Hand-Scraping or distressed finish on new oak hardwoods

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I think the mantle is 3” and one piece but he routed the face slightly. I’m not familiar with the profile. It has slightly inside radiused corners.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
The bar top in one of the first pics was more of a cap. In the old family room it was over head level. It’s the same wood with a different edge and last owner painted it glossy brown!!
 

beard&bow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I think the mantle is 3” and one piece but he routed the face slightly. I’m not familiar with the profile. It has slightly inside radiused corners.

You might be able to remove the bricks the mantle sat on or knock the face off them, and drill into the brick and use rebar, or really big dowel rods to have a floating mantle. Turn the oddly routed side toward the brick.

If you removed those bricks entirely, you may be able to fill in with mortar or wood for an attachment point for the dowels.

Never done it, but I think it could work.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Interestingly enough to me anyway, the acoustic ceiling was above the brick. The brick surround was a later addition which makes sense since all other chimneys and fireplace along with the entire exterior are clad in local “Blue Mountain” stone. I had to core drill it for a few more heat pumps (up to 4 now and still half bath and laundry without heat?) . The stone on both sides is about 4-6” thick and then filled block. The coring bit was 16” ish and I had to core from both sides with the tongue and groove walls adding 4”. It took a long time and I even had to cut the stone with a diamond saw first. Large industrial supplier loaned me coring tool and thought it would cut right through, ha.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I’m thinking either do some searching at the old Hotel for a beam to make a mantle, getting a hand hewn beam with local history(Crestmere was a castle in town, the “Hotel” was a massive palace with a train tunnel cut through the mountain to service it and built by local DA with money from Molly Maquire trial/Pinkertons),
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
On the trail I trap where the old stock buildings and I’ve found some gnarly cedar beams used to support back there. I even found one of the roof caps they mounted flags on(no idea what they call them but big pointy copper deals). I stashed in woods unsure what to do with it but a Tourist or someone found it I think or the Rhododendron brush reclaimed it.

I’m also looking at another place in the historic district that has the original wood working restored from the 1800s. The town is pretty busy with Tourism. There may be some wood left over from the restoration.

I was hoping to find a place across the street. Race St is the only other street in the historic district and has the actual Race still running under it. The 20.5” trout I caught in the creek above it and my neighbor pulls out 20-25” trout coming out of the race. Imagine going into your basement and opening a cover to see 20+” trout swimming under your house.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I was surprised how little remains of the once massive hotel. Ive since found out it was fairly common to repurpose in the late 19th and early 20th century. It’s also a spot Metal Detectors go to look for stuff.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Finished 99% of molding and primed. Glad Beard&Bow mentioned whitewashing. Only one side done but I already like it. Flooring arrives tomorrow but it’ll have to wait. Fly to Chicago tomorrow through Friday.
 

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beard&bow

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
That white brick really does liven it up a bit! Side-by-side comparison, the plain brick kind of looks like dead space. Lol
 
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