Kitchen Mantle- Bits and Pieces

Well, I've shown you the finished Mantle that Honey and I built 2 weekends ago. 


I thought I'd show you some 'during the process' photos.  They aren't really ' HOW TO'-- but you can get the idea.  



This is a picture of it complete except the Corbels and Paint.
 I like how he cut the arch over the vent-hood-- If I could do anything differently, it would be to paint the wall inside and the framing about 4 inches up...Because I'm short enough that I can see right inside if the vent-hood when the lights are off and  I can see the wall and framing. 
Remember it only cost us $26.00 for this project; 

And except for boxing it in with crown at the ceiling it is FINISHED. The CROWN will come as we continue to work on our kitchen.  It is an ongoing - open ended kind of project. 


The picture frame OR shoe molding I had gotten last year some time ;it cost $5.00 for an open box of used trim.  I've used it up on different projects. So I didn't include this in the cost-- because these were actual bits and pieces of leftover trim.  The little shelf-- a yard sale find for $1.00.  It's been in a closet in a box waiting for a purpose around the house- also not included in the over all price.  

We spent:
 $10.00 on ply wood - 3/8 inch thick (we didn't want it to be heavy)
 $  8.00 on corner trim (for the rough edges) 
 $ 3.50 on  2 - 8ft long  2X3's  (for framing) 
 $ 5.00 on  1 gallon Valspar semi-gloss (black)  Ooop! paint

  

Here you can see the 2 X 4 before it is painted (upright),you can also see the corner trim and some of the 1 X 3 framing too.  The whole box is screwed into the 2 X 4 against the wall and there is a 1 X 3 upright piece on the inside of the box at the front to help secure  it for framing.  (sorry no pictures putting that together) 

In the next picture you can see the corbels somewhat... I just traced around the store bought ones and cut four pieces out of some wood from a broken down shelf unit-- stashed in the barn-- and glued them together with Gorilla Glue and then Honey drilled holes in the back and in the 2 X 4 for wooden dowel --also a remnant(no cost) tapped the dowel into the corbel used Gorilla Glue (affiliate link)

Gorilla Glue 5201204 Glue Dries White Bottle, 2 Ounce

...and Vio`la!  


Lowe's sells some for $38 and $52 dollars each...way out of our budget.  When I got home the $6.00 corbels were too thin-- I wanted chunkier ones; but I didn't want to spend $80-100 dollars for them!  

Free: 

• 2 X 4 for frame /attachment to wall (re-purposed skid wood) 
• wood to make Corbels.  (we bought Corbels for $6.00 plus change each and are returning them) We made our own.

 This is Before: 

This is After: 

So- that's it in a nutshell. 

I'm never ever thinking to grab the camera WHILE I'm using the jig-saw or nail gun-- so I have no real 

'HOW TO' photos.  So sorry. 

God Bless you and Thanks for reading.