Some mantel beams are better than others. This one is incredible. This hand hewn beam mantel is white oak, which is an excellent wood that provides a wide range of colors. While some hand hewn surfaces can appear rough and uneven, this beam showcases impeccable craftsmanship from a bygone era. I can only imagine the great craftsman working on this beam back in the late 1800s. This is the real deal. We filled three square pockets on the top with nice end-grain white oak fills. These pockets were once where the studs were mortise-and-tennoned into place. There is also a lighter-colored sapwood wood line running along the bottom corner. This sapwood line is just some nice authentic tree-like character that adds interest to the piece. Likewise, there is a sapwood edge on the back corner as well.

Not to be confused. This hand hewn beam mantel has been sanded, but there has not been a finish applied, yet. We splashed mineral spirits on it for those few pictures that show it as darker. This gives us a good idea of what the mantel will look like finished with our typical hard wax oil — Rubio Monocoat. However, we can preserve the lighter color with a special pre-finish and wax finish. You just let us know what you’re looking for. Finishing is included in the price.

We reclaimed this particular mantel shelf from a granary near Hamburg, Minnesota. We cut this section from a large hand-hewn sill timber. These timbers often partially rot. By cutting off the rot, we were able to preserve this little gem of a piece. You can see a few images of the exact, original granary in the picture set. A wave of German immigration came in the 1880s when nearly 1.5 million individuals left for the US.  Alongside Hamburg, several other towns in the area – New Germany, Cologne, and New Ulm — all pay tribute to their German ancestry.

We’re happy to cut this rustic mantel shorter and refinish the ends for an additional for no additional cost if needed.

It can be shipped anywhere in the lower 48 states via FedEx Gnd for $175

About the tag – Green is Nice is a line from the 1962 Children’s Book Colors are Nice. It was written by Adelaide Holl and published as a Little Golden Book. I remember a 5ft shelf filled with Little Golden Books when I was a kid.