install railway sleeper as fireplace mantle

[davebwithane]

Hello,

Does anyone know how to install a railway sleeper or a similar looking piece of wood above a fireplace ? Sleeper might be too heavy though. We are thinking of installing a stove with a nice piece of wood above it as a mantle. Not sure how the wood would stay up though. Any ideas appreciated.
Thanks. Dave

 

[Diyisfun]

Well I think the first thing..DONT USE A RAILWAY SLEEPER

 

[foxhole]

You could build out chimney brickwork to support a timber, if you have the room a 'skin' of new brick all round,sleeper is unsuitable as they are treated with oil which seeps out continuously.

 

[^woody^]

When I did a few inglenooks, I would insert a lintel above the opening, and then insert the oak beam under it.

This would allow the lintel to be the structural support, and the oak beam to effectively be decorative. The lintel would be longer than the oak beam so that its bearings would be past that of the beam.

The only issue to to ensure the timber beam has dried sufficiently, otherwise it shrinks in the wall and gaps appear around it

The alternative is to hack the paster off, fix a slim section of timber to the bare wall, and then plaster up around it to give the impression that it is set into the wall

 

[xerxes]

sleeper is unsuitable as they are treated with oil which seeps out continuously.

And the point here is that the oil is not merely a nuisance: it is creosote, which is highly toxic.

 

[davebwithane]

thanks folks, much appreciated.
Any recommendations or suggestions as to what is the best wood to use and where might be the best place to get it ?