How to Make Carved Mantels

Measure the width of your fireplace or the location where you want your mantel to hang using a tape measure. Cut a piece of 4x6-inch hardwood, such as oak, maple or beech, to the length you measured using a circular saw. Sketch the design you wish to carve into your mantel on the front and side panels of your length of wood using a pencil.

Shade the sections of your design that need to be cut away using the pencil. Cut around the edges of the shaded parts of your design using a craft knife. Hold the knife close to the blade for optimum control. Cut away any small shaded parts of the design using the carving knife to ensure the most control over the carving. For best results, chip away at the wood piece by piece rather than gouging out large sections at a time.

Cut away the remaining shaded sections using a mallet and a U-gouge chisel, which will leave rounded cuts in the wood. For sharper cuts, use a V-gouge chisel and a mallet to leave clearly defined cuts in the wood. Chisel out the larger shaded sections, then go over these sections again with the craft knife to add any extra detailing you require.

Sand down the mantle using low-grit (very abrasive) sandpaper to smooth off the carvings and ensure an even surface all over the wood. Ensure even pressure is applied all over the wood and that you are always sanding with the grain to prevent damage to the wood. When sanding over details you have carved, it is important to sand the edges to remove imperfections but sanding too harshly will remove the details, so care must be taken. Examine each section after sanding to ensure no details are lost and re-carve if necessary. Coat the wood in wood stain or varnish using a paintbrush.