How Do You Remove A Fireplace Mantel?
Fireplaces are a wonderful addition to any room–mantels in particular–but from time to time you may need to remove a mantel to make room for new decor, repaint or repair it, make way for a flat-screen television, or perhaps even do away with the fireplace altogether. Regardless of your motivation, the procedure for removing a fireplace mantel is generally quite simple and can be done with a few simple tools in an afternoon. Mantels come in two basic styles: the surround, which is connected to columns or flat panels surrounding the firebox; and the free-floating mantel. How you remove the mantel will be determined by its style and whether you intend to keep it. If you want to save the mantel, great care must be taken to preserve it. With a surround style, start by probing the lower sections. These are what the mantel rests on. Pry panels away from the walls and remove columns. Carefully set the pieces aside to be reused. In many cases the mantel is now only resting on a ledger board,
