New Fireplace surround and Maple Mantel w/ Corbels Walnut Creek, California 2015 Tile work by Palermo Tile |
Fireplace before Original brick surround and hearth No overmantel |
Old Mantel removed Hiding the Flat Screen TV wires Framing the overmantel |
New overmantel getting tiled 2x4 for temp support of tiles Hole for Flat screen junction box |
New overmantel extends to ceiling |
Gabled beam ceiling |
New sand stone 24"x12"x1.25" hearth by Palermo Tile |
New corbels cut from New Maple mantel beam |
Maple staining samples: 400 grit 1 coat of Clear Shellac |
Maple staining samples: 400 grit 1 coat of Clear Shellac |
General Wood Dyes on Hard Maple Left side stain on bare wood 400 grit Right side seal coat of shellac applied before dyes All samples sealed with a top coat of shellac |
New hand carved Hard Maple corbels and more staining samples |
Maple Corbels and quarter round trim fabricating |
New fireplace and mantel finished |
Maple mantel dark stained with General Finishes Medium Brown Dye Stain and Varathane oil based polyurathane satin finish |
I lightly distressed the wood before staining for a more natural look |
Close up of maple beam mantel |
Here you can see the finish is still drying |
The distressing process involved a pocket knife and a little sanding |
4.5"x7.5" solid maple beam stretching 82" long and the Corbels are 14"x4.5" |
(5) ½"x12" anchor bolts drilled into support blocking behind the tile support the beam while access to the nuts and washers are hidden by corbels. Very secure mantel. |
Maple is a difficult wood to stain even with experience. I have learned through the years that consistent sanding 80 up to 400 grit helps control the common blotching issues seen in maple |
Tile by Palermo Tile. Maple beam mantel in Walnut Creek, California 2015 |
Maple Beam mantel by Cahl Roach with Palermo Tile in Walnut Creek, California 2015 |