Antique Woodworks  Antique Flooring & Reclaimed Wood Products

Rustic Fireplace Mantels and Shelves

Antique Woodworks crafts rustic fireplace mantels from reclaimed wood barn beams, original settler log cabin logs, and other interesting pieces of old wood. We get varieties such as hand-hewn pine, circle-sawn white oak, and wormy tamarack, just to name a few. We also keep fun items aside such as scarf joints, square nails, rusty bolts, and metal straps.

Picking a fireplace mantel is a bit like picking a pumpkin. Some people like round ones, some people like skinny ones. Some people like bumpy ones, and others like smooth ones. Some like 'em orange, and some like 'em white. Regardless, you look for the one that speaks to you and you say, "That's what I've been looking for."

Where to begin? First, shuffle through the finished mantels section and the pictures installed mantel photo gallery. See if you can spy something that is close to what strikes a chord. Look at the color, texture, fills/no fills, exposed end grains, face style, proportions, etc. While we try to keep several mantels on hand, they just seem to sell quickly once they are pre-finished.

Give us call or send email with some general dimensions and some thoughts of your taste. We'll wonder the yard and find a few good options. We'll take pictures of the exact beams in stock. While we wish you were here to pick one out yourself, this is the next best thing. Together, we'll select just the right wood. We can work like little beavers to make a splendid mantel.

Likewise, the Wood and Metal section boasts some wonderful mantels accented with hand forged iron work. There are some pretty wonderful, unique pieces in there.

Let's step back for a moment. There's lots of nice fireplace mantels out there, but our fireplace mantels are kind of incredible. These are a real piece of history. Some of our most popular fireplace mantels are authentic logs and timbers from original pioneer log cabins. In May of 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act. The act provided settlers with 160 acres of surveyed public land after payment of a filing fee and five years of continuous residence.

When settler's first arrived in the area, the quickest, easiest, cheapest structure to build was a small log cabin (or barn). Once the farmer was established, log buildings were often updated or removed. In several cases, we have seen old logs that were from the original 1800s log cabin being re-used for big floor joists, also known as sleeper beams, in a 1900s barn. So even before we reclaim and reuse the old wood, it may already be on it's second or third use.

This is the real thing. When these log cabins were being used, German was the primary language of the area, some bison were still roaming the prairie, the 1862 Dakota Indian Conflict was still in memory, horses pulled the farm equipment, and newspapers still reported when any of the townspeople began the 50 mile wagon ride into Minneapolis.

From history to a mantel in your home. 100+ year old ax marks. This is pretty cool.
Rustic Oak Beam Fireplace Mantel
Strapped Fireplace Mantel Shelf
Red Elm Sill Timber Fireplace Mantel
4-Side Hand Hewn Dark Oak Fireplace Mantel
Rustic Gray Oak Beam Fireplace Mantel
Close-up of American Elm Handhewn Fireplace Mantel

© 2003 - Antique Woodworks, Inc.   