Oak Fireplace Shelf with Corbels

Each fireplace shelf is made to order in our Yorkshire workshop in small production runs. Please allow 1 to 2 weeks for us to build and finish it before it is dispatched. We always aim to meet this lead time, though during busier periods it can occasionally take a little longer. Once dispatched, you will receive a confirmation email with tracking details, and your order is sent on a tracked courier service, carefully packaged to arrive safely. Please open your shelf as soon as it arrives to let the wood breathe.

This fireplace shelf and its corbels are cut from high quality solid oak, the same timber front to back with no MDF core and no veneer. Air drying brings out the natural grain and colour, and oak deepens in tone as it ages.

Material: solid air dried oak
Shelf: 15cm deep, 10cm thick
Length: made to order, 70cm to 160cm
Corbels: two solid oak, 15cm tall, supplied separately
Total height including corbels: approximately 25cm
Fixings: keyhole fixings set into the back of the shelf and into the back of each corbel — screws and wall plugs included
Finish: choice of seven oil finishes
Suitable for: solid masonry, or stud walls where the fixings go into the timber uprights
Handmade in Yorkshire
Lead time: 1 to 2 weeks
Tolerance: approximately 10mm on all dimensions, as a handmade natural wood product

Our Oak Fireplace Shelves

Every oak fireplace shelf is handcrafted from solid, premium air dried oak. Air dried timber keeps all of its natural character and will show its own grain, knots and colour. Once installed, the shelf will continue to dry out as it settles into your home and may develop small cracks and splits over time. This is completely normal for solid oak, it is part of the character of the wood and is not classed as a defect. If you would prefer timber that moves less, please take a look at our Modern range, which is made from kiln dried oak.

Colour and finish

Each shelf is finished by hand in your chosen oil, and no two pieces of oak take the finish in quite the same way. Colours can also look slightly different from one screen to another. These natural variations are normal and are not a fault.

How it goes up

The shelf and the two corbels are separate pieces. Each one hangs on its own keyhole fixings, already set into the back before it leaves the workshop. The shelf goes up first, then the corbels are marked off the shelf itself.

1. Draw a level line for the top of the shelf, transfer the keyhole positions onto it, then drill and plug.

2. Drive the screws leaving about 3mm proud of the wall, bring both keyholes over the heads and slide the shelf down until it locks flush.

3. Hold each corbel up to the underside of the shelf, pencil round it, then transfer its keyhole position inside that outline. Drill, fix, and hang the corbel the same way.

Download the full fitting instructions (PDF) →

What's included

The shelf and two corbels, with keyhole fixings already fitted to each. Screws and wall plugs are supplied. You'll need your own drill, a screwdriver, a spirit level, a tape measure and a pencil. Use the drill size marked on the wall plugs.

What your wall needs to be

Solid brick or block is best, with a minimum 60mm depth to fix into. On a stud wall the fixings must go into the timber uprights, not the plasterboard. Solid oak is heavy, so the fixing has to be into something that will carry it.

If your chimney breast is dot-and-dab plasterboard over blockwork, common in 1980s and 1990s houses, the screws need to reach the blockwork behind. That means longer fixings than the standard kit. Send us a message before you order and we'll confirm the right approach for your wall.

Taking it down again

Corbels first, then the shelf. Each part lifts straight back off its screws, so it can come down for decorating and go back on the same fixings.

Fitting above a stove

Oak is combustible. The safe distance is set by your stove manufacturer, not by us — it's in your appliance's installation manual and it varies between models. Your installer should be HETAS registered. If you're unsure, send us your stove model and fireplace measurements and we'll help you work out what works.

Please have it installed by a competent person or professional.