Can I use a reclaimed barn beam as a fireplace mantel?
Yes — few places suit a reclaimed barn beam like Flat Rock, where homes dating to the 1800s already speak the language of aged timber and oversized masonry hearths. A weathered beam fits that history honestly. Since many of those open fireplaces are draft-prone, we often pair the beam with a sealed insert — and set it to the required clearance.
Period-correct by nature
Flat Rock's 1800s homes around the historic village and Kanuga carry oversized open masonry fireplaces and aging clay flue liners. A reclaimed timber — chestnut, oak, heart pine — belongs on that kind of wall in a way new lumber never will, preserving the character while the fireplace itself is modernized underneath.
Fixing the draft while you're at it
Those grand old open hearths pull cold air into the room. Dropping a sealed direct-vent insert into the firebox stops the draftiness and turns a decorative opening into real heat — natural gas serves Flat Rock — and the reclaimed beam becomes the visible upgrade above it.
Once an insert is in, the mantel clearance is set by that appliance, not the old firebox's proportions.
Permitted, and mounted to last
Insert and liner work means a Henderson County permit and inspection; the beam is cleared of hardware and pests, acclimated, and anchored into structure. Call (828) 545-0525; Flat Rock is 30 minutes south of the Asheville showroom.
Fireplace help in Flat Rock
We install and service fireplaces throughout Flat Rock and the rest of Henderson County — just 30 minutes south from our Asheville-area showroom.