This batch of oak beams is pretty special. They were cut over 25 years ago, but the timber frame house they were supposed to be used in never got built. So, these 6×6, 8×8, and 8×10 oak timbers just sat and dried in a heated shouse (shed-house) for years. We got our hands on the batch in 2022, and we’ve been using them to make fantastic oak mantel shelves and mantel beams. This particular beam is white oak and is great, quality material.

We applied Rubio Monocoat in the Pure color. It gives oak that classic golden oak look. We have other pieces available that we can finish in either more neutral warm tones or darker, nearly walnut tones.

This oak mantel shelf is solid. In most cases, assembled boxes look like that — artificial, assembled boxes. It’s tough to find a good alternative to solid material. The challenge is that drying big solid wood is difficult. It’s like cooking a steak: a thin steak cooks quickly, but a thick roast takes hours. If you don’t dry wood properly, the middle can stay wet and raw. And wet wood can warp, crack, twist, and all sorts of other unexpected things over time. That’s why we’re so excited about this batch of oak mantel shelves. They’ve been sitting in a shed for 25 years, so they’re perfectly dry. That means they’re what you see is what you get.

As a modern cut, it is free of the mortise pockets and nail holes associated with reclaimed wood.

This particular white oak mantel shelf is currently 6in tall x 7.25in deep x 73in long.  It can be cut down to size and re-finished for no additional cost. Perhaps you want it thinner and more shelf-like. We can do that!

It can be shipped anywhere in the lower 48 states via FedEx Gnd for $150

About the tag – Unguentine: For holiday hurts to Tender Skin. I think we’ve learned a bit about product naming. Perhaps I spoke too soon. Apparently, you can still buy Unguentine at Amazon and Walmart. It was a topical antiseptic ointment introduced in 1893. I think this advertisement is from the early 1950s.