I am making a cover from teak to cover the mantle on my fireplace. The
current mantle is really ugly piece of blue stone. The teak will match a
teak entertainment center I built a year ago. The mantle will be covered on
all sides. The mantle is 74 1/2". This is in a vacation home in New
Hampshire. It will be down to about 55 degrees in the winter and maybe 80
degrees and humid in the summer.

OK, that was the long slow windup. Here comes the pitch. How much room would
you leave for expansion? The side pieces will match up to some trim where
the chimney and the wall meet so I can't just make it as wide as I want.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dick Snyder