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I am intending to fit a oak beam (4"x5"x40") as a mantle on a chimney breast (by the way the fire is not used).

What's the best way to do this considering the timber is solid?

I was thinking of using 3 or so short, large diameter dowels screwed to the masonary then drilling holes in the rear of the beam and gluing the beam onto the dowels (does that make sense?).

Anyone done anything similar or know of any other methods??

Cheers

What do you mean by "Dowels", if you mean wood dowels it's a no no, you need threaded steel bar for the "Dowels" and three should be o.k. but personally i always err on the side of caution so i would use four.

Steel studding fixed into the wall, 10mm diameter, Drill the holes in the shelf to suit, but nice and tight, and push over the studding.
You could drill the shelf slighty larger and put a bit of gripfill in the holes to secure it. But it wont be coming off again.

Cheers for the suggestions. I did mean wood but I'll change that for steel bar now

Your welcome Fraser, and thanks for replying.

Okay, I've got myself some 10mm steel studding.

What's the best way to fix it to the masonary? The threads on the studding don't look like they'd bite into wall plugs - my initial plan was to use fischer wall plugs (60mm long) into 12mm drilled holes in brickwork (covered in plaster by the way) and then screw in the studding, but now I'm not sure?

Drill a hole stick some gripfill in and then the rod,
once it's set you're ready for the timber, then just repeat
the process.

Yes, as its only a shelf, some gripfill in the holes will suffice. Take care not to drill right through the brickwork, of it will just keep pushing it out the back

Drill the holes as square as possible.
Id be inclined to fix the studs in the wall, then drill the shelf to suit, incase you need to move any of the holes.

Nice one, I'll post a pic once I have done it.

Fraser wrote:Nice one, I'll post a pic once I have done it.

Nice one

Good luck with it

Fraser wrote:Nice one, I'll post a pic once I have done it.

Looking forward to it Fraser.

I fitted it last weekend...

M10 steel studding from screwfix hacksaw-ed into 4x180mm lengths. 10 mm drill into brick x80mm and 10mm drill into wood x100mm. Bit of gripfill in every hole = solid as a rock.

It's level too

I used a paper template to get the holes in the same place for wall and wood.

Cheers again for the suggestions.

Nice one Fraser

Well done Fraser ,and thanks for showing the picture.

Well done Fraser- looks great