MITRE CONTRACTING, INC.

Mantel with Storage

PROJECT:  Fireplace Mantel (mantle) with concealed storage for speaker bar

This months finish caprentry project includes designing, fabricating and installing a craftsman / shaker style mantel for a Northern Virginia homeowner.

This fireplace mantel was designed and constructed to enclose a sound bar for the flat screen television. 

The mantel was designed with flat recessed panels and simple lines to give it a craftsman style look. 

The storage compartment has a removable metal screen panel to get access to the space. We also made a solid wood panel that would give you a concealed storage space. The mantel construction is solid wood (poplar) with custom made crown molding and a custom made square bead molding for the removable panels.

The mantel was a little taller than a normal mantel as the fireplace was raised off the floor around eight inches due to a raised hearth that was removed during the remodel.

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Here are a couple close up pictures of the mantel showing the crown moulding and showing the removable panels.

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Here are a couple picures we took during the installation, showing the unpainted mantel, and also one showing the hidden storage compartment where the homeowner will place the soundbar.

 

We completed this mantel surround feature this summer of 2013 for a homeowner in Vienna, VA. We designed the look of this fireplace mantel from several mantel inspiration picture ideas they had submitted to us.

Please contact us  if you would like us to custom build a fireplace mantel in any design style. Other finish carpentry services we offer to our Northern Virigina customers are: molding installations ( baseboard, chair rail, crown mould, wainscot, panel molding shadowboxes, archways, built-in cabinetry, built-in entertainment centers, built-in bookcases, coffered ceilings, beadboard ceilings, window & door casings, stair railings, bannisters, balustrades, baluster replacements, etc. etc.

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Please call us anytime at 703-330-3486, or email us, and let us provide you with a free in home consultation and free no obligation price quote for your next home improvement project. We perform our finish carpenter & interior trim carpentry services for the entire Northern Virginia area and several surrounding counties.

Thank You, Roger Beesley, Mitre Contracting, Inc.

Related articles

Built-In Cabinets with Mantel in Northern Virginia

Fireplace Surround Moldings and Built-In Cabinetry

Interior Finish Carpentry for Custom Home

More Than Just Mouldings

Built-In Cabinetry and Bookcases

This project features close to 27' of custom built-in cabinetry. We fabricated and installed these built-ins for a homeowner in Spotsylvania, VA. 

Some of the main features of these built-ins are: 

• Fluted stiles with plinths and rosettes
• True square raised panel doors and drawer fronts
• Filing cabinet drawers with 200lb full extension slides
• Drawers with Blummotion tandem+ soft & self closing concealed slides
• Solid 3/4" birch veneer plywood through out with poplar wood facings
• Solid maple dovetailed drawerss, solid maple doors & drawer fronts 

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click any picture to enlarge in separate window

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             Before Picture:                                   Installation Picture:

                   

 

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Close Up Pictures:    click to enlarge

      

      

More pictures of the additional built-in cabinetry installed in another area:

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More of the Built-In cabinetry specifications:

The casework of all the cabinetry is a 3/4" thick birch veneer plywood. All the facings (stiles, rails, valances) are solid 3/4" poplar. The adjustable and removable shelves are constructed of a 3/4" birch veneer plywood with a front wood edging that has a routed bead profile. This helps give the shelves some thickness for a better appearance and also really helps with the load bearing and prevents them from sagging. The built-in counter tops are made from the same 3/4" thick birch plywood, and they have a 1 1/2" wood front edging that has an ogee routed profile.

All the doors and the drawer fronts of this project were true raised panel with all maple construction. The doors had concealed self closing "Blum" brand hinges. They are fully adjustable for fine tuning the reveals.

All the stiles of this built-in cabinetry project were a 3 1/4" fluted design that included rosettes and plinth blocks. 

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Please give us a call or send us an email anytime to ask us about custom building a set of built-in cabinets or bookcases for your home or office. We offer free in home (no pressure) estimates. 

Thank You, Roger Beesley   Mitre Contracting, Inc.

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Click Here To Fill Out Our Contact Form

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Built-In Cabinetry with Wine Racks

Here we would like to showcase a recent built-in cabinetry project we just completed for a homeowner in Woodbridge, VA. This particular set of built-ins incorporates a pair of wine racks in the base cabinets on the left side. Also included is a single shelf with stem wine glass holders.

These built-in bookcases are nine feet tall, floor to ceiling and each section is almost six feet long. Before the installation of the built-in cabinets, the homeowner had the multimedia cabling run in the walls to the flat screen.

As usual I forgot to get some before pictures, maybe one of these days I will get it right.

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OVERALL PICTURE OF NEW BUILT-IN CABINETRY

In this picture you can see both sections of the built-ins flanking either side of the existing fireplace. Each section of bookcases is approximately six feet long by nine feet tall.

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Picture showing the wine racks in the base cabinets

Here you can see the removable inserts for wine bottles. These will hold over 80 bottles. The construction is 3/4" birch veneer plywood with poplar wood facings. The base cabinet interiors and racking have been clear coated with 3 coats of a semi-gloss polyurethane finish.

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Stem Glass Holder

Here you can see the glass holders attached to one of the adjustable shelves. Also note the beaded shelf edges, beaded stiles, counters with an "ogee" profile and inset doors on the base cabinetry.

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Wine Rack Close Up

These are made as inserts, that can be removed. We also supplied the usual shelf for future use if needed.

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Built-In Cabinetry

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Built-In Cabinetry Specifications:

Casework was all 3/4" birch veneer plywood with poplar wood facings (stiles, rails and valances), plain 2" stiles and straight valances with attached cabinet beading detail. Adjustable 3/4" birch ply shelves with 1.5" poplar wood front edgings with routed bead detail. Counters are 3/4" birch ply with a 1.5" poplar wood edgings with a routed "ogee" profile. Inset true raised panel doors with maple frames, mdf raised panels with euro style concealed hinges and brushed nickel cabinet door pulls. The base cabinet interiors got 3 coats of a semi-gloss polyurethane, along with the wine racking, the rest got primed and painted in a semi-gloss latex paint that matched the existing trim.

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Please give us a call or email us anytime to ask us about custom building a set of built-ins for your home or office. We offer free in home estimates with no pressure or obligation.

Thank You, Roger Beesley, Mitre Contracting, Inc.

Custom Millwork Cased Opening Archway

This posting features a small project we completed recently for a homeowner in Northern Virginia.

This custom cased opening features fluted square columns and an arched header.

These archways can be made to fit practically any existing drywalled opening. The fluted columns wrap around the drywall opening. These can be custom made to fit any thickness wall, any height & width opening.

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BEFORE PICTURE

Existing drywall opening between living room & dining room

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AFTER PICTURES

Custom Cased Opening being installed

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Columns with fluted detail over chair rail & applied panels

Archway feature crown moulding, chair rail & fluted details

Dining room picture showing custom archway, a one piece chair rail and panel moulding shadowbox wainscoting

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DRAWING

A drawing of a similar archway

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Please call us anytime 703-330-3486, or email us, and let us provide you with a free in home consultation and free no obligation price quote for your next home improvement project. We service the entire Northern Virginia area and all the surrounding counties.

Thank You, Roger Beesley, Mitre Contracting, Inc.

 

Fireplace Surround Moldings and Built-In Cabinetry

Here we feature a renovated fireplace mantel and set of built-ins.

We needed to make room for a large flat screen television above the mantel, update the dark oak cabinetry, and just put a more modern look to the whole area.

We modified the existing 12" deep bookcase to have base cabinetry with raised panel doors, roll out trays for dvd storage, and a painted finish.

Also we removed the existing mantel, and fabricated a new fireplace surround that incorporates fluted pilasters with recessed panels, a recessed panel detail where the flat screen will be mounted, a boxed mantel shelf with crown mouldings, etc.

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CLICK ON ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE IN A SEPARATE WINDOW

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BEFORE PICTURE

Existing oak mantle flanked on each side with 12" deep oak bookcases

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AFTER PICTURES

Updated fireplace surround & built-ins

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Each base cabinet has 2 roll out dvd storage trays

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Some close up pictures: Click to enlarge

 

 

 

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View of mantle surround & built-in cabinetry during paint stage

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FILL OUT OUR CONTACT FORM FOR A FREE PRICE QUOTE

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If you would like to update or add a new mantel, fireplace surround, some built-in cabinetry, or just mouldings, please give us a call anytime. We will be more than glad to come by, discuss your project, make suggestions and provide a detailed written proposal... no pressure included.

Thank You, Roger Beesley

EMAIL US TODAY

Stair Tread and Railing Renovation

In this blog we show a few pictures of a small railing and stair tread replacement project we completed awhile back.

The homeowner had another contractor in to finish the basement, and you can see the final outcome of the stairway they were left with. It's really hard to believe that someone would actually finish a basement and leave anything even close to this type of workmanship behind.

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BEFORE PICTURES:

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AFTER PICTURES:

New oak stair treads & oak landing

New radiused landings with bullnose starter step & volutes

Looking down the stairway at the new oak treads and railings

New foyer oak railings

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This stairway renovation includes custom newel posts made to match the balusters. These were custom fabricated by Mike Hart owner of, IKCO Construction, Inc. in Franconia, VA.

Scope of work: demo existing iron railings, repairing stairway framing, cutting back existing marble flooring in foyer for new oak landers, supplying custom made solid 5/4" oak stair treads oak brackets and oak risers. Also we had Mike Hart, custom make the radius oak lander & risers for the landing. We also installed oak flooring at the landing and an over the post oak rail system. This railing included full volutes, over the post up easings and  "s" fittings. The oak railing is 6010 design, the oak balusters are 5040 design, newel posts custom designed to match balusters. Then we had the whole system and flooring professionally sanded, stained and finished in a golden oak color. There is still a little painting to be done around the inside and outside stair stringers and ogee mouldings.

Please call or email us anytime if you would like us to replace your old creaky stairs and outdated railings. We will come by, discuss your projects, make sugesstions, and provide a free price quote.

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Fill out our CONTACT FORM for your free quote on a new stairway, new stair treads, new railings, or any moulding, cabinetry or remodeling you may need.

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Interior Finish Carpentry for Custom Home

Small post showing a few pictures of some of the work we completed in this custom home in Great Falls, VA. This interior trim carpentry was completed in October, 2011

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1.  View of Dining Room mouldings: 4 piece crown moldings, 2 piece chair railing, shadowbox moldings under chair rail, 1 piece 6 1/2" baseboards, adams window & door casings.

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2.  Close up view of the 4 piece crown moldings

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3.  Close up view of the 2 piece chair rail and shadowbox panel mouldings

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4.  Tray ceiling crown moulding, installed to conceal accent rope lighting

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5.  Custom kitchen cabinetry... before granite install

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6.  Built-in cabinetry

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7.  More Custom Built-In Cabinetry

 

Please call us anytime if you need any finish carpentry, built-in cabinetry, crown mouldings, or for any of your home improvement projects.  We service the entire Northern Virginia area, and several surrounding counties.

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Fill out our CONTACT FORM for your free quote on a new mantel, built-in or moulding installation!

 

Kitchen Remodel in Manassas Virginia

In this entry we feature a small kitchen remodel / renovation we completed this spring.

This project included new cabinetry, granite counters, hardwood flooring, recessed and under-cabinet lighting, and a slightly revised layout featuring a raised counter space.

The cabinets are "Waypoint" brand, supplied by Taylor Made Kitchens out of Stafford, VA. They feature real plywood vernier cabinet boxes, 5/8" solid hardwood dovetailed drawers with full access ball bearing glides, roll-out trays in all base cabinets, square raised panel doors with six-way adjustable concealed hinges.

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Please CONTACT US if you would like us to provide a quote on your new kitchen or bath. 

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BEFORE PICTURES                                               AFTER PICTURES

     
CLICK TO ENLARGE ANY PICTURE IN A SEPERATE WINDOW 

      

Here we see a close up view of the paneled beadboard 1/2 wall with corbels supporting the raised granite countertop.

 Wall cabinet ends with raised panels. All existing 12" bulkheads were removed, 36" tall cabinets were installed along with a nice 3 piece crown molding build-up. Also note the light rail molding along the underside of each wall cabinet for the under cabinet lighting.

 
 
This homeowner chose to go with a very nice undermount copper two bowl sink, and matching bronze fixtures.

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Please call or email us anytime if you would like us to come to your home and give you a free, no pressure, no obligation consultation, for your next home improvement project. From a simple bathroom makeover up to a full fledged kitchen or bathroom renovation, let us help you design and build the space of your dreams.

Thank You, Roger Beesley, Mitre Contracting, Inc.

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Home Enhancement & Renovation Through Fine Custom Carpentry & Millwork Installation

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Some other home improvement /  finish carpentry projects include: Crown Moldings, Chair Rail mouldings, Wainscoting, Coffered Ceilings, Beamed Ceilings, Baseboard moldings, Stair railings, Stairway re-treads, renovations of old outdated railinsg & stairways, Built-In bookcases, cabinetry, entertainment centers, office spaces, mantels / mantles... and much more! 

Asbestos Hazards During Home Remodeling or Renovation

Asbestos As a Hazard During Remodeling

Asbestos was used in thermal insulation and floor tiles prior to 1980. Intact and undisturbed asbestos does not pose a health risk. Asbestos becomes a problem when, due to damage, disturbance, or deterioration over time, the material releases fibers into the air. Therefore, during remodeling and renovation activities, asbestos exposure can become a problem.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos refers to a mineral fiber, with the term describing six naturally occurring minerals found in rock formations. The compound consists of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various metal components. These mineral fibers are very small and light, normally invisible to the naked eye. Their use in insulation is due to the fact that they are heat resistant and extremely durable. The presence of asbestos is not necessarily health threatening. As long as the material is not damaged and it is well sealed, not allowing mineral to escape, there is no associated health risk. When the material can be crushed or reduced to powder by hand pressure, allowing pieces to escape, a health risk may be imposed.

Why was it used?

In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. Asbestos became popular in commercial buildings until the early 1970s because it is durable, a fire retardant, corrosion resistant and a good insulator. It is estimated that there are 3,000 different types of commercial products containing some amount of asbestos.

What are the associated health effects?

Asbestos fibers can cause serious health problems if inhaled. The tiny fibers can impair normal lung functions, and increase the risk of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the chest and abdominal linings), or asbestosis (irreversible lung scarring that can be fatal). Symptoms do not surface immediately but the long term risks include chest and abdominal cancers and lung diseases. Symptoms may not be present anywhere from 20 to 30 years after the first exposure. Severe health problems from exposure have been experienced by workers who held jobs in industries such as shipbuilding, mining, milling, and fabricating.

How do I know if asbestos is in my home? How do I get rid of it?

If you suspect a material in your home contains asbestos, treat it as if it does until you can get it tested. The only way to be sure whether or not you have asbestos in your home is to have the material tested in a laboratory. Look in your local directory under Asbestos or Laboratories for specialists that are able to perform these tests.

Typical places you may find asbestos in your home include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Insulation Roofing and siding shingles
• Textures paint or patching compounds on wall and ceiling joints
• Stove top pads
• Vinyl floor tiles Blanket or insulating tape around hot water and steam pipes in older houses
• Insulation on oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets
• Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings

Remember, asbestos that is kept intact and properly sealed will not pose a danger. If it is in good condition, leave it alone. If the material is damaged at all, do not touch or move the material yourself. Call a professional to perform this work. Before you remodel your home, find out whether or not asbestos is present in your home.

See this: Asbestos Concerns During Remodeling  for further information.

 

Stairway and Railing Renovation

Boxed Stairs to Open Stairs

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 Small foyer stairway that we remodeled from a boxed stair tread design to an open tread design.

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BEFORE PICTURES

  

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Scope Of Work:

• Modify existing treads to accept new solid 5/4" oak treads and oak risers
• Modify existing stringer to accept new stair treads, risers and brackets
• Add new outside stair stringer and mouldings
• Add oak newel posts and railings... "Over The Post" Design
• Primed 5015 balusters - balusters & newel posts are all bolted into the treads / floor joist
• Stain and polyurethane new oak stair treads, risers, newels and railing

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One side note: Please notice that the stair treads are actual treads... not hardwood flooring! Whoever you choose to have your stairway renovated with, make sure they use the proper methods and materials. I have seen far too many stairways just covered over with harwood flooring, which in the end looks like you have a stairway covered over with hardwood flooring! When we are finished with our stairway improvements and retreads, they look just like new stairs. You should not be able to tell they were ever re-done. We ONLY use real solid 5/4" thick oak treads, and real solid oak risers not plywood verniers (or hardwood flooring).

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     See more Railing and Stairway Remodels on our Before and After Pages:  HERE   under the Balustrades, Bannisters, Stairways, Stair Railings Section  Or look in our Stairways & Balustrades Album

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 If you would like us to quote you a price on renovating your stairway or railings in your home, please don't hesitate to CONTACT US anytime. We will be glad to come out, take measurements, discuss your ideas, offer some of our own, and hopefully work together to improve the quality and value of your  home.

Thank You, Roger Beesley

Please call us at  703-330-3486, or email us here ,