Trim For Your Fireplace

When you walk into a living room the fireplace often gives the first impression. It should be a focal point to any well designed and decorated living room. One way to beautify your living room is to add trim to your fireplace.

If you'd like to build your own decorative shelf or mantel, you can choose from a wide range of materials, such as red oak, poplar, or white pine. To build your mantel, start by placing a backer board on the wall, then attach molding to the bottom of the backer board. Set crown molding in front of the molding, and set the shelf on top. You will want to use decorative molding to finish the edge of the shelf. For a different look, place decorative molding directly above the molding. If performing miter cuts proves to be too difficult, you can easily obtain precut and premitered mantel kits.

Leaving your mantel without a proper finish leaves it looking unprofessional. By using a quality wood stain, you can make a big difference to the appearance of any fireplace. It is generally best to paint pine mantels, but stains will work well on other wood types. Check with you local building supply store to be sure that the finish you use is the best for your mantel type.

If you would rather not build your own fireplace surround or mantle, there are many places that can custom build one for you based on your design. You will need to know the measurements for the project and these companies will help you to custom design your mantle or surround.