Decorate Your Fireplace with Oak Corbels

Oak corbels can brighten up a barren and lifeless fireplace. These are functional and decorative pieces of wood that you can install near your fireplace to create design and also improve the functionality of your fireplace. If you put oak corbels in your fireplace, you will be able to create a ledge or a shelf, where you can display artifacts like souvenirs, vases and pictures to add a festive look to your fireplace. Installing corbels is an easy task and you will need:

• Tape measure
• Pre-designed oak corbel
• Pre-cut board or plank of wood
• Level
• Drill
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Chalk
• Paint or stain

1. Purchase Two Pre-designed Oak Corbels

To make the installation very easy, you just need to purchase two pre-designed oak corbels from your local hardware store. Paint them using the appropriate color that you want but if you want to have a traditional and rustic look on your oak corbel apply stain on it instead. Let it dry for a few hours before you proceed to the next step.

2. Mark The Spot Where You Will Install The Oak Corbels

Using a chalk, mark the areas where you will be installing the corbels along the side of the fireplace. There may be other methods to mark the areas but we recommend using chalk to prevent leaving any permanent marks on your walls. Make sure that the oak corbels are mounted near the fireplace and are level with one another. To ensure the leveling of the oak corbels, use a level or the tape measure so that you can achieve accurate leveling of the two oak corbels.

3. Drill Holes To Attach The Oak Corbels

Ask the assistance of one of your able-bodied family members or friends to hold the oak corbel firmly in place while you drill holes in the corbel in order to attach the fixture to the fireplace. When you drill holes, make sure that you drill at an angle so that the corbel will be held firmly in place on the cement from which the fireplace is made of. Once several holes have been made, uses appropriately sized screws and use a screw driver to drive it into the holes. This will firmly secure the oak corbels to the fireplace.

4. Attach The Plank Flat To Connect Both Oak Corbels

To make the entire structure extend its functionality, attach the pre-cut plank to connect both oak corbels. Make the necessary trimming on the plank so that the plank looks aesthetically good together with the oak corbel and for it to fit snugly in between the two oak corbels. Before you screw in the plank to the corbels, paint it using the same color used on the corbels and let it dry for a few hours. Once dry, use the drill and screw to hold the plank firmly in place to the oak corbel. You can also use a nail set to create a smooth yet firm finish to the plank attached to the corbel.