Nothing brings a warm feeling to a room's decor like a fireplace, and nothing enhances a fireplace like a beautiful mantel. After the success of his first book, Step-by-Step to a Classic Fireplace Mantel, Steve Penberthy was inundated with requests for other, more complicated designs. This new book answers their requests with a step-by-step guide for building a beautiful mantelpiece with a recessed face plate, paneled designs on the legs and face plate, and an infinite number of variations. Using plywood and stock moldings, the reader is taken through every step of the process, with each action illustrated with a color photograph and a clear explanation. Beginning with the drawing it proceeds with building the carcass and ends with the application of the moldings and a clear spray finish. This book makes it possible for any woodworker to create a beautiful mantel. In the gallery section, the reader gets a look at how the basic design can be embellished with various treatments and the application of stock moldings.

Whether there is a fire burning or not, there is something about a fireplace that gives a room warmth. The mantel we build around the fireplace becomes a focal point of decorating, bringing to all that surrounds a sense of elegance. In this new book Steve Penberthy and Gary Jones help the homeowner build a classic fireplace from stock materials and moldings and tools found in the most basic of workshops. From measurement to the finished product, they take the reader through the complete process. Every step is illustrated with a color photograph and a concise instruction. In the back are drawings and photographs of many design variations that can be made using the same building techniques. This is the, without a doubt, the best book ever published on building mantels and will be a welcome addition to the woodworker's library.