Hanging Elk on Fireplace

[treillw]

Building a house. Want the contractor to install a bolt in the masonry to hang a future elk on the fireplace.

How much height should you have above the bolt so things look good?

Better to wait and just do it later? (which will be a pain)

Thanks!

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Installing a anchor later on would be no problem. I know I have done it. And what ever you do, don't fire up the BBQ just yet.

 

[Jbehredt]

Can be done later. I’ve got antlers over mine.

 

[WCB]

I would just do it later. We have done a couple and its really not an issue.

Also, how high are the ceilings?

 

[5MilesBack]

It just depends on how high your ceilings are and how close you want the bottom of the mount to your mantle. And every bull is a different size mount from highest tip to bottom of the mount. And then you also need clearance to be able to lift the mount onto the bolt.

 

[Justinjs]

65" for mine, top to bottom.
Edit, they are all different. Mines not a monster either.

 

[Laramie]

May take a few years to get that bull. Wait to do it for sure.

 

[HornPorn]

I have a spike in my fireplace that has been there since 1937 when the cabin was built. Guy that built it had a sailfish hanging there in 1950 when we bought it from him. We had a whitetail hanging until 2019, then I hung a mountain caribou up there.

You will find something else to hang on it until you get your elk. How much room will you have above your mantle before you get to a rafter or cieling?

 

[Breddoch]

If you are married, ask your wife. Anything these guys say will be wrong.

I used a tapcon in the mortar joint over mine. It works, no trouble.

 

[stonewall]

Careful with hanging stuff on fire place. Heat can be hard on taxidermy

 

[tdot]

If even remotely worried about positioning, its pretty easy to install threaded sockets. Install 4 or 5, spaced ever 4-6" or so, that'll give you a couple of feet to play with. If installed discreetly, they'll be invisible, even before anything is hanging there.

 

[4rcgoat]

Steel plate with rod welded on to it.

 

[Laelkhunter]

As stonewall stated, heat can be real hard on mounts. Also, the soot, smoke, and etc will darken it over time.

 

[Billy Goat]

What kind of masonry?

If it's actual stone and not veneer I would do something while it's being built. Otherwise just add it later where it needs to go.

 

[def90]

Just have the carpenters install blocking between the studs and then you can drill and install a lag bolt anywhere you want down the road.

If it’s going to be stone same thing, there should be wood frame behind the stone, in that case drill through the stone so that you can lag in to the wood blocking behind it. If masonry block with stone on top then drill and set an epoxied anchor in the stone and block.

 

[MosquitoCoast]

Building a house. Want the contractor to install a bolt in the masonry to hang a future elk on the fireplace.

How much height should you have above the bolt so things look good?

Better to wait and just do it later? (which will be a pain)

Thanks!

I am a General Contractor and own a construction company. I also have my European Moose Mount (65" wide spread so its heavy) over my own fire place. If you do not put backing behind the masonry to hold the anchor you should not expect decorative wall masonry to hold the anchor in place. You absolutely must have some type of hard backing behind the masonry. Depending on how your fire place is built this could be accomplished in several ways and you should ask your contractor the best way. Any anchor you set will need to extend past the masonry into the substrate backing that will hold the anchor in place.

 

[Drenalin]

When I need blocking for signs, canopies, etc. over stud walls, I sheath with plywood in those locations instead of Durock or glass matt. Plenty of wiggle room to get those elements installed exactly where they need to go later. If hollow block instead of studs, I'm using more than one epoxy anchor. If filled block, your options are extensive.

If it were mine, I'd install the anchor(s) later. And I wouldn't use a hammer drill on the veneer.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

New construction, just have contractor put good backing under masonry. Then put hanger at desired height.