"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
news:La2Vj.314$T1.281@trnddc01...

wrote:

I would have loved to have done that, and was going to to begin with,
but they decided they really didn't want the mantle to be thicker than
4", and swore up and down they would never put anything heavy on it.
They were also sure the studs were wood, until I insisted they verify
with the builder.


Oh well, maybe I'll suggest they hang it from the cathedral ceiling
with very long wires....

Will the client buy into the idea of the cleat being an architectural item
that serves as background for the mantle since it would be larger than the
mantle?

Lew

Well, as an update for them what's interested, I'm going to attach a wide
cleat to the wall, glued, screwed, toggled, etc and hang the mantle on that.
The twist is that the visible edges of the cleat will be bevelled, and the
cleat will be painted same colour as the wall. That way, rather than looking
like a piece of wood fastened to the wall, it will look more like wall
feature. It will aslo be much easier to hide the bolt and screw heads, as
they will be countersunk, filled, and painted.

Bob