Mantel Top Progress

I slept more today than I worked on the mantel, but somehow still managed to make some progress. The mantel top is 1 3/4” thick, consisting of the plankI bought the other week at 2nd Use, laminated to a 5/8” piece of plywood on the underside. Today I cut the trim pieces that are attached around the edges, and glued thim in place using yellow carpenter’s glue, and several biscuits. Biscuits are small tear shaped bits of thin plywood that fit into slots cut with a biscuit joiner tool. They work pretty well for this type of thing, mostly because they are completely hidden. Biscuits work by expanding in place from the moisture of the glue, making a nice strong joint.

In any event, the mantel top is set in place at the moment, and we’re enjoying looking at it. It needs more sanding, but then it will be ready to be glued (and likely screwed, if I can figure out how to hide the heads) to the mantel, and then Trissa can varnish the whole thing. I can’t wait!