Fireplace Wood Mantel Designs

On this page we share our guide with the best fireplace models, including the type of wood you should use, what to avoid and how to choose your space.

There is no better way to design a room and improve a fireplace than with the perfect fireplace. If you are considering using a wood-fired fireplace for your home, you need to know which type of wood to use and how to make the decision that best suits your home.

Types of wood for the chimney

The first thing you need to understand when choosing firewood for your fireplace is that there are many possibilities. After all, different types of wood have different aspects and different advantages and disadvantages.

Here are some of the most popular options available to you.

Hickory fireplaces

Gas fire with a horizontal white boat rail and a floating hickory mantle.

If there’s one thing pecans are known for, it’s their shelf life. That is why they are often seen in practical applications such as tool handles. Because it is part of the chimney, it is a good idea to look for wood that offers this durability and wear resistance.

On the outside, hickory has a wide range. The darkest pecan wood can be dark brown, while the lightest pecan wood can appear almost white. This offers a wide range of choices for a variety of decorative preferences.

The biggest disadvantage of hickory is that it can be expensive and tends to rot if not properly maintained. The correct design and installation of a chimney is the key to success.

Oak fireplace

Oak is an interesting type of wood, easier to recognize by its strong texture than by its colour. That said, you can count on a range of shades, but oak tends to be lighter in colour than other hardwoods.

Oak is also a good choice because of its durability. In particular, they are less likely than other types of wood to deform with temperature fluctuations. On the other hand, a high tannin content means that one must be careful when choosing a finish suitable for the oak tree.

See more ideas about floating chimneys on this page.

Maple fireplaces

Maple is in the aesthetic range of light brown. This makes it a good choice if you plant a slightly shaded fireplace. Like oak, maple has a strong grain pattern, allowing you to enjoy the natural beauty of the wood.

Maple is also an affordable wood that can be manipulated to imitate more expensive options. Unfortunately, this high demand endangers maples and makes them a less sustainable choice.

Mahogany fireplaces

Mahogany is a classic type of wood with a hue between medium and dark brown. Not to mention that when the mahogany is sanded, polished and finished, you have a smooth and shiny fireplace.

Mahogany is therefore a good choice if you want the fireplace at the centre of the room. This means that attractive hardwoods are chosen.

If you have a fireplace in direct sunlight, be aware that this may darken the mahogany over time. Mahogany is also durable and highly sought after, making it an expensive choice compared to other types of wood.

Frames to avoid for your fireplaceFireplace

Although we’ve covered a few different chimney design options, there’s something else you might want to consider. As said, there are almost countless possibilities for the use of a wood-burning stove. However, this does not mean that there are no possibilities to avoid.

In particular, it is best to avoid softer firewood in front of the fireplace. These include options such as pines or firs.

These options can be very aesthetic once sanded and finished. On the other hand, they are more likely to fall apart over time and under stress. This means they are much more likely to damage the chimney than hardwood.

How to choose the best wood for your fireplace

A whitewashed brick fireplace with a rough wooden mantle.

When it comes to finding the perfect materials for the design of a fireplace, there is not one correct answer. This is a personalized question with a personalized answer, so you need to know how to narrow it down.

First determine your budget. If you are working on a small budget, you can choose a cheap option like maple instead of a more expensive option like mahogany.

You should also think about what you want your fireplace to look like. Do you want an eye-catching tree as the centre of the space or do you want to stick to something more subtle?

Don’t forget that different shades and wood grains can change the appearance of your fireplace. At this stage, it may also be useful to examine the use of the room, the existing furniture in the room and the amount of traffic it receives.

See our gallery of black brick fireplaces for more details.

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