Can I use a reclaimed barn beam as a fireplace mantel?
Yes — and in fast-growing Candler a reclaimed barn beam answers a common complaint: the basic decorative firebox in a new subdivision has no character. A rugged timber fixes that overnight. Whether your firebox runs on propane out in Hominy Valley or natural gas in a newer Enka-Candler build, the beam has to be sound, dry, and set to clearance.
Character for a new house
Candler's fast-growing subdivisions came with basic, decorative builder-grade fireboxes, and owners tend to want a real, heat-producing upgrade within a few years. A reclaimed chestnut or oak beam is the character piece that makes a spec-built room feel intentional — the most-requested rustic touch we add out here.
Fuel runs both ways
Candler is propane country in the rural stretches around Hominy Valley and the Pisgah Highway area, with natural gas reaching newer Enka-Candler builds. Propane burns hotter per unit, which factors into how high a combustible beam sits.
Hominy Valley's natural bowl is also exactly why clean-burning sealed appliances are worth pairing with that upgrade — better for the air that settles here.
Prep, permit, clearance
We clear the timber of hardware and insects, acclimate it, and anchor it into structure; if new gas or an appliance is involved, we pull the Buncombe County permit. Call (828) 545-0525; Candler is 15 minutes west of our showroom.
Fireplace help in Candler
We install and service fireplaces throughout Candler and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.