# Mantles



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Here is the story of a particular mantle, mixed in with some free advice on selling mantles for you guys who are wanting to find niche markets for your sawmill business. Some of you know this and some probably have beat their head against a tree trying to market mantles without any success, and some may not have ever thought about it. But this has been my experience and so take it for what it is worth.

Mantles all by themselves can be a profitable venture. Provided you have ready access to a variety of species, my experience has been the market is always there. I'll let y'all in on a little secret. You will get alot more for your mantels, on average, from high-end custom home builders than you will from homeowners doing remodels or acting as their own GC. Usually an owner/builder wants to haggle because most don't go hunting mantles until the finishing phase has already started, and they are now $20 -100K over what they planned for. Then they learn that mantles, really nice ones, ain't cheap. 

But developing the high-end GC market - that's my "_secret"_ - take it for what it is worth (and it's worth a lot whether you believe it or not). I did not actually have to "develop" my GCs . . one found me, and then another, and word of mouth has got me sevral with 3 being reliably in need of really nice, large and well-figured ERC mantles. I have sold some other species but ERC is the thing around here. Everyone loves it. Most regions have a favored wood native wood and I bet your is no exception. 

You can get logs that produce fantastic mantles free for the asking. The best looking mantles come from trees that would be considered culls at a sawmill or where logs are sawn for grade. I get mine free because well, I just have lots and lots of free hardwood trees but you can get them free no matter your situation. You can work with tree removal and tree service peeps and I don't want to go into it here but there are just many ways to get free trees especually the kind of trees that have mantles living in them. 

Individuals for the most part think they know what they want, but most don't, so I usually end up having to lead them to a decision. GCs already know what they want. I don't even try to compete with the dimensioned or "elegant" mantle market because GCs can get those cheap (relatively speaking) from hardwood supply houses in DFW. 

Now my mantle story here is pretty simple but illustrates why I like to deal with GCs versus homeowners when it comes to mantles. And this is one of the _few_ areas where I actually _prefer_ dealing with the GC. 

I have been putting off filling this one mantle order for more than 2 months just because this guy has been a thorn before and is very very picky and indesicive, and I didn't want to get mired down into a 2+ hour mantle-choosing session with him. But he won out by being consistently vocal and so I said okay I will dig one out (already had one out). So we came to terms on the processing (S3S) and the size . . . "The biggest cedar mantle you can find me!" . . . We'll, I have some pretty good sized ones stacked and stickered and covered for my 3 GCs and walk-in/call-in/website-generated leads but I had just recently set aside a couple from a decent sized ERC that I needed some wide boards from.

I had set the log on the mill and I immediatley saw at least 2 thick mantles begging to be released from this log, and I could do that and still get the boards I needed. Maximizing the $$$ from the log. So I took the mantles out of this log (told you I already had one out for this guy hehe). Fast forward . . . .

Remember this guy said "Biggest one you got!" Well this ain't the biggest one I got because those go to Dallas/Ft. Worth in multi-million dollar homes, but he doesn't need to know that because he isn't going to pay premium anyway, so he gets to see what he is willing to pay for in his stated price range. So I call him . . "I have a mantle set aside. Come look at it before I start processing it to make sure it is big enough and what you want." He had also said he wanted it "knotty, but not _too_ knotty" :wallbash: See why I like GCs when selling mantles? 

"Great! How big is it?" "It's 28" at the widest part." "Okay, I was hoping for something bigger but I'll come look at it." :laughing: 

Great. I already explained to him these things fetch unholy sums of money from GCs and I am really giving him a break on the price by bigtime (and I really am). He really appreciates that (he really does I think). So he comes over early this morning and takes a peek ..........

"Oh wow! That's *waaaaay* too big! It won't look good in the small room up against that small fireplace . . ." He wants a smaller mantle. He actually asked me cut about 2 feet off of it and rip it down the middle "And then it would be perfect!" . You probably think I got angry or frustrated. Nope. I got tickled. I got so tickled at this guy, and I laughed so genuinely hard, that he started laughing too. I wish I had a video of this whole scenario. So when we stopped laughing, I said "Sure I can do that. The mantle itlesf will still cost the same but I'll have to add $75 more to crosscut it and rip it." He agreed!  
I crawfished my way back out because no way I am selling this thing to him for low dollar now. 

















I ended up digging out a couple more smaller ones and found one he liked. Moral of the story: If you ever do want to test the mantle market - I reitterate you want to approach builders in the high end markets, not GCs struggling in the highly competitive upper middle class market because those GCs are always rubbing pennies together even in a good market. And avoid homeowners! :laughing: 

So you might guess what my next phone call is going to be. "Hey George (my best GC customer), Kevin. Got you a nice one ready . . . . . . . "


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## Marko (Feb 11, 2008)

:thumbsup: Thanks TT! Thats some good information....:thumbsup:


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Similarly, I am a homeowner that is looking to get a decent mantle, though nothing like what you're offering. I took down an 8-10 inch deep piece of redwood painted white (damn that's annoying to me) "mantle" that was over my fireplace and I'm looking to replace it with something a little more interesting. 

Any suggestions on types of wood NOT to use for a mantle? I was thinking a large(ish) slab of walnut since I love walnut so much, but I'm worried it might be too dark.

Also, just out of curiosity, what do you mean by "processing" when you say (S3S)?


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I don't say stay away from any one species. Slabbed mantles by their very nature are going to develop end checks and even face cracks to varying degrees, depending on alot of variables, simply because thick and wide chunks of wood do this when air dried, and even kiln dried. Put them above a raging fire 3 - 7 months out of the year and they do so even more, and quicker. I like the look in most applications.

If you want the elegant look go with a laminated mantle. 

I use the term "slab" loosely I admit but we are talking thick, solid wood lengths of wood whether S3S (surfaced 3 sides) or 2 sides (back and top) or S4S etc. S3S means one side straight line ripped and both faces planed (or technically, sanded also qualifies as surfacing).

I have never had anyone ask me to make them a mantle out of Sweetgum for instance, although I have had 2 bar top jibs with it. But if I ever get a request for a Sweetgum mantle I will warn the customer to expect possible, if not probable, drastic movement in several directions. Not that I would try and disuade someone totaly, just as long as they know what they are getting into.

I gave similiar warnings on the first bartop job and ended up reminding him that hey, the worst thing that can happen is you can end up not liking it. It isn't like you're stuck with it. I'll take it back and you can have a different slab in the same price range (determined by specie and size) free within the first 90 days or after that something else, for a nominal cutting fee and any specie upcharge. 

Find yourself a local sawyer who'll make you the same deal. If he sells it to you and says you are on your own after the purchase look for another sawyer. 

This is just my philosophy doesn't mean it is right. HTH


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## tator (Feb 23, 2008)

Made my wife one out of walnut cut logs in Il about 3 mi. from where she was from. hade mill saw 2 slabs 14l 10w 3in thick set in shot 2 yers playend it put it up looks great no craks:smile:


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