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MountainHaven created a
fireplace surround for a private home.
In the
image shown below, the surround is shown in dark red. The fireplace
has an existing brick hearth and a brick facade on the fireplace wall,
running from the top of the hearth up to the ceiling. The brick hearth
and facade are shown in brown in the image. The client has removed an
existing mantel shelf to accommodate the new surround which includes a
new mantel shelf. |
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The initial design of the
surround called for maple with a milkwash finish over a light brown stain.
During the design work, the client decided to have a painted finish to match
wall units in the room. Consequently, the selected wood species was changed
from maple to poplar.
The
lifecycle chronology of the project is illustrated and described below. Click on any of the
small images to open a full size
view in a separate viewing window. |
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This image shows the raw wood that was
acquired for the fabrication of the fireplace surround. The selected wood
species is poplar as the fireplace surround will be painted, rather than
stained. The client opted for a paint finish to match existing wall units in
the room. Only an approximate 1/3 of the total supply of poplar is visible
leaning against the wall. Each plank of poplar has already been
labeled with the individual pieces that will be cut from the plank. The
surround will require nearly 70 individual pieces of wood. Some single
pieces will be made from multiple planks of raw poplar. |
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At this point, about 75% of the necessary
pieces had been cut from the raw poplar planks, but only to rough
dimension. Visible in this image is a "glue-up" of a large element
that served as internal structural piece of the surround. Many of
the larger pieces of the surround were joined out of multiple planks of
poplar before being cut to final dimension and fitted for assembly. |
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The side column shells had been fabricated
at this point, along with the center fascia and the inner mantel shelf. The inner mantel
shelf is strictly structural and is not visible in the completed surround. This view shows these elements dry fit and upside down
on the shop bench. Two clamps hold the assembly together for the dry fit. |
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This is the upper portion of the right column
and right end of the center fascia. Bead trim has been installed on
the center fascia and is visible in this image. The fireplace surround is
upside down on the shop bench in this image. |
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This is the upper portion of the left column
and left end of the center fascia. Bead trim has already been installed on
the center fascia and is visible in this image. The fireplace surround is
upside down on the shop bench in this image. |
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The three building blocks of the surround (2
columns and the center fascia) were assembled in a dry fitting in the home
of the customer to verify proper fit and identify any necessary adjustments.
After the fitting, the pieces were brought back to the studio shop to be permanently assembled. This image shows the
completed assembly standing on
blocks. The top of the surround has been fitted with one band of molding.
Yet to be fitted are the top (mantel) shelf and the related crown molding. |
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In this image, the surround has been laid
down, face up, and is being fitted with the decorative bead trim on the face
of the column units. The center fascia has already been trimmed out with the
bead molding. After all of the bead molding was affixed, along with
most of the base trim around the columns, the whole assembly was given a
complete coat of primer. |
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The surround assembly (sans mantel shelf and
upper molding) has been given a complete coat of primer in preparation for
the first coat of paint. |
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The surround is turned upside down and is
being fitting with a cable chase to hide entertainment system cables needed
to supply a large screen TV mounted to the wall above the fireplace. The
chase is visible on the left side of the left hand column. |
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The fireplace surround is nearly complete and
is standing upright in this image. All trim pieces are in place, although
the base trim on the outer face of both columns could not be permanently
installed until after the surround was placed in the home. The mantel shelf
is simply resting on top of the surround and was not be affixed until the
surround was placed in the home. |
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This image was taken after the first of two
coats of paint was applied. |
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An access port needed to be provided in order
to facilitate installation of entertainment system cables. This close up
shows the access port at the top of the right hand column. This port enables
access to the top of the cable chase that is part of the right hand column. |
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This close up view of the right hand column
shows the cable chase that was installed to hide entertainment system
cables. The cables supply a large screen
TV installed on the wall above the fireplace in the home. |
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