When you are building a new home, your architect, home builder or interior designer is sure to have ideas for your electric fireplace with mantel surround. Whether it’s a wood mantel, marble mantel or a Pearl mantels wood fireplace mantel shelf, your home builder will incorporate it. If your living room or family room needs an interior design facelift, consider giving it a fresh focal point with your choice of DIY wood fireplace mantels. It’s a great way to enhance your home decor without breaking your budget.
In this post, you will learn:
- Reasons to add a wood fireplace mantel
- How to make a floating fireplace shelf
- Ideas for using a hand-hewn beam
- Reasons to use reclaimed wood for your wood fireplace mantels
- How to create a custom driftwood fireplace mantel shelf
- Ideas for farmhouse-style custom fireplace mantel
- Why you don’t need to worry about using non-combustible materials
- How to hack poplar Pearl Mantels, Mantels Direct and Dogberry fireplace shelves to make custom wood fireplace mantels
- How to choose a MagikFlame
- How MagikFlame fireplaces are built
- What customers are saying about MagikFlame
- How financing makes Magikflame more affordable
- Where to find answers to FAQs
A wood fireplace mantel surround is often easier to prepare and install on a DIY basis than a stone mantels or a marble mantelpiece. Also, since a wood fireplace mantel shelf is currently on-trend, it’s the kind of remodel that home buyers appreciate. It will significantly update your living space while adding value to your home.
Unlike a gas fireplace, you don’t have to worry about using non-combustible materials with a MagikFlame fireplace or insert. No actual combustion takes place in the firebox. The built-in radiant infrared heater warms the room rather than the fireplace surround. The addition of a wood mantel is safe as well as snazzy.
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.
More Ideas for a New Fireplace
As long as you’re renovating, consider switching out your old gas fireplace or wood-burning firepit. An environmentally friendly, cost-effective, realistic MagikFlame fireplace is a high quality upgrade you can make yourself.
It doesn’t require a gas line or other fuel connection. You simply set it up and plug it in for years of ambiance, energy savings and clean, green performance.
MagikFlame fireplace inserts instantly update an existing cast stone fireplace or stone mantels. Thirty distinct flame styles, crackling log sounds and energy-efficient infrared heating keep your air free of gas fireplace fumes.
MagikFlame freestanding fireplaces come with furniture-grade wood fireplace surrounds. Decorative designs with classic lines set a contemporary tone for your room.
Unlike the stone mantels and cast stone fireplaces of yesteryear, MagikFlame wood surrounds add a new, trendy style to your home decor. Cast stone creates a traditional aura that you wish to update.
You don’t need an existing fireplace for freestanding models. Your new MagikFlame can go on any wall, exterior or interior alike. It requires no venting, chimney or flue.
All of the MagikFlame models, including the complete fireplace insert, include a smartphone app. You can use remotely from work, school or wherever you go to control your fireplace.
In addition, unlike a gas fireplace or wood-burning fireplace, you can enjoy the dancing flames with or without heat. The ambiance is year-round.
In the world of DIY projects, it’s one of the easiest and most satisfying. Your fireplace with its lovely wood surround immediately becomes the focal point of any room in your home.
MagikFlame Electric Fireplace Buying Guide
The hardest part of a MagikFlame fireplace upgrade is choosing the model you like the best. Each model features premium design details such as corbels, crown molding and hand-carved appliques.
Fortunately, there’s Magikflame outstanding electric fireplace Buying Guide that can help. You’ll also find tons of other informative articles in the MagikFlame Learning Center.
The MagikFlame lineup includes the following models:
Trinity – Fluted side posts with double sets of carved corbels.
Artemis – Bright white surround with crown molding and geometric details.
Morpheus – Compact model designed for apartment and condo dwellers.
Churchill – Corner electric fireplace with large mantel space.
Athena – Distinctive hand-hewn carvings, classic columns and crown molding.
Insert – A matte black, 28”tall x 32”wide MagikFlame firebox that is 12” deep.
You’ll find it hard to choose just the right one. Use the dimensions and design elements as a guide in your decision.
The MagikFlame Story
Proprietary HoloFlame technology gives the MagikFlame e-fireplace a more realistic ambiance than other products of its kind. Glowing embers, the satisfying sound of crackling logs and holographic flames deliver an ambiance unique to the brand.
Howard Birnbaum first envisioned a better fireplace in 2015. His experience as a Hollywood FX designer helped bring that vision to fruition. His determination to perfect the MagikFlame over the next few years led to further innovation.
The result was MagikFlame 2.0 with patented HoloFlame technology, which debuted in 2021. It’s a zero-emissions, fuel-efficient zone heating system ideal for home use.
Installation is easy. You just need some dedicated wall space and a regular electrical outlet. Standard accessories for your new MagikFlame include the smartphone app. Each model includes your choice of 30 flame styles, crackling log sounds and optional pine scents.
How MagikFlame is Built
The MagikFlame that arrives at your doorstep is designed to deliver decades of trouble-free use. Exceptional quality control at the Nashville factory means you’re getting the highest quality product possible.
Before any actual assembly begins, CAD design software – the same stuff the U.S. Navy uses in designing submarines – ensures a precision fit for each piece of the puzzle. Then, with the able assistance of CNC computer-driven technology, the cutting of the steel components ensues.
This technology ensures extreme accuracy – within one one-thousandth of an inch – for a precise fit. This enhances the long-term durability of MagikFlame products.
Then, each component gets a hard-as-nails powder coating that protects against dings and scratches. Your fireplace will look and operate as good as new after years of use.
Master assemblers put each firebox together manually to make certain it’s done right. Attention to detail is built into every step of the assembly process.
Once each firebox is complete, it moves forward to the next stage where it will receive a brain. This meticulously engineered and tested circuit board carries the microcontrollers with proprietary HoloFlame technology.
Carefully installed by experienced technicians, this cutting edge technology is the heart of the MagikFlame e-fireplace. No other fireplace on the market offers HoloFlame.
At this point in the process, it’s time for exhaustive testing. Senior technicians in quality control run a thorough, 12-point evaluation that confirms each Magikflame firebox meets scrupulous standards.
Once it has passed muster, the MagikFlame passes into the factory’s woodworks, where it receives a designer furniture-grade wood surround and mantel. Each surround is a work of art. CNC computerized routers carve each individual piece for a beautiful, precision-perfect outcome.
Finally, the pros in the shipping department wrap up each unit to ensure it arrives at your front door in perfect condition. Your new MagikFlame is ready for a special place in your home and your heart.
MagikFlame Reviews
Our family of satisfied customers get emotional about their MagikFlame fireplaces, and it’s easy to understand why. Nothing is more nostalgic or as spiritually nourishing as a crackling fire with glowing coals.
With MagikFlame, you can enjoy that energizing ambiance throughout the year. In the winter, your large electric fireplace will hearten your spirit while it keeps you warm. In the summer, the magic of dancing flames will boost your mood without heating your environment.
As you might expect, the MagikFlame reviews we receive from our customers are overwhelmingly positive. Adjectives like “amazing,” “fantastic,” “best” and “realistic” appear consistently.
Customers offer high praise for the MagikFlame customer service reps who the extra mile for each individual purchaser. Those of us at MagikFlame consider this the highest form of praise since excellent customer service is our top priority.
Payment Plans and Financing
Going the extra mile means more than simply answering questions. It also involves making MagikFlame available to just about everyone. Payment plans and financing are available through the website, making your MagikFlame purchase easier than ever.
We partner with Bread, an online finance company associated with Cross River Bank of New Jersey,, to make your purchase of a MagikFlame product more affordable. Simply select the financing option as you progress through our shopping cart to apply. In a few moments – voila! – you’ll know whether you qualify.
Environmentally Friendly and Economically Sound
One of the greatest benefits you’ll enjoy when you purchase a MagikFlame electric fireplace is shrinking your carbon footprint. While a gas fireplace emits greenhouse gasses and consumes non-renewable fossil fuels, an e-fireplace does not.
What’s more, a MagikFlame is more cost-effective than you might imagine. Use our handy online utility bill cost calculator to see a pricing comparison with other fuels.The results may well surprise you.
Zero emissions and the use of clean energy from sustainable sources like hydro, solar and wind power farms are more important now than ever. MagikFlame offers a safe, realistic and satisfying solution to old-fashioned fireplaces. Get started on making a better planet today. Do you still have questions? See our MagikFlame FAQ for answers. Feel free to call or contact customer service for the specific information you are looking for.
