Building Custom Fireplace Built-Ins With Solid Maple Countertops
This project started the way many do—just an idea and an empty space on each side of a fireplace. The client knew they wanted built-ins, but the details were wide open. We worked through everything together: cabinet dimensions, depth, door style, overlay amount, hinge placement, hardware spacing, paint, stain, and even the edge profile on the maple tops. It was a team effort to take a blank wall and turn it into something functional, balanced, and custom to their home.
Once we had the plan dialed in, I headed to the shop to begin the build. These kinds of projects look straightforward, but they’re packed with precision and thought. You are building mirror images, so while its the same activities, you have to think what side you are doing the work on. And labeling becomes your best friend. The cases were built from ¾″ plywood, cut and assembled to fit each side of the fireplace with just enough room for scribing to uneven walls. Because the face frames were going on onsite, every inch of the cabinet boxes had to be square and true—any twist would show up later when the doors were installed.
Next came the hardwood face frames. I milled everything from 4/4 stock down to clean, straight 1½″ rails and stiles. Face frames are the backbone of a built-in—they give the entire piece structure and a clean, furniture-quality look—so I always take the time to joint, plane, and glue them up with tight joinery and smooth seams.
The doors were their own project. I built eight shaker-style doors using 2″ rails and stiles with floating ¼″ MDF panels. Before assembly, I pre-painted the panel edges so no raw MDF would show later if the wood moved. It’s a small step that takes extra time but makes the final product look cleaner and more professional. After assembly, each door was sanded, primed, and finished with Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane—a durable cabinet paint that gives a smooth, crisp finish.
Then came the countertops, which were a highlight of this project. I used 8/4 hard maple for a final thickness of about 1⅝″. After milling the boards flat and square, I glued them up into wide, clean panels, then added a roundover on the top edge and a chamfer underneath for a balanced, modern look. Maple takes stain differently than other woods, so I tested several samples before landing on the right tone. Once stained with Minwax, the tops were sealed with TotalBoat Halcyon, which gives a warm, natural sheen without yellowing.
Installation day is where everything comes together—and where the real test of the build happens. Walls are never straight, floors are never perfectly level (surprisingly these were), and built-ins have to look like they’ve always been there. I leveled each cabinet, attached the face frames onsite, and installed the maple tops. Hanging the doors required fine-tuning to get even reveals across all eight—something I always take my time with, because that’s what gives the final project its polished look.
Once everything was in place, the transformation was instant. The fireplace went from floating on its own to being anchored by two clean, balanced, functional built-ins. The white shaker doors tied into the room’s style, and the maple tops brought in warmth and texture. As a finishing touch, I branded the underside of each top—a small signature from my shop to the homeowner.
This project was a great reminder of why I love custom woodworking: the process, the problem-solving, the craftsmanship, and the final moment when everything fits just right. What started as a pair of empty walls is now a centerpiece of the home, and I’m proud to have built it from the ground up. You can see pictures of the process and the final product here.