Olde Wood 6" x 6" Reclaimed Wood Mantel Shelf

A slimmer reclaimed beam mantel, cut from old barn timber

The Olde Wood 6" x 6" Reclaimed Wood Mantel Shelf is a solid timber beam salvaged from old barns and factory buildings across the United States. Olde Wood cuts it to your length and finishes it at its shop in Magnolia, Ohio. At 6 inches square it has the texture of an old beam in a profile that sits comfortably above a standard fireplace without taking over the wall.

Choose axe marks or saw marks

Hand-hewn beams were squared with an axe, often more than a century ago, so the faces are chunky and uneven with the marks of the blade still in them. Rough-sawn beams went through large mill saws, many of them water-powered, and have straighter saw lines and a more even surface. On a slim shelf, rough-sawn reads calmer, while hand-hewn gives a 6-inch beam more presence than its size suggests. Either cut can carry insect holes, structural notches and old-growth grain.

Every beam is de-nailed, kiln dried and insect treated

Olde Wood surface de-nails each beam, treats it for insects, pressure washes it and kiln dries it, which stabilizes the wood so it moves less once it is indoors. Order it raw to keep the natural color of the old timber, or pre-finished in one of Olde Wood's wax-oil colors. Sizes are nominal and can vary by up to an inch, so a 6x6 can come in closer to 5 inches in places. That is normal for hand-worked timber.

Best for standard fireplaces, TV walls and smaller rooms

The 6x6 is the better fit for a standard firebox, a wall-mounted electric fireplace, or a room where an 8-inch beam would feel heavy. It also works well when a television hangs above the fireplace, because the thinner profile leaves more of the wall for the screen. The 6-inch shelf holds small frames, candles and greenery. For a wide stone surround or a two-story wall, the Olde Wood 8" x 8" beam mantel has the mass to match.

Check your fireplace clearance before you mark the wall

Wood is combustible, so how far the mantel sits above the fireplace opening is set by your fireplace manufacturer's installation manual, not by the mantel. The 6x6 is lighter than the 8x8 but it is still solid timber, so anchor it into studs or masonry rather than drywall anchors. Unwrap it the day it arrives so moisture trapped in the packaging can escape and the wood can acclimate. Each beam is made to order; for a length outside our standard sizes, email support@modernblaze.com before you order and we will ask Olde Wood about a custom cut.