I’m very fortunate to have a handy husband. I knew he could take this mantle -- which was too big for our space -- and make it just amazing with a few cuts and a gorgeous coat of paint.

This project was done completely indoors which made it very convenient since it was a heavy fireplace mantle.

The first thing we wanted to do is cut the mantle to fit the notch-out on the fireplace wall and also cut down the hearth to make it fit the size of our fireplace. By using a miter saw we were able to make the notch cuts easily and with minimal mess. To size down the bottom hearth, we took that piece outside to make sure we got a clean and even cut.

We positioned the hearth in place and then carefully placed the mantle in place, pushing it all the way back to the wall. We attached the mantle to the wall using a waterproof, all-surface, bonding glue. Once it was in place, we used a handheld sander and sanded off some of the pre-existing stains.

We headed to our local Home Depot and grabbed our favorite go-to paint which is BEHR PREMIUM PLUS^® Primer and Paint in Semi-Gloss, Ultra Pure White. We applied the paint using a roller. For the hard to reach details, we used a thin brush. After the first coat, we waited 2 hours before doing the second coat. It always shocks me how well this paint covers the underneath colors! It’s my favorite, hands down!

The mantle looks amazing and fits in perfectly with our home decor now. We were able to cut it down to size and notch it to fit the wall and now I can’t wait to decorate it for all the upcoming holidays! This product was one of my favorites and it’s amazing how a coat of paint can transform any piece of furniture!