Solid Oak Aged Mantle

I took my 2 daughters with me to some thrift stores in the next county over last week.  I was, of course, searching for treasures.  We went to our local Habitat for Humanity Restore and found something awesome!

What could this be?  This item contains various mouldings, including dental.

It is a mantle!  Not just any old mantle, though!  This baby is 7-1/2 feet long!  Holy crap!

When I bought it, it was painted a glossy white paint (multiple coats).  I knew exactly what I wanted to do to it, and that included painting it.

Normally when you re-paint a piece of furniture, you have to sand, strip or prime to get the old finish off before you can even think about starting to paint.  Not the case when you use Caromal Colours textured basecoat.  Look, it even comes in gallons now!  This paint bonds to nearly anything, A-N-D you get right to the fun stuff without delay!

I painted this Peppercorn directly over the old white finish.

The picture below is after I had sanded.  The right side of the mantle is pre-wax, the left after applying Liberon Walnut wax.  The difference is unmistakable!  Pre-wax has a very chalky look to it, and after wax really sets the color and makes the Peppercorn pop!  Applying the wax really is simple, brush on, buff out with a clean cloth.  Not only does the wax seal the paint, it makes the color outstanding!

Just look at the finished product in the pictures below:

I never knew I loved dental moulding so much, but I DO!

I needed to take a picture of the mantle somewhere that you could grasp how truly large it is (and Jaggyr just couldn't help himself. . . he wanted to be in the pic)!  This thing is huge and heavy!  Did I mention it is Solid Oak?!  Well, it is!

Afterthought:  See the pumpkin growing on the right side of the sidewalk?  That was where a pumpkin sat after Halloween last year and the seeds took root.

This beautiful piece will be with me at the Bella's Vintage Flea Market this Saturday at Wheeler Farm from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Please come and join us!  I would love to see you there!

(Don't forget to enter to win some of this amazing paint!  Check out my giveaway post for rules on entering).