fireplace update.

a DIY fireplace update that’s fast, easy and affordable.

I’m excited to finally start sharing all of the projects that G and I have accomplished since purchasing our home six months ago. I plan to blog something home-related once a week from now on (probably on Fridays), so stay tuned!

This DIY fireplace update was definitely one of my favorites! When we first toured our house, the fact that it didn’t have some sort of mantle was the only feature that really gave me pause. I had never done anything related to a fireplace alteration before, so the thought of altering this particular area seemed daunting and a little scary. At first I was thinking brick or tile. But then G and I brainstormed a shiplap approach that we both fell in love with!

how we did it.

The first step was purchasing this wood mantel online in the 72″ width. We already had the utility board (for the shiplap) from previous projects we’d done. This is the specific board we use. It’s cheap, light and easy to work with! We always have the folks at Home Depot or Lowe’s cut the utility board into 8 in. strips.  That way it’s easier to get home and cut with our chop saw.

Then, we measured from the existing fireplace out to where we wanted the shiplap to extend (making sure it wouldn’t extend past the mantel). Another measurement was made vertically to see how many pieces we’d need (overall desired height of the shiplapped section / 8 inches). Then, it was simply a matter of cutting the pieces, hanging them with our brad gun (we have this exact set) and painting the shiplap white. To hang the shiplap the same distance apart each time, we used nickels as spacers.

Once that was finished, it was time to install the mantel. The instructions that it came with were straightforward and the installation went smoothly and quickly. The final step was just to nail two finishing strips (one on each side) along the edges of the shiplap to give it a clean, finished look.

This entire project took maaaayyybbee 2 hours and turned out better than we even expected!

I’m so excited to decorate this new mantel of ours at Christmas time because, let’s be honest, that’s the whole reason to have a mantel in the first place 😉

Supply List:

– Utility board (1 board cut into 8 in. strips)
– White (or desired color) paint  – ours is “Bistro White” by Valspar
– Chop saw
– Finishing gun and nails/brads
– Mantel
– Level
– 2 nickels (to use as spacers)
– Measuring tape

Leave a comment with any questions you might have!

PIN FOR LATER: