QSWO fireplace mantel surround. Some Q's

[Malix]

I'm in the process of building this.



With changes to the original design in sketch up the model has gotten screwy but you get the over all idea.

 Building in QSWO with plywood carcase and shelves. Wipe on varnish finish to exterior with milk paint and BLO waxed interior.  I'll finish up some leaded glass panels later on. Have completed the cabinet up to this point.






At this point I am starting to plan and build the columns and had some questions regarding my build  I'm hoping you all might help with. Prompted by this image off the web.




  I don't see any nail holes here...

 Question 1. How?

for the columns I need to build next. I am considering some QSWO ply for the basic structure and adding the thinner oak stiles and rails for the faux frame and panel look.  I'd prefer not to nail it all together due wanting to minimize filled holes.  But maybe I am making this harder than necessary.  How do you build this all up without nail holes everywhere ( like in there photo above) . (Tho I do realize some pins an brads are inevitable just trying to minimize)  and to be fair I have learned from a video by William NG, how to use oil paints and crawfords linseed oil based white putty and mix up  my  own incredibly accurate colored fillers. I dare say I  can get my filler spot on matched or as close as you can get.

The span of the topmost section of mantel is about 11 feet long.  Cant get ply that long.  So solid wood is likely.  But heat  from fireplace concerns me with respect to how to build this up using long solid wood parts. the mantel cap/ top will be screwed directly to the bricks with holes plugged with oak and won't show much cuz it won't really be visible from above..  But other horizontal sections will either be screwed directly to brick or framing i've screwed in place to support the other built up parts. and covered with built up moldings where needed.

Bottom line am I just not seeing the nail holes in this picture above but they are in fact there?  should I not be caring about nail holes here considering the temp changes this thing will see and just plan on using as many screws and nails as needed to keep it together.?

Thx.

[Bill Holt]

My first thought: build the columns in the shop with glue and pins (no nails); if you feel the need for screws, do so from the back. 

Many years ago I built a mantel surround and painted it white. I think it was a little closer to the fire box than yours and neither the heat nor smoke had noticeable effect.

[Steve N]

Note the only piece in common with the cabinet is the single piece of wood along the side of the cabinet. There is a face board, mostly hidden that would hide the gap that I imagine is there, and also any wedges that would be needed to shim that side board out so that it appears to be fit exactly. Trim is a build up to constantly cover the defects below, so on the outside you see a unified look. Believe me there are nails, they are just artfully covered with other trim pieces.

Or in reality that thing could be loaded with pin nails, and the pic doesn't have clarity to find them. Thing is getting the friction fit is pure luck if you take into consideration how rough and usually uneven brick is. Heck a routine corner, or ceiling crease in drywall is hardly ever a true 45*

IOW the column is only solid across it's face, under that cap piece it is a series of boards/trims stacked on to hide reality.

[Cecil]

  I don't see any nail holes here...

 Question 1. How?

Answer at Lee Valley Tools.

Video of process here, but he does not do a very good job.  It seems like I read to use a damp cloth and a hot iron on the wood prior to lifting the shaving.


And a more modern cheater method

[AHill]

The Tom Silva way.  You don't attach the wood to the brick.  You attach the wood to the wall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvsrrcN78uo

[Steve N]

Allan that would be if he were using a pre made fireplace surround, and again note there is no matching side piece as the OP has in his. Getting the tight fit between the existing side piece, and the surround will require you to either stick build the surround a piece at a time, or be realllllly lucky.

What I am suggesting is better illustrated in the video below. Note Tommy addresses each new problem as he gets to them. Now he is making this a one piece, which adds a much greater degree of complexity than bringing each stick to the piece, and attaching it at the site. That way should the OP not notice that the next piece needs to be angled, cut at a taper, or any change from square he has a much better chance of seeing this as he lays the next piece in place.

Again Tommy is not meeting this construction to another, and you have to admit looking at the 2 projects, the one Tommy is doing is quite simplistic compared to the pic the OP has presented. Tommies is relatively flat, while the OP's has a lot of depth, and an incorrect angle with that depth is going to jump out at you from across the room, unless you have it all appear to be flush, square, and angled correctly.

The video you showed is correct for the OP in that it does show using a nailer block to attach to from inside, but if laid on piece at a time, and looking at the OP's final destination most of the attachments can be done and then hidden by the next piece on.

Tommy building up a surround to compensate for effects, and errors already present.

[Malix]

Ya Steve.  You are correct in that my plan is to piece this together.. Its complex enough that as you said I will be piecing it together. No way i would try building it in the shop and then bringing it in.  Hurts my brain just thinking about that.

Seems I'll just have to preplan as much  as possible to hide all the fasteners with the next pieces that follow. This is pretty much what i assumed but doing solid wood and not being able to just fill and paint holes just had me 2nd guessing how folks put these together..

I'm gonna get started and will hit you guys up for info if I hit any roadblocks during the process.

Thanks for the input guys!

[lincmercguy]

Note the only piece in common with the cabinet is the single piece of wood along the side of the cabinet. There is a face board, mostly hidden that would hide the gap that I imagine is there, and also any wedges that would be needed to shim that side board out so that it appears to be fit exactly. Trim is a build up to constantly cover the defects below, so on the outside you see a unified look.

I think this is key to your build as well.  It also solves the problem of the top piece.  They would be two separate pieces tied together only with trim once installed.

BTW, I really like the style of this example picture.  Is there a name for this style?

[Steve N]

I think this is key to your build as well.  It also solves the problem of the top piece.  They would be two separate pieces tied together only with trim once installed.

BTW, I really like the style of this example picture.  Is there a name for this style?

 
 
Early American Joe Cool maybe? I really liked it too. If you look at the pic, and try to see the lines that make up each piece, both on edge, and flat as a face, you can see the depth of it all, and it really shouldn't be that hard, just remember one step at a time, and don't attach it until it looks good in all planes, that may require someone holding it in place, while you step back and give it that look...........

[lincmercguy]

I made a new mantel this summer, so that's out. I was thinking about how I could incorporate that look into some other projects.