floating mantel over woodburner?

[redundant]

we are moving into a new house and having a woodburner installed in the open fireplace. There is no fire surround etc, and I think I will really miss having a mantelpiece.

Do I have to go with an oak beam, or is there any other option for a floating mantel? The house is a 1950s semi so oak beam seemed a bit mock-Tudor to me, but can't think of any other option.

Also does anyone know how far away the beam has to be, to be safe?? thanks!

Your stove fitter (hetas registered) is the one to ask about height to the mantel shelf. Or, come to think of it, if you know what stove you're getting, see if you can find its installation manual online.

As for style, the world is your oyster. Lots of people go for the oak lintel style, but you can sometimes make use of the original fireplace arch, or you can have a lintel plastered into the wall so it's invisible, and then either have a mantel shelf above, or a full surround fitted to the size of the opening. There are some nice surrounds here: www.c20fireplaces.co.uk/rm. Or for so etching more understated, have a joiner knock up something in keeping with your skirting boards/picture rails/coving, and paint to match.

I visited a house where they had a floating mantel made out of different types of quite thin wood offcuts. They were cut to the same depth and level across the top but the bottom was quite deliberately jagged. It looked really cool. You could get the same rffect using slste staves or you could use a slste shelf above the burner.

thank you. We're on a budget and builder has said it would be expensive to fit a floating slate or stone mantel due to brackets etc. I think I am probably going to go with a plain painted wood shelf - think i prefer that to a wood beam.

I have a floating oak beam and wouldn't again; due to the heat of the fire and weight of the beam it has pulled away from the wall; can get my finger down the gap

Saw a pic of someone I know recently who'd had a floating shelf done above a FeedBurner and painted it the same as the wall colour (which was quite a bold green). It looked fab and might be slot cheaper than these options.

FeedBurner??? Damon you . Auto correct, I mean wood burner!

Ours is about 80cm above wood burner I think we should have had slightly more clearance legally but it's been fine