# Painted Fireplace Mantle



## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Built the mantle in the shop out of poplar. The HO brought me the columns and I had the bases of the columns turned by my custom turning guy. The turning on the bottom is Oak, to match the sanitary base in the house. I primed it with MLC CLawlock catalyzed primer and painted it with an SW Alkyd Oil.

His hearth stone was out of level by 1/16" side to side, but it was out of level by 1/8" front to back so it made a bit of extra work for me because of the columns. The install went slow and steady and by the time I got finished cleaning up it took about 1 hour longer than I expected.



Before


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## jack warner (Oct 15, 2010)

looks very nice. looks like a spray finish, did you spray it?


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Yes, sprayed on. Used a pressure cup gun and thinned the Alkyd Oil with naptha at 10%. Everything has 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint. The mantle top has 4 coats of paint because I just couldn't get it to come out smooth to the touch. Not sure why, everything else was smooth as glass. So I buffed it out as a last resort and it came out great.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

looks great ... you really did a good job


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Looks good Leo. Nice details. A bit too much white for me though. The mantle top...did you spray it flat? Might have loaded it up too much.












 









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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*What is that?*

Nice work as usual Leo! I was wondering is that just a reflection? Too bad the window on the left isn't further over, since it fights with the fireplace for the same space on the wall, and they look crowded together. I know that wasn't part of the project. :laughing: bill


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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

Very nice Leo...Love the design...Love the crafsmanship...Love the finish...Nicely done.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

cabinetman said:


> Looks good Leo. Nice details. A bit too much white for me though. The mantle top...did you spray it flat? Might have loaded it up too much.
> .



1st coat of paint was beautiful. 2nd coat is where I had problems. But I sprayed the 2nd coat on everything else at the same time and it was nearly flawless. So my technique was likely the same at that point. The next two times I sprayed it was in the vertical position to make sure that falling dust wouldn't land on it but I had the same result.





woodnthings said:


> Nice work as usual Leo! I was wondering is that just a reflection? Too bad the window on the left isn't further over, since it fights with the fireplace for the same space on the wall, and they look crowded together. I know that wasn't part of the project. :laughing: bill


Ya, just a reflection from the flash of the camera. That was one of the major issues we had with designing the mantle, the proximity of that window. The top is very square with no splay in it because of the window. I wanted to make it so the mantle covered more brick so I could have better moldings on the mantle top, but the client was insistent that the brick was to be exposed as much as possible. He designed the majority of the mantle. I added the details and picked out some of the moldings.

He likes it, I got paid, what could be better?:yes:


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

That's some beautiful work buddy. I really like the oak bases. They add that liitle extra that makes it special. The whole project turned out fantastic. Great job.
Ken


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

Are you bored Leo?:shifty::laughing:


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Taking the day off 

Just relaxing. Maybe a nap will happen.:blink:

(payback is a biotch I guess)


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

Leo G said:


> Taking the day off
> 
> Just relaxing. Maybe a nap will happen.:blink:


I am taking my shaper to my buddy's shop to plug it in.

It will be a cold ride on a forklift.:laughing:


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

You have a forklift....now I want one. Is it green? :laughing:


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## skymonkey (Apr 12, 2010)

Looks great man. I am doing a mantle myself right now. Nothing that nice though, mines more of a floating shelf but that's what the guy wants.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Very nice Leo,
I like the columns and the detail. Quite a difference from the first pic.
Mike Hawkins


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