How to Measure For a Mantel

When measuring for your fireplace mantel start with your design ideas. Fireplace codes require a non-flammable material around the opening. Popular non-flammable materials are marble, tile, brick or stone. Start with your finished look, example marble surrounding the opening with a wood mantle. Standard marble kits come with leg widths of 6" or 8". If your fireplace opening is 36" wide and you are using 8" wide marble legs the overall dimension would be 52". For this size a mantel with a 50" interior dimension should be selceted. This will allow for a 1" overlap on the marble.

Measure the overall width of the wall your mantel will be placed on, then look at the overall dimensions of the mantel.