Can I paint a marble mantelpiece?

You can, but it is rarely a good idea. Paint struggles to key properly to the polished stone surface. It tends to flake off quickly when exposed to the heat of a working fire. Removing modern paint from old marble requires aggressive chemical strippers. This often dulls the original polish and leaves a massive restoration job.

My builder says the opening on this cast iron surround is too small for a modern stove, so what are my options?

You are limited by the original casting. Cutting the cast iron to widen the opening ruins the structural integrity. The whole piece might fracture under stress. If the stove needs more clearance, you will have to set the surround further forward on a deeper hearth.

How are wooden mantels attached?

Most wooden surrounds rely on discrete metal brackets. These fixings screw into the masonry of the chimney breast and hide behind the outer edge of the jambs. Sometimes they just use heavy mirror plates rebated into the back edge of the timber. You fix those flat against the wall before plastering up to the edge.

There is a large crack right across the central tablet of the slate surround in the dining room, does this mean it has to come out?

Not necessarily. Slate often develops stress fractures from decades of thermal expansion and contraction. If the pieces are still securely held by the plaster backing against the chimney breast, it can stay in place. Specialist restorers can fill the crack with coloured resin. They polish the repair flush with the surface, making it far less obvious. Pulling the whole piece out often causes more damage to the brittle edges.

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Antique Mantelpieces

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Serving as the architectural frame around a fireplace opening, an antique mantelpiece combines a projecting shelf for display with vertical jambs that protect the surrounding wall from soot and heat.