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    FIREPLACE MANTLE Stain & Finishing Oil Milk Paint

    HOW TO – DIY FAUX FIREPLACE

    We’re here to tell you that you can DIY faux fireplace with Milk Paint and SFO. Build an inviting fireplace built into the space you want on a minimal budget using some Milk Paint, Stain and Finishing Oil! We all pine for that hot cup of coffee (or tea) in front of a crackling fire, surrounded by a comfy blanket and candles. But sometimes the fireplaces built into our homes, aren’t really that inviting, or built-in dark corners, or quite frankly, just plain ugly.

    HOW TO - DIY FAUX FIREPLACE

    Below is a list of supplies you’ll need to complete a DIY faux fireplace. For the mantle, you can choose to build your own (there are tons of DIY plans online) or you can find a salvaged piece that fits your chosen space. We found a pre-built mantel at a re-store. 

    HOW TO - DIY FAUX FIREPLACE
    • Mantel of your choice (prebuilt or DIY)
    • Fusion TSP Alternative + Wiping Cloths
    • Homestead House Milk Paint Coal Black
    • Fusion Beeswax Finish + Wax Brush
    • SFO – Cappuccino, Driftwood, White and Ebony
    • Electric Sander with 130-180 scuff pads/paper
    • Painter’s Tape
    • Foam Brush
    • Staalmeester Brush
    • Buffing Cloths
    • ½ inch plywood cut to size of your opening
    • Long  and short Door Shims
    • Wood Glue or Nails ( to adhere shims to plywood)

    PREP

    The best foundation for a durable finish is always a clean surface. The mantel we picked had tons of deep grooves and mouldings so we wanted to make sure we scrubbed all the surface and removed anything that would interfere with our finish. We used a 1:4 ratio of Fusion TSP Alternative to warm water and scrubbed down our piece with wiping cloths.

    DIY Faux mantle with Milk Paint and SFO
    DIY Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Next, we wanted to lightly scuff sand the surface to give us more adhesion. With milk paint, you never know how much will chip off until the paint is applied. We wanted semi-solid coverage with light chipping so scuff sanding helped us to provide some grip for milk paint. We used 120 scuff pads and an electric sander to lightly go over the whole piece. Then use your cleaning solution to wipe away the dust. 

    DIY Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    While you’re prepping, you can mix up your milk paint ahead of time. We like to let ours sit for at least 15 minutes to dissolve the pigments, so making your milk paint ahead of time will help to get your milk paint ready. We mixed a 1:1 ratio of Homestead House Coal Black Milk Paint to water and mixed using a hand-held blender. 

    HOW TO - DIY FAUX FIREPLACE
    HOW TO - DIY FAUX FIREPLACE

    PAINTING YOUR FURNITURE

    Before you start painting your piece, you’ll want to tape off any areas you don’t plan on painting. Our plan was to keep the top of the mantel stained wood, so we taped off the area to keep paint off the wood surface. 

    DIY Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    MILK PAINT MAGIC

    Now it’s time for the milk paint magic. Applying your first coat of paint can be tricky as you’ll be able to tell if you want it mixed thicker or thinner. The first coat of milk paint will be slightly transparent so we knew we would have to paint multiple coats. 

    DIY Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    You can see what a difference a second coat makes! We waited about 30 minutes between coats and the last coat only took about 20 minutes to completely dry. 

    DIY Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    DISTRESSING YOUR FINISH

    We then wanted to add some weathered character to the mantel. We used our electric sander and 220 scuff pads to smooth out the paint and distress the raised areas. Some areas were lightly chipped, but for the most part, the bond between the milk paint and the surface was strong.

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Next, we watered down our remaining milk paint to make a stain and use it to darken the wood top. We just applied it with a foam brush and wiped it back after a few minutes of letting the paint soak. 

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    After we cleaned up the dust from sanding, we used Fusion Beeswax to seal the milk paint. We love using this wax, especially over dark colours because the built-in hemp oil gives us a deep, rich black while providing a satin lustre. 

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    HOW TO - DIY FAUX FIREPLACE

    BUILD YOUR BACKBOARD

    If you have a nice textured background or prefer to keep the mantle opening as is, you can choose to skip this step. We wanted to level up the rustic elegance of the milk paint by making our own rustic wood backer in a herringbone pattern. 

    We used a combination of long and short door shims over ½ inch thick plywood to make our backer.

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    First, we started by sorting our shims into 4 piles; one for each colour of Stain and Finishing Oil we were using. 

    DIY Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Using SFO we stained each of the shim piles in Cappuccino, Driftwood, Ebony and White. After the stain had dried for at least 6 hours, we started to play with the pattern. First by deciding which colours we wanted next to each other. We didn’t want there to be a specific pattern, so our starting point was just layering the colours that complemented each other well. 

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Before we attached the final pattern, we drew a centre line down the ½ inch plywood to keep our pattern straight.  We used a combination of wood glue and nails to secure each piece of our shims in our final pattern.

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Then attach your backer to your mantle using nails or staples.

    DIY FAUX FIREPLACE

    The transformation of this space and mantle is stunning! We knew that a DIY faux fireplace with a custom mantel would make a huge statement on a blank wall. And it also gives us that cozy vignette we’ve been waiting for!

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    We wanted to create the warm appearance of a fireplace. Adding a candelabra with some pillar candles to give us our fire effect. Everyone loves how it just warms up the space and adds a luminary element. 

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Another part of this piece we love so much is how perfect the distressing is. Distressing brings through the warm element of the wood underneath while giving us the appearance of time-worn age and character. 

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    We are so glad we created this rustic shim backboard. The rustic element really brings out the depth of the milk paint. It really brings in the natural wood texture by highlighting using SFO. 

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Our finishing touch was the milk paint-stained wood top. It cooled the warm tones of the original wood and tied in with the old-world look we were going for. 

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

    Are you ready to spruce up your spaces with a DIY faux fireplace of your own? This project was super easy to tackle and now we have a beautiful space that we can enjoy in chilly months!

    DIT Faux Mantle with Milk Paint and SFO

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