View Single Post
  #3   Report Post  
Nova
 
Posts: n/a
Default Cedar Fireplace Mantle

Trent wrote:

Hi, I have a couple questions concerning a cedar mantle. I've priced them
at various outdoor market places and they're around $1000 and higher. My
husband is very handy in all areas of home construction. He's found a man
(owns a sawmill) that will cut a seven foot cedar trunk, flat on top and the
back side and left natural on the front and bottom. I'm assuming he'll
strip the bark. Cost is $50. My husband intends to take over from there.
Seeing how expensive the mantles sold for, I asked "just what is involved in
making a mantle like this?" Besides the stripping, sanding and varnishing,
he mentioned that the wood had to cure (or season) before the shellac or
varnish. My question is, how LONG does wood have to cure? If there are any
other tips you could share, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks,
Monica


One of the problems you most will probably encounter is that when wood dries it
shrinks. This causes splits to develop in the wood, which is called checking.
The thicker the piece of wood the more likely it is to check. Fortunately, cedar
is less prone to checking, but some splits will more than likely occur.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
(Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)