Dear Julie: Building a mantel is not a difficult do-it-yourself task. If you think adding a complete wood surround is beyond your skill level, try just cleaning the bricks first. With a good cleaning, ...

Fireplaces are indisputably cozy. They evoke fresh snow and hot cocoa, winter weekends spent holed up in rustic cabins, favorite stews simmering on the stove. While installing a real, wood-burning one ...

Measure the area for the surround and the fireplace dimensions. Determine the exact top of the fireplace, because you’ll be setting a support slab across both sides of the surround to complete it. Dry ...

Q: I need a new fireplace mantel, but the more I look, the more confused I get. Refinishing an antique wooden mantel looks like too much work, and a stone mantel doesn't look right in the room. What ...

Winter may be the season when your fireplace naturally gets the most attention. If you're lucky enough to have a working one, then lighting a fire is the perfect cozy antidote to plunging temperatures ...

It was an autumn afternoon when Marcia said those words every man of a certain age hopes to hear from his wife after more than 30 years of marriage. "I am soooo excited." Of course, if you know Marcia ...