This captivating reclaimed timber fireplace mantel showcases the raw, honest beauty of rough-hewn white oak in its most authentic form. The lighter sapwood edges—a distinctive white oak characteristic—frame the richly colored heartwood, creating natural visual contrast that brings depth and warmth to your space.

Sourced from a smaller tree, this mantel retains wonderful timber-like qualities even after squaring, giving it that sought-after rustic appeal. Several handsome medium knots dot the front face, adding organic personality and proving this is genuine reclaimed wood with real history.

You’ll spot end-grain pegs we’ve added to fill mortise pockets on the top and bottom—traditional joinery details that honor old-world craftsmanship. These thoughtful touches celebrate the wood’s previous life while ensuring a hole-free surface.

We’ve splashed mineral spirits on the surface in the photos so you can preview how gorgeous this piece looks with an oil finish—that deeper, richer tone that really makes the grain pop. Don’t worry, it evaporates quickly! We can absolutely keep it lighter if you prefer a more natural appearance.

You’ll notice powder post beetle holes throughout the sapwood — authentic age markers that add character. Rest assured, we’ve kiln-treated this mantel to ensure these tiny visitors are long gone. What remains is pure rustic charm ready to anchor your room!

• This reclaimed timber fireplace mantel is shown as sanded, but no finish has been applied.
• The first bunch of pictures show mineral spirits splashed on; the remainder show it without finish.
• Sizing (cutting and sanding the ends) as well as finishing are included in the price
• We can preserve the current color or darken with some various techniques.
• It is currently 6.5 inches tall x 6.0 inches deep
• The full size is 72.25 inches long, but we can be cut down for not additional charge.
• Full disclosure, there is kind of a “rough” few inches on the back — but it is the back.
• Because of the smaller thickness and depth as well as rough area , it is priced a little cheaper than other hand hewns of the same length.
• It ships via UPS Ground for $150

This beam came from an old barn in Lowell, Wisconsin, a small town about 50 miles northwest of Madison. The barn was likely built in the mid-to-late 19th century, during the period of American westward expansion. Based on this, the beam probably dates to the 1860s or 1870s. Remarkably, if you counted the growth rings in the wood, you might find that the tree it came from started growing as early as the 1700s!

About the tag – One of our favorite set of labels — “Betty Bumps” is one of the whimsical character cards featured in vintage editions of the Old Maid children’s card game, particularly the Whitman Card Game from the 1970s. Betty was designed to be memorable and silly, helping children match pairs while enjoying the quirky personalities.