Mantlepiece fixing

[John Brown]

My wife wants a simple mantlepiece in our spare living room.
I am not a fan of so-called floating shelves, which would, anyway, be out of character in our 1894 house.
I do, however have some bits of 22mm x 195mm Sapele/Utile/Meranti/??? and was thinking of making a simple shelf, supported by simple wooden brackets.
What's the best way of hiding the fixing screws for a project like this? And does anyone have any advice re. the shape of the brackets, or just generally.

 

[NazNomad]

Could you not make the top as a floating shelf and add the brackets to make it look like it's not floating?

I'd get insipration for the brackets from here - https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=woode ... 20&bih=941

 

[John Brown]

Thanks for the bracket inspirations.
No thanks for the floating...

 

[NazNomad]

Some sort of French cleat recessed into the back, maybe?

or keyhole fixings?

or threaded rod epoxied into the wood and the wall?

 

[Steve Maskery]

When I fit fire surrounds I use mirror plates. If I position them just under the shelf, in the corner where the shelf meets the bracket or pillaster, they are very discreet, as only a small circle of brass and the screw itself is visible, and even then only if I look underneath.

 

[DTR]

When I fit fire surrounds I use mirror plates. If I position them just under the shelf, in the corner where the shelf meets the bracket or pillaster, they are very discreet, as only a small circle of brass and the screw itself is visible, and even then only if I look underneath.

I fixed our mantle using small brass angle brackets on the underside (the mantle is supported by uprights, it just needed the brackets to stop it toppling over). A tip I got from this very forum was to chisel out a small recess in the plaster to sink the bracket into. Then the "wall" half of the bracket was plastered over, so the only part that's visible is the horizontal part on the underside of the mantle.

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

Dont have any photos showing them fitted to the rear of our fire surround, but i mounted mine using the same type of hooks that link 'modular' sofas together, these...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/142023816996?c ... 635&crdt=0

They are at a slight angle, so if recessed accurately into the back of the wood then they pull everything snug to the wall. They're also very strong too!!

 

[Shultzy]

Make the vertical part of the bracket with a blind sliding dovetail and screw to wall in the dovetail. Make support part of the bracket with corresponding sliding dovetail stopped short of bottom which will cover the screws. Screw mantle shelf to brackets. Bracket similar to Rustic Corbels below

https://www.vandykes.com/wooden-corbels-brackets/c/360/

 

[kevinlightfoot]

If you do use angle brackets be sure to use brass ones and fix with brass screws.Those little rust spots that develop after the plaster has started the oxidisation process are very annoying.I find Steves method very good because the shelf does not have to be lifted as with the keyhole fixings.

 

[John Brown]

Make the vertical part of the bracket with a blind sliding dovetail and screw to wall in the dovetail. Make support part of the bracket with corresponding sliding dovetail stopped short of bottom which will cover the screws. Screw mantle shelf to brackets. Bracket similar to Rustic Corbels below

https://www.vandykes.com/wooden-corbels-brackets/c/360/

I was considering this approach. Not certain my skills are up to it, but given that I have enough timber for a few attempts(pieces that are too small for much else), I might have a go. Do you think it would be fairly strong?

 

[John Brown]

Make the vertical part of the bracket with a blind sliding dovetail and screw to wall in the dovetail. Make support part of the bracket with corresponding sliding dovetail stopped short of bottom which will cover the screws. Screw mantle shelf to brackets. Bracket similar to Rustic Corbels below

https://www.vandykes.com/wooden-corbels-brackets/c/360/

I was considering this approach. Not certain my skills are up to it, but given that I have enough timber for a few attempts(pieces that are too small for much else), I might have a go. Do you think it would be fairly strong?

If I did go this route, how should I orient the grain? A lot of those corbels in the link appear to have the grain running vertically, which I am guessing would make the dovetail weaker.

 

[Shultzy]

I've had the grain running vertical on both pieces. As long as you use hardwood it will be plenty strong enough. Make the dovetail in the support piece just slightly smaller than its thickness.