There’s nothing as warm and welcoming as a crackling fire in an open fireplace. The dancing flames can lift your spirits and melt away the most stressful day in a matter of minutes. But to truly be ...

I was recently asked to build a custom fireplace mantel to cover up a painted brick fireplace with a wood top shelf. The existing fireplace brick was corbelled out to create a 6-in. shelf, and the ...

Dear James: It’s a mess carrying firewood indoors, so I want to modernize my old brick fireplace with one that uses gas logs. Are there any tips on how to do this project myself? — Kathy H. Dear Kathy ...