• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Partner
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Southern Hospitality

Adventures in Decorating, Thrifting, Cooking, Fashion & Gardening

  • My Home
  • Categories
    • A+ Blogs
    • My Blog Story
    • Decorating
    • DIY/How-To
    • Family
    • Gardening
    • In the Kitchen
    • My Home Tours
    • Thrifting
    • Travel
  • DIY Gallery
  • Fashion
  • Feature Friday
  • Shop My Home
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

A Rustic Mantel Shelf Installation

October 17, 2013 By Rhoda 17 Comments

5 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

I shared my beautiful new rustic mantel, but I also wanted to share the process that was done to get it installed. As I mentioned, we know when to call the pros and this was a job for professionals, guys who have done this countless times.  I found a recommendation for a handy guy through a friend of mine and he was great. He had another guy with him and the 2 of them did a wonderful  job getting my mantel installed, with minimal amount of mess.  Cost for the install was $250.00, money well spent.

For details on where I got the mantel, you can read all about that at this post about the reclaimed mantel and how I stained it.  By the way, it came from Southern Accents in Cullman, AL.  Great place!

Here’s what happened that day. These aren’t the best pics, but I was snapping in a hurry in low light.

mantel prepped for work

They came in with a big tarp and covered up my hearth and floor to keep things clean.  I appreciated that very much.

bringing in mantel

They brought in the mantel from my garage and then held it in place while we decided up, down, yes that’s good right there!

holding in place

I stood back looking and we finally decided on the sweet spot.  I’m very happy with where it was placed. They marked the spot that it would sit.

drilling

Then they proceed to drill holes in the mortar of my rock, after locating the studs,  to anchor these huge bolts that would hold up the mantel.

holes drilled

Three holes across the rock face and they were ready to add these huge bolts, screwed into the studs behind the rock.

bolt in place

One bolt in place in the first stud.

all 3 bolts

Then 2 more drilled and in place.

3 in place

All 3 ready to go.

leveling

Leveling and playing around with the bolts.

cutting off bolt head

Then they cut off the large heads of the bolts so that they could slide onto the mantel.

cutting bolt

All 3 heads cut off.

bolt ready

Ready for placement.

drilling (2)

Next they measured precisely and drilled holes exactly on the backside of the mantel where it needed to line up with those bolts.  Oh my word, if I had to do measuring like that, it would never turn out right!

putting in place

But their measuring turned out perfect, the mantel slid into place and it was ready to anchor in permanently.

adding liquid nails

But, first a little liquid nails went into the holes where the bolts are.

glue in holes on mantel

As well as the holes in the mantel.

glue on bolt

Ready for the mantel.

mantel in place

And one last time it is slid into place for it’s final resting place.  Yahoo, we have a mantel!

final adjustment

He shifted and moved it in place a few times, told me not to touch it for 24 hours and I was good to go.

mantel installed

And that’s the story of my mantel installation.  Glad I called in the pros for this one. These guys did a great job and they do other jobs too, so if you are interested in contacting them, here’s the information.  Chip is the guy in the plaid shirt and you can reach him here.  I was very pleased with their work and they told me they can do all sorts of remodeling and renovation projects.

If you’d like to get in touch with Chip and company, here is his contact info:

Chip Phillips
RSC Contracting, LLC
404-477-7802

One more little thing for today, Wayfair is featuring my Fall wreath, along with several others over on their page today, so stop over for more Fall inspiration.

Related


Don't Miss a Post, join my list!

Filed Under: House Renovation, Projects and How-To 17 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. melissa nelson says

    October 17, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Where did you find your lovely mantel?

    Reply
  2. [email protected] says

    October 17, 2013 at 7:43 am

    Thanks for sharing Rhoda. I always wondered how those mantels were held in place! Now I know. And I agree about the measuring. I would never get it right!!

    Reply
  3. Mary says

    October 17, 2013 at 8:08 am

    The back of the mantle would have looked like swiss cheese if I ever tried to line up those bolts. Worth every cent to have that hung. I love the rustic mantle, perfect for the stone and you got the placement right on…that must have been a nerve wracking decision.

    Reply
  4. SheilaG @ Plum Doodles says

    October 17, 2013 at 9:28 am

    Beautiful mantel, Rhoda. I would have hired someone, too- there is no way I would risk putting twenty-seven holes in my rock trying to get the bolts level, then another twenty-seven in the mantel trying to get it lined up. Yikes! I think I add these guys to my contact list.

    Reply
    • SheilaG @ Plum Doodles says

      October 17, 2013 at 9:29 am

      *need to add

  5. [email protected] says

    October 17, 2013 at 9:30 am

    Looks great Rhoda! Reminds me of the HGTV shoot! Love a rustic mantel!

    Reply
  6. Julia G. says

    October 17, 2013 at 9:37 am

    Beautiful mantel!!

    Reply
  7. Jill says

    October 17, 2013 at 9:46 am

    Hi!

    Just found you via The Lettered Cottage. So funny that last night my husband and I installed our mantle from Southern Accents in Cullman. We used a French cleat but our mantle had legs and was from an 1870’s farmhouse. Yours looks fabulous! Can’t wait to see what you do next!

    Reply
  8. Joan Sokolowicz says

    October 17, 2013 at 10:32 am

    Your mantle looks so great, it’s so fun to decorate a mantle for all the seasons. I love your fall decorations on an earlier post.

    Reply
  9. Kitty says

    October 17, 2013 at 11:02 am

    Rhoda,
    Your mantle looks wonderful! I’m curious…how were they able to locate the studs through the stonework & mortar? Did a regular stud finder work? I’m about to hang a mantle myself and that seems to be my current obstacle. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rhoda says

      October 17, 2013 at 2:48 pm

      HI, Kitty, I’m not sure exactly how they found the studs, but it was fast when they found them. They might have found one then measured over and found the others. They did drill more than three holes to find them, I think.

  10. Trina @ Let's Just Build a House says

    October 17, 2013 at 11:57 am

    i love your mantel and your stone fireplace. when my dad stoned our fireplace he added rocks to hold up a mantel….but we still need to find a good one, right now its just an old board!! thanks for sharing yours!

    Reply
  11. Vesna Gavrilovic says

    October 17, 2013 at 1:57 pm

    Beautiful mantel, Rhoda! Love it!!
    Have a lovely day!
    Hugs!

    Reply
  12. Lucia says

    October 17, 2013 at 4:21 pm

    These two guys do AWESOME work! They are the best!!

    Reply
  13. Chip Phillips says

    October 17, 2013 at 4:25 pm

    Rhoda-

    Thanks for the wonderful write-up & your kind remarks!Please contact us in the future if we may be of further assistance to you – It was a pleasure working with you!

    Very Sincerely,
    Chip Phillips
    RSC Contracting, LLC

    Reply
  14. Rona B says

    October 18, 2013 at 12:58 am

    I totally agree with you. They did a wonderful job installing your mantel.

    Reply
  15. Carol says

    October 19, 2013 at 8:22 am

    Your new mantel looks great!! It looks like it has always been there!! Perfect!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Thanks for stopping by! I’m Rhoda, from Atlanta, GA and I love decorating and DIY projects. Decorating a home doesn’t have to cost a fortune and I’ve spent years thrifting at antiques markets and yard sales, finding those treasures that make a home unique. I’m here to inspire and encourage other women to find their own inner creativity. Won’t you join me?

Click Here

Click Here

Email Series
How to Decorate in
Classic Timeless Style
.....without breaking the bank!

House Renovation Journey!

Our Paint Colors

Archives

Categories

Footer Widget Header2

Featured here:

Better Homes and Gardens
Atlanta Magazine
Better Homes and Gardens

Footer

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Partner

Copyright © 2023 · Southern Hospitality · Blog Design by Little Blue Deer
Privacy Policy

Get my FREE Email Series How to Decorate in Classic Timeless Style....without breaking the bank!
After years of decorating my own homes, I've learned a few tricks on how to create a classic home on a budget. Hope you'll join me!
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.