One of my favorite things as a wood worker is to build custom mantels. There are quite a few options when it comes to building a custom mantels. This sky is certainly the limit. There are quite a few design possibilities. But before you can begin the design process, you have to take into consideration clearances for fire safety. If you’re purchasing a fireplace these clearances will be in the installation instructions. But if you’re building from scratch consult your local building code for a fireplace construction. After you have determined the necessary clearances, you can begin designing your masterpiece mantel.

I have made a few drawings using Google’s Sketchup program. The neat thing about this program is that it is free and it is quite powerful. The learning curve is relatively small if you’ve had any experience at all with modeling programs or CAD. Below is a drawing that I have made of a “wrap around” fireplace mantel with three quarter columns. this particular mantel “wraps” around the wall and so makes a “return”.

Corner Column Mantel

Larger View

Google sketchup makes it easy to come up with other mantel designs. I find it therapeutic to draw. Even better is to design the piece and bring it into the world. I know it sounds like I’m giving birth to something. In a way it is. It’s not exactly a living thing but we can take pleasure in it (or hate the day you brought it into the world). I still have the first piece of furniture I ever made and hate it. But my wife has always talked me out of selling it or burning it in the fireplace. Which brings me back to mantels. To get some other ideas, see my other site, Arch-Wood-Designs. I’ve split mantel design up into a few differnet categories: pilaster mantels, column mantels and mantel shelves.