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A floating mantel that's actually a shallow box with a concealed-hinge front — remotes and cords disappear behind what looks like solid wood.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top and bottom (60" mantel example) Cut to your desired mantel length minus 1-1/2". | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 58 1/2" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Ends | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 5 1/2" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Center divider | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 4" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Front (door) Cut to your desired mantel length. | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 60" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Hanging cleats Measure and cut to fit inside your assembled box. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 57" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1x6 board (roughly 3x your mantel length, plus a foot) (Pine) | 16 linear ft | ☐ |
| 1x3 board, cut to fit for hanging cleats (Pine) | 2 each | ☐ |
| Concealed surface-mount hinges | 1 pair | ☐ |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 40 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 3 oz | ☐ |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2-1/2" For hanging to wall studs. | 8 each | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Brad Nailer. Materials: 1x6 board (roughly 3x your mantel length, plus a foot), Wood glue
Attach the two ends and the center divider to the bottom board with glue and 1-1/4" brad nails. Orient the grain of the ends so it runs horizontal — this is a small detail but it reads noticeably more finished than end-grain showing vertically.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 1x6 board (roughly 3x your mantel length, plus a foot), Concealed surface-mount hinges
Install the concealed surface-mount hinges and mount the front so it's flush on the bottom and sides — do this before the top goes on, while you can still reach inside easily. Test the swing and adjust the hinge position until the fit is right; this gets much harder to do once the box is closed up and on the wall.
Tools: Brad Nailer. Materials: 1x6 board (roughly 3x your mantel length, plus a foot), Wood glue
Attach the top board to the ends and center divider — do not attach it to the front door, which needs to swing independently.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Drill / Driver, Level. Materials: 1x3 board, cut to fit for hanging cleats, Wood glue, Self-tapping wood screws, 2-1/2"
Measure and cut the 1x3 cleats to fit inside the box, then nail and glue them in place. Hang the mantel to wall studs using the 2-1/2" screws, checking with a level as you go — a mantel that isn't dead level is one of the more obvious mistakes on a piece this visible in a room.