DIY,  DIY | Home Projects

How to Build a DIY Brick Fireplace Hearth with a Shiplap Accent Wall & Rustic Wood Beam Mantle

April 28, 2020 / 26 Comments

Part 2 | DIY Rustic Wood Beam Mantle

We previously updated our fireplace with shiplap and a wood beam before we updated it again to DIY the brick hearth. Part 2 and Part 3 of this tutorial show some images and information that can also be found and in more detail on the original DIY shiplap fireplace post.

Tools, Materials & Measurements

Tools

Materials

  • 4×8″ Wood beam for the mantle (cut to desired length)
  • 3 – 4″ Wood screws
  • Paintable wood filler
  • Wood stain (Minwax special walnut & weathered oak)
  • Stain brush

Measurements

  • Wood beam for the mantle – 4×8″ x 83″ in length

Step 1 – Measure and cut wood beam for mantle

After selecting the size of your new wood beam mantle you can prepare it for installation. Our wood beam is a 4×8″ piece of fir wood. We picked it up at a Dunn Lumber (our local hardware stores do not carry this size) and cut it to 83″ in length. At this size it overhangs 4″ over the face of the fireplace bricks and 3″ over both sides of the new brick fireplace surround. Be sure the wood is completely dry before installing.

Step 2 – Install wood beam into studs

Find the studs in the wall to attach the new wood beam mantle to. Once you know where to anchor the mantle, drill holes with a Kreg Jig and use 4″ wood screws to secure the beam into the studs.

Before staining the mantle, fill the holes with wood filler. Fill it generously and completely and leave a bump on top. For deep holes like these, wait 24 hours for it to dry completely, it will flatten down as the filled settles.  Finally, sand the whole beam completely before staining.

Step 3 – Stain wood beam

Tape off the area around your new wood beam mantle. Test your stain on some of the excess wood (all wood stains differently, this ensures your happy with the color on your particular wood). I like to use a mix of Weathered Oak and Special Walnut to achieve a rustic farmhouse color.

Stain the beam completely and allow it to dry for 24 hours. Alternatively, you could stain the beam before installing it and then just stain over the wood filled screw holes after it is attached to the wall. Optionally, you can wait until after installing the shiplap (as we did) to do this step.

Head to Part 3 for the DIY Shiplap Accent Wall Tutorial!

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26 Comments

  • Laird Cross

    April 30, 2021 at 2:46 pm Reply

    Hi Bree! The project looks great! I like to see homeowners taking the initiative to do these things themselves. I’d like to add a little bit of constructive criticism if that’s ok. The metal support that you are using is called a brick lintel. It’s critical in maintaining structural support for all of the bricks above it. It should run into the mortar joint in either side at least 6 “, allowing the lower brick to support the upper. This cannot be removed however! It needs to stay in place permanently! I see that you are using type S mortar. Type S is structural but for download purposes only. Ie. in between brick or block that are holding up a raised home. It CANNOT however maintain a load without a structural material underneath. Brick lintels are meant to stay in place forever. While it might be ok right now, it’s going to crack and start coming apart at some point. Really, for a fireplace surround, type N mortar is easier to work with and is all that needed as there is no live load ever put on it. The only dead load is the brick above and that is of no consequence. Please, do yourself a favor and replace the lintel. Unfortunately you will have to remove the row of brick right above the fireplace opening and the one above that. Attach your brick lentil and then replace those two rows of brick. If you need to notch the back of the brick out to compensate for the lentil you can. I’m taking for granted that you used a piece of steel 90. If you used a piece of flat steel, you need to switch to a piece of steel 90. 2″ x 2″ is sufficient but I like to use 2″ x 4” with the 4 inch leg attached to the studs above. Please don’t take this as criticism. The job looks great. However, I do this for a living and I have seen many manyFireplace surrounds fail for this exact reason. Sometimes it takes a year sometimes it takes five years, but it always happens. Best regards and good luck

    • Laird Cross

      April 30, 2021 at 3:00 pm Reply

      Hi guys I have one more comment to make. For all of the DIY community. I think Bree has a gas fireplace. Please please please whatever you do, find out exactly what fireplace you have, download the specs on that fireplace, and follow the clearance instructions in the manual. Most gas and wood-burning fireplaces require, Not recommend, 12 inches of clearance from the fireplace opening to the side wall, 20 inches for the hearth extending out from the fireplace opening with an additional 28 inches of some type of non-combustible material for a total of 48 inches of non-combustible material past the edge of your fireplace. I saw a question in here asking how high the mantle wise on this particular fireplace. Every fireplace is different and you must follow the manufacturers requirements. We just got it a home that burned down last November because the fireplace surround was not sufficient and burning embers ignited the wood floors. Again, every fireplace is different but please do your homework before you attempt to do a fireplace makeover.

  • Stephanie

    May 1, 2020 at 10:45 am Reply

    What a transformation! It definitely infused the modern look with the homey and cozy ambiance thanks to the fireplace Your house is beautiful!

  • Monica Pell

    May 1, 2020 at 5:08 am Reply

    The fireplace looks so good. 🙂 I am dreaming of this DIY, time to convince the hubby HA 😉

  • Hailey

    April 30, 2020 at 1:04 pm Reply

    It’s lovely to see this transformation from start to finish. I would love to have a shiplap accent wall like that – but wow is that brick incredible! SO much charm!

  • Nina Smith

    April 30, 2020 at 6:31 am Reply

    I have been wanting to make out little fireplace look more grand, and scouring Pinterest until I saw this – SHOW STOPPER! I realllly like how big and bold the bricks look compared to the “before” photo.

  • Kathy

    April 30, 2020 at 5:42 am Reply

    Definitely need mad skills to do that. If I did something like this, it would be a total nightmare for me – but your tutorial is so detailed that I am sure someone handy can do this!

  • Vanessa

    April 30, 2020 at 12:01 am Reply

    This looks fantastic. I love that you emphasize that its not perfect, its a DIY! It gives me the courage to try knowing its OK to DIY imperfectly (though to me this IS perfect).

  • Whitney Strong

    April 29, 2020 at 8:57 pm Reply

    This project looks intense. Like wow I love to DIY but not sure I could take this one on. It turned out beautifully in your home.. 🙂

  • Joline

    April 29, 2020 at 9:33 am Reply

    Whoa what a major project! Looks awesome. Our fireplace is more like the second photo. My brother-in-law has been wanting to update his though. This is the perfect project for him this summer.

  • Elizabeth Uchealor

    April 29, 2020 at 6:10 am Reply

    Great job you did here, thank you for sharing with us. I love fireplaces, they really add beauty to a home. Apart from the heat that is.
    Would have loved to know how much it cost you to create it.

    • Bree

      June 10, 2020 at 7:57 pm Reply

      We were quoted between $1100-1500 to have the brick installed for us, so we went for the DIY and only spent around $400 for everything including the shiplap and paint. Hope that helps!

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