoke is rarely present with gas fireplaces, however, carbon monoxide is still a reality. Although some gas fireplaces are built to minimize carbon monoxide release with a more efficient and cleaner burn, it is never completely safe. Gas lines can also leak, which is just as serious of a leak as if the gas lines to your stove were leaking. One thing many owners of gas fireplaces fail to realize is just how disappointing the visuals are. The flames are weak, steady streams of fire in most cases. Sometimes some artificial logs are included, attempting to stir a flicker out of the flames. This rarely looks as authentic as natural wood fireplaces. Additionally, the colors are usually lacking. Some gas fireplaces try to give you authentic-looking colors, but they are dull and lifeless. Others go the other direction and choose neon blue colors for the fireplace. This rarely looks good for an extended amount of time. Many people that choose gas fireplaces with neon blue flames find themselves getting sick of it after a short amount of time.

Electric fireplaces don’t share any of the disadvantages of wood and gas fireplaces. There isn’t any sort of fire that burns inside of them to produce heat. Smoke will not fill your home and neither will carbon monoxide.

There is no work to be done with electric fireplaces either. If you are feeling cold, turn your fireplace on. Choose the temperature that you’d like the home to be. Your fireplace will regulate its heat output to keep your home at this temperature. There isn’t anything else that you’ll have to do at all. You can ignore your fireplace at that point and trust it to do its job. Additionally, there isn’t any cleaning and maintenance needed for most electric fireplaces. The only cleaning needed is basic dusting like any other piece of furniture in your home.

Even if you are renting a home, you can still use most types of electric fireplaces in your home. Unlike wood or gas fireplaces, electric fireplaces are often just set into place and plugged in. This means that you can use one in your home whether you are the owner or a tenant. You aren’t limited to houses either. You can place electric fireplaces into apartments and condos just the same. Wood and gas fireplaces don’t allow you to mount TVs on the wall above them. Both produce heat that rises directly upward and causes damage to your TV set. Wood fireplaces are even worse. In addition to the heat that rises, smoke also gets inside of the TV. Either of these fireplace types will leave you with a broken TV. TV damage usually isn’t covered in most TV warranties when placed above wood and gas fireplaces. Luckily, you can safely choose to mount your flat screen right above electric fireplaces. They will not damage TV sets. There isn’t any smoke to get inside of the TV. All of the heat that electric fireplaces generate is blown out towards the middle of the room. It doesn’t just rise upwards.

Some people might be wondering about flame effects. How real can they look? Well, with higher-end electric fireplaces such as MagikFlame, they can capture the beautiful ambiance of a traditional large electric fireplace. With 3D flames flickering around realistically, don’t be surprised if you have a guest over who doesn’t realize your fireplace is electric.

When traditional fireplaces are built onto a home, homeowners will likely need to work with some kind of architect to redesign the space, a home builder to build it, and sometimes an interior designer will come to finalize things. With electric fireplaces, none of this is at all needed. Architects don’t need to be consulted at all for electric fireplaces. Electric fireplaces are great when you are looking for a fun DIY home improvement job to tackle yourself. If you want a professional to install it or someone to finish the interior design of the space, that is all entirely up to you. However, neither are necessary at all. Electric fireplaces are quite easy to install for most types, and with the help of inspiring photos on Instagram, Pinterest, and other sites, you can easily replicate some of the best looks. This is even easier if you start with a high-quality fireplace mantel choice. You can easily do a popular wall-mounted fireplace installation in a recessed wall for a room remodel or a new home. This can help save space and deliver a modern aesthetic. Professionals aren’t always required for this sort of job. People that are good with their hands can take on a job like this themselves. However, there are additional steps to installing most electric fireplaces. You can install the fireplace to still stick out of the wall a little bit or it can be completely flush up against the wall, not sticking out at all. Whether this is a home you just bought, or you are remodeling part of your home, wall mount fireplaces are solid options. A professional can do it for you to save time, but the difficulty level isn’t too high if you’d like to try something like this for yourself.

For electric fireplace types, fireplace inserts are often the best choice for a custom job. Converting old fireplaces is just one use of these fireplaces. They aren’t exclusively made to turn older fireplaces that burn wood for heat into fireplaces that use electricity. They can be used with third-party mantels in your family room or other rooms for a completely custom style of fireplace. Inserts are one of the most versatile varieties of electric fireplace types. Just be sure if you are going to use an insert with a third-party fireplace mantel that you check the dimensions of the mantel. You want to make sure the insert and mantel will fit properly.

While mantels come in sizes that are always pretty close to a standard size, there may be a bit of variation between different mantels and different inserts. If you are buying all of these things separately and haven’t purchased anything yet, check the dimensions of both the mantel and the insert. If the insert is a little smaller, that is fine, it can still be made to fit. If the insert is too big, then you won’t be able to make it fit without shaving down part of the mantel. This could weaken the integrity of the fireplace mantel. For custom building, simply measure the insert first and build the mantel to fit that size.

Although many electric fireplaces are often technically considered to be freestanding even though they are installed against walls, there are also truly portable fireplace devices that are placed into the middle of the room like a space heater. Some of these have fire effects as well. You might be wondering, what are the fire effects even like in these smaller units and how reliably can these heat spaces in a home? Portable space heaters should be avoided as a permanent home heating solution. They don’t heat well enough for most homes and the fire effects are never as good as they should be. Avoid these smaller units unless it is just a backup device to be kept in a closet.

How Can a Wooden Fireplace Surround or Other Material Help Give You an Insta-Worthy Fireplace?

There are many different styles of home decorating you can improve with a wood fireplace mantel or fireplace mantel surround. Fireplace mantel surrounds in different types of woods can match different types of living room furniture and other decorating choices. You can get a mantel shelf with a lot of different styles of ornate carvings or something simple with minimalist shapes and lines. This is because fireplace mantel choices are plentiful. There is no shortage of different styles, materials, colors, patterns, carvings, and more to get the perfect mantel to go with the fireplace unit that you have. When searching on Instagram or other places for inspiration, take note of the mantel type, the color, and more. With luck, the person that posted the mantel also has some tags or a description included so that you can see exactly the material and style of the mantel in question.

If you are going with wood, solid wood is the best choice for a fireplace mantel shelf or surround. There are engineered wood options like MDF, particleboard, and more for your wood fireplace surround. However, there are some problems with choosing to go with some type of engineered wood in the home over a wooden mantel or wood mantel shelf that uses real wood. In most cases, getting a mantel with wood made from a solid piece instead of engineered wood will look better. While manufactured wood options can prove to be a little bit cheaper, they will also have problems faster due to chips, scratches, and laminate peeling off. Although they can cost more, if you want wood, you’re better off just getting a mantel made from a good quality wood so it will last.

For wood mantels, it can make a difference if you use wood like pine wood over an oak fireplace. Often, people can tell the difference. The wood choice matters. Oak will always look better and last longer than cheaper wood like pine. Walnut and Hickory are also decent types of woods for mantels.

Building a custom fireplace mantel will allow you to have the most versatility in your design. It will also allow you to exactly match some inspirational Instagram photos of fireplaces you like. Additionally, a DIY mantel will allow you to build custom sizes to fit into your room. A larger room might benefit from a larger mantel that you can’t buy from a third-party company. A smaller room might need something more compact.

What if you want to finish a fireplace mantel yourself? Is it better to go with an acrylic finish since they are non-combustible for this DIY job? The truth is, this doesn’t matter if it is going to be for a fireplace type that is electric instead of something that has an exposed flame element to it. While an acrylic finish is great simply because it is non-combustible, if you are going the electric route, this isn’t an issue since electric fireplaces don’t produce flames.

Poplar is another choice to use for a wooden fireplace surround. It works well with a few different styles. Poplar is a paint grade material. Paint grade means it will take paint easier than some other materials.

For a rustic fireplace mantel, you can use some sort of wooden fireplace, a barn wood beam shelf, and iron fireplace corbels to hold it up. This is a great idea for people that like rustic looks. The older wood with a rich grain brings on a fantastic rustic vibe. An iron corbel on either side will also keep it looking like something on a proper farmhouse. To make the rustic wooden fireplace surround particularly Insta-worthy, add a mantelpiece focal point to go with the theme of the room. For the centerpiece try a nice, farmhouse-style painting on the wall above the mantel. Another great option is a vase with wildflowers inside of it right on the mantel shelf. This brings a little bit of the countryside right into your home.

While a wooden fireplace can often invoke a warm and friendly atmosphere, there are also some other great fireplace mantel options. They can be materials like stone, cast stone, marble, and more.

Stone mantels aren’t always made out of real stone or even cast stone. You can create a stone electric fireplace look with special stone veneers or panels that aren’t real stone. Cast Stone, natural stone, stacked stone, and more are all excellent choices for a stone fireplace if you want to bring a bit of that natural look into your home. However, if installing stone mantels is too big of a job and too expensive of construction, faux stone veneers and other looks are a great way to fake it while still having it look real. Just keep in mind they won’t last nearly as long as real stones. That being said, some high-quality veneers can look great for many years.

Marble mantels are good if you would like a more luxurious style of fireplace. There are many ways to decorate these types of fireplace mantels to keep in line with a luxurious style. You can get fireplace tool sets and candlestick holders that can match your chandelier or other metalwork in the room. You want to make sure you match the metal types and colors of your accessories, as well as the patterns and scrollwork that are involved. You can go with minimal scrollwork or much more ornate patterns that look great. Failing to match metal types or patterns can cause a noticeable mismatch that ceases to look luxurious and can instead look tacky. Marble is a wonderful choice for luxury, but you can also go with solid white oak-style fireplaces for that luxurious look. This is a cheaper option in many cases, and it is also much more versatile and timeless.

How Are The Fireplace Mantel Choices From Mantels Direct or Pearl Mantels?

There are a few different websites like Mantels Direct to purchase mantels. Mantels Direct is a good place to get a mantel from if you want a wide variety to choose from. Mantels Direct is a great place to browse and see a lot of mantel options and types that will fit your specific style, even if it is something not as common. If you already have a lot of inspiring pictures and more from Instagram, then you should look for mantels close to the look you want in your reference photos. Other sites that might prove fruitful in your mantel search are Wayfair and even Amazon.

Pearl Mantels have popular fireplace with mantel options in standard sizes like the Newport, the Alamo, and the Berkley. Pearl Mantels make many beautiful mantel types and looks that you can find. You can look directly on their manufacturer website, the Home Depot site, and even your local Home Depot and other stores that carry this brand. Of course, you’ll likely have the most options available right from their website.

Are Electric Fireplaces With Physical Log Sets In The Firebox Better Than Electric Fireplaces That Don’t Include Any Additional Accessories At All?

If you want realism, then all of these additional accessories such as log sets or cozy-looking ember beds will only help. Just keep in mind to purchase your fireplaces from a quality, trusted brand with realistic logs inside of them. Many cheaper brands will try to make up for their weaker fire effects with some logs inside. However, if you were to buy from a brand like MagikFlame, you’d have quality fire effects and realistic internal accessories as well.

Which Brand of Electric Fireplaces Is The Best For Impressive Fire Effects, Great Build Quality, and Has a Versatile Insert Model as Well?

If you want an insert to use with a custom type of mantel, MagikFlame has the best fireplaces and inserts you can get. Their inserts have all of the same features as all of their other models, so there is no need to worry about quality.

MagikFlame has the best fire effects. What makes them so special are the realistic 3D flames. The holographic 3D flames look incredibly authentic. They move and flicker realistically. There are 30 styles of flame to choose from so you have many options to customize the mood and experience. You can switch between these flame styles easily.

There is an audio element included with MagikFlame fireplaces to increase the realism beyond the visuals. Crackling log sounds are there to accompany the flames, adding so much realism to your entire experience when using MagikFlame fireplaces. The crackling sounds are relaxing and can be elevated further with additional natural sounds.

The heating unit found inside of MagikFlame fireplaces is powerful and efficient so your heating bill won’t be high. The heating is enough to warm homes that are easily up to 1,000 sq. ft.

MagikFlame comes with a high-end app to control your fireplace directly from your very own smartphone from anywhere inside of your residence.

Where Can People Learn More About MagikFlame Fireplaces?

• Stirring MagikFlame Reviews
  
• Informative MagikFlame Electric Fireplace Buying Guide
  
• An Encouraging MagikFlame Warranty

Finishing details

Once the majority of your fireplace mantel is built, you will need to work on the finishing touches.

Make sure any excess glue is carefully scraped off of seams. Ensure enough coats of oil, finish, or paint are applied to the wood and allowed to dry thoroughly. Double-check the sturdiness of all joints and places where the mantel attaches to the wall.

If you don’t have a natural brick wall, consider what material you want the wall to be behind the fireplace. Using stick-on templates, you can finish the wall with a faux stone or brick pattern. You can use shiplap boards painted to match the room for a classy, modern look. Or you can stain the shiplap with a finish to match your mantel.

Once everything is done, clean the area thoroughly. You also want to vacuum up any remaining sawdust off the area, especially in the tiny spaces between the mantel and the wall.

After cleaning the area, it is time to decorate your fireplace mantel.