·      All measuring is done from a centre line. So, the first job is to find the centre of the heater and mark this position on the wall. Then measure the centre of the mantel and mark this on the top of the Mantel shelf. 

·      Place the mantel against the wall in position, so that the wall centre line and the mantel centre line match up. 

·      Use a spirit level to check that it is straight. Use wedges under the legs to correct if necessary.

·      Using a pencil, draw a line on the wall, around the Mantel edge to mark its desired position. 

·      If the wall is painted, prepare the wall surface area by removing 40mm of paint just inside the traced line. This is done by keying or scratching the wall. Brush the wall to remove any dust. 

·      Using a paint brush, dampen the scratched area and edge of mantle with clean water.

·      Following the instructions on the bag, mix the cornice cement to a thick creamy consistency. Tip, don’t over mix as the more you mix the quicker it sets. 

·      Apply the cornice cement liberally to the back edge of the Mantel using a paint scraper. 

·      Place the Mantel into position against the wall. Tip, moving the mantel up and down against the wall, will insure the it is as tight as possible against the wall and will also force the excess cement to ooze out the edges filling any gaps. Tip, A timber prop can be used to hold the mantel firmly in place until the adhesive sets usually 45 minutes.

·      While cement is setting, and before it goes hard, remove the majority of excess with a paint scraper.  When cement is almost hard, wipe the mantel edges and the wall with a damp cloth, to remove any final traces of cement.