Last night on Debbie Travis' Facelift show on HGTV they resurfaced a fireplace that seemed so easy to do. Her carpenters put 1/4 inch plywood over the brick fireplace and they then used spackle over that wood to make it look like limestone. Her wonderful painter, Jim, then used umber and a gold to make the spackle look like limestone. It was beautiful. She has a book out called "Debbie Travis Decorating Solutions" that has fireplace remodeling in it. Hope this helps.

I read all of the postings and would like to see pictures and/or detailed info on how to reface this wall of bricks.
Would like to use ceramic tiles.

Yes, pictures please!

I am going to use stucco. Found a local stucco plant and bought enough to do the fireplace and an ajoining wall. Will have to install metal lath for this one do to an older coating placed on the brick.

I just now saw this thread.

I had a ugly 70's floor to ceiling red brick one that I cleaned, primed, and painted. I then took tile and tlled the hearth, and all around the opening in a complementary color to the painted brick. I love it, and wished I had done it sooner. Counting the paint, primer, tile and thinset, I only spent about $50 and some elbow grease in it.

If anyone wants to see a pic, I will post one.

Donna

DGO1223--Yes, I would appreciate if you would post pics.

I also have an ugly 60s/70s floor-to-ceiling brick monstrosity, so this forum has been very helpful.

One thing I haven't seen addressed, though, is a raised brick hearth. I don't suppose I can remove it--does it structurally anchor the fireplace and chimney?

If it's not structurally significant, then maybe removing it is an option.

Any thoughts?

Other than removal of the raised hearth, any suggestions for how to beautify it (assuming we are going to cover/disguise the brick in some way?

Thanks!

We had a horrid 70's floor to ceiling brick fireplace. Previous owners had a thin, small mantel built. It was out of scale with the rest of the room.

We had a new mantel built, and painted the brick. (We want to dry stack stone, but that'll have to wait....)

Here's a before and after.

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renofan, that is really lovely.You've done a nice job of warming up your space. Where did you get your mantel?

bziemba, We had our carpenter make the mantel when he was building our kitchen cabinets. Actually, he asked if he could do it. He hated our old one so much! LOL!! I guess those "craftsmen" just can't stand seeing subpar construction....

I think we have twin's - twin houses that is. Question for you about the refacing the brick:

Would you recommend having the refacing done first or the tile work (which in our case we are going to use slate)?

I am thinking that if we get the entire brick resurfaced and then put the slate over it as a hearth (I guess that is what it is called ie, novice that I am) it will be too bulky.

I am imagining that we get the slate done first and then the mason sufaces around it, but I just don't know!

t.

I haven't seen my problem here - maybe it's something only a local builder did.
First of all, it's that extra-long flat brick (as opposed to "real" bumpy brick); second, it's a very ugly dark red (no differing tones like clay brick); third, it's longer than it is tall, which makes it imposing and does nothing for the wall; and finally - and this is the odd thing - they installed a cantalevered concrete slab about 12" off the floor for a hearth. The edge is rough to imitate a broken stone slab. It's painted black. I could probably live with that if the brick wasn't, well, brick, but underneath it's supported with three metal supports that run from the wall to near the edge, so matching whatever we put on top of the brick has to be cut around these stupid supports. We looked at examples of boxed in versions, but given that we want to diminish the sense of size of the fireplace in this rather small room, it didn't seem like a good option. Besides, they were ugly. We had thought we might just make a really wide mantel, but then it would have to end at that slab and start up again underneath. I think that would look silly.

If anyone else has redone this type of fireplace, I'd love to see before and after shots. Thanks!

Another plea for pictures ... please, please, please let us see pictures!!! I'm considering a fireplace makeover and need ideas, but I have a very hard time visualizing what you all are describing. You can post your photos on webshots, or yahoo or something like that, and then just add a link at the end of your message. Thanks.

While researching info on how to reface our ugly floor to ceiling 60's brick fireplace I came across this website. I thought any still in the refacing dilemma would like to see.

Here is a link that might be useful: Before/After pics of brick fireplaces refaced

I don't know if this helps but my Wife is a faux painter and they paint the brick on fireplaces to look like stone.
Here is ours before.
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And ours after
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Our neighbor's before.
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And after.
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I have a mid-50's home with a cement brick fireplace and wall I want to smooth out. Which is better - drywalling over the brick or plastering over it.
Would chipping the bricks away be an option??

We have just "unwrapped" our fireplace, which turns out to be red brick which had been encased in floor to ceiling paneling that was 8 feet wide. The chimney itself actually shoulders in partway up, and is in surprisingly good shape considering that it was clearly never intended to "show" -- a little rustic (rough mortar, etc.), but not unacceptable. We don't want the red color and want to downplay the "rustic" nature of the finishing work. We're considering whitewash, paint, or stucco. We plan to cover the surround, which has just been rebuilt with cinderblocks to allow for tiling, with multi-colored slate tiles. Does anyone have pictures of a stucco finish (either diy or professional job) on a chimney?

Also, are there any good sources for oversized screens (this fireplace opening is 48" wide by 33 inches high)? We're going for a fairly contemporary look, and love the bow-front stainless steel screens but can't find one large enough. Thanks for any suggestions!

Here is how I handled my floor to ceiling brick fireplace.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Photo's

I know this post is orginially pretty old, but I'm wondering about the cost of cultured stone over an existing brick fireplace. We have a two story brick fireplace in our great room that someone decided to use beige brown brick on. Yawn. I'd rather not rip it out if I can cover it up. Any idea how many $$$$ this will cost to cover it with cultured stone? It looks great from what I've seen.

To anyone out there that wants to reface a brick fireplace....Try centurionstone.com. There are some really beautiful cultured stones out there to drastically change the appearance of a boring, outdated brick fireplace. You can also go to homeclick.com to find some gorgeous and affordable new mantels or fireplace surrounds. Good luck!

To anyone out there that wants to reface a brick fireplace....Try centurionstone.com. There are some really beautiful cultured stones out there to drastically change the appearance of a boring, outdated brick fireplace. You can also go to homeclick.com to find some gorgeous and affordable new mantels or fireplace surrounds. Good luck!

I have this aweful fireplace. It is brick from ceiling to floor and in a corner also. My house is tuscan style. Any ideas?

Seems we are faced with a pretty common problem...that ugly 70's red brick fireplace. We want to reface with river rock to match our "cottage" look. Anyone ever tried this?

atmiller398,

I too love your wife's fireplace faux painting. You metion she is a faux painter - do you happen to live in the sacramento area? I'd like to see about hiring her for mine.
Thanks

I want to face my old brick (traditional) fireplace with granite, but the brick face already sticks out beyond the wall by at least an inch and then the big old wooden surround on top if that. If I put a 3/4" slab of granite all around and then try to put my wooden surround and mantle back on, will it look too boxy and stick out too far? Can the fireplace face bricks be cut back or is there a fire risk involved with reducing their width? Can you recommend anyone in Massachusetts who does this type of work? Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.

Misery loves company. Thank you all for the great ideas. I too have floor to ceiling painted brick wall around my fireplace and the painted brick raised hearth that runs the length of the wall. I would love to remodel/reface it and have been searching for ideas for years. I have additional problems to consider: removal of the three sets of protruding bricks that support the plank of wood which serves as a pathetic excuse for a mantel and do I cover or leave exposed the four vents near each corner of the fireplace opening which (I have been told) is supposed to vent hot air from fires back into my house. I would love any suggestions.

Here's what we did, all slate, covering an old sagging brick fireplace... (the couch is next in line for an upgrade!)

Here is a link that might be useful:

I just finished covering our brick fireplace and it came out beautiful and the brick was that old Mexican brick so it was rough and alot of jagged edges.
First we bullnozed the edges (made them round) then went over it with drywall mud about 3 times then I used the venetian plaster. I love my fire place now.

Linda, I love your fireplace -- there are so many different ideas that I like -- Missy, any chance of getting you to post a picture of yours? I think we're going to redo the kitchen and family room in a Santa-Fe type theme, would love to see what you did. Thanks.

blueiris as soon as I figure out how to use my digital camera I will post pictures before and after.

Missy, have you mastered that camera yet?! LOL I just came back here for more ideas and found my post from the spring -- still trying to decide which way to go.

We covered the top of our brick fireplace with sheetrock, the bottom with 12 x 12 marble tiles and built a new mantle, we love the look. You can check out my pictures to see the results.

Here is a link that might be useful: fireplace remodel

heres mine !! I love how it turned out good luck

Here is a link that might be useful: brick fireplace redo

Some very good information and tips here. Does anyone have any advice on the following: I have a pot bellied stove as a fireplace. It sits on a hearth in the corner of the room and is made of old crumbly brick which has seen its day. The two conjoining walls are also bricked up about half-way. I plan on re-facing the bottom brick and the back but can I marble all the way up and if so, what keeps the marble from falling?

I refaced my brick fireplace with black galaxy marble, and built a cherry mantle surround. I had trouble deciding whether to put the marble all the way to the floor, or use the cherry. Ended up with Cherry wood on bottom of hearth to floor. I really like it.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Fireplace Remodel Pictures

Any suggestions for this puppy appreciated. In good shape but not my color. Built in the late 1990's. Contractor told me it would cost $5000 to reface with corningstone!

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The scale of that room from what I can tell in the pictures demands something grand. Right idea with the builder putting floor to ceiling fireplace, wrong materials used and boring design. I think it would look very odd to sheetrock over the top and tile the bottom just because of the scale of the fireplace between those windows. Refacing floor to ceiling in a stone product seems like the way to go. Also put in a grander mantle , something with some substance and not just a mantle shelf.

oh yes, the mantle will be going. It's a ridiculous, useless thing that is 4 inches wide!

But corningstone--don't want a lodge look or southwestern. I haven't seen a product application that isn't one or the other.

What about building out the top part into a raised panel wood look (you'd have to make sure you follow fire codes for combustible materials). Use mouldings to give the top part of the fireplace some depth and stature. Paint the raised panels white, possibly mimic the arch of the windows. This would allow you to hang a nice piece of art up there but would still pull the eye up to the high ceilings. You still want the grandeur of a large fireplace in that room, but you want it to make a statement. Build a substantial mantle and surround, maybe use marble or granite or slate tiles as your surround tiles.

anyone either put mortar on top of their existing brick fireplace or use whitewash/limewash to cover up? I am trying to go for a NY Loft look...somewhat chalky looking, not finished perfectly look. Found something in a magazine that looks like it has mortar applied unevenly that looked pretty cool. Problem with all this is, once you start, there's no turning back. Not like painting a wall that you can change the color if you don't like it. Thanks

I just bought a home but it is only 4 years old and it has a floor to ceiling fireplace. It a gas fireplace - but the brick is not traditional rectangular bricks. It is like river stones, stacked and pieced together with mortar. The hearth is about 1 foot off the ground, so it already starts off bad. The mantle is 3 feet off the top of the fireplace. Do I drywall over it and box it in? Oh and the mantle has like concrete blocks ???? What were they thinking? I have looked at the pics here and they are beautiful, but all I have seen are TRUE brick fireplaces, whereas mine is stone. Thanks

I know this is an older thread, but I'm hoping someone can help. We have the floor-to-ceiling dark brick (not smooth), and are remodeling. All those I've spoken to around here are telling me we need to rip out the brick so as not to create a shadow box for the fire place. Also, my husband would like to hang an LCD tv (not plasma) over the mantel. Has anyone done such a project?

I have a floor to ceiling brick fireplace that is painted white. The hearth is 9" high. I need to tear down the hearth. It doesn't work with a toddler trying to "help" a crawling 8 month old. Tried babyproofing it, but no adhesive lasts that is eventually removable. Any suggestions what to do with this thing. I don't want to rip out the hearth and end up just put tile on the floor and it looking like crap, but I've got to do something soon. Thanks for any tips and suggestions.

bump

Anyone catch the Divine Design(Luxurious Family Room) episode where Candace refaced the fireplace with a product that looks fabulous and is described as looking like marble, heat proof and less expensive? It might be a good product but I have been unable to find the product name anywhere! Any thoughts...thanks
Gail

drystonemason - thanks for the offer! I wish you lived in Colorado.

My husband and I have a 70's wall o' brick. Really, the entire back wall of our den is covered in blond brick and the sides have custom built (70's style) cabinetry over the brick. We are planning to rip the cabinets out but our question is, what is the best way to reface this much brick? We plan to put travertine tile below the mantel to break up the look but on the rest of the wall, from what we have read, we have a few options.
1) Use a lime based plaster (not drywall compound) to fill in grout lines and eventually build up and smooth out to a rough, toweled on surface
2) Use mortar and stucco to achieve the same look.
3) Using drywall we can either frame out the whole wall and start over or use liquid nails (a lot of it) to put sheetrock on the areas that are not tiled.

Hoping you might have some suggestions on what the easiest route would be considering it IS a whole wall. I will see if I can get a picture to insert which might be helpful.

If the brick is not sealed or painted, you could use mortar to create a scratch coat and apply stone. You could do the same with thin-set to apply tile. Add an acrylic additive to the mortar or latex to the thin set. You can also do any of your suggestions. They are all good.

How can I find a contractor who can help me reface my brick fireplace. Is there a directory of these people some where? My goal is to cover the exsisting red brick with something else if possible.

We have a 20 year old fireplace done with new used brick. The color is mostly pink. Not pretty.

We are adding a mantle with legs and refacing the lower portion and hearth with tumbled stone tile.

We want to cover the upper portion with sheetrock.

Is it best to used liquid nails to adhere the sheetrock?

Should we put a layer of OSB behind the sheetrock?

Should the upper portion be sheetrocked before the mantle is installed?

PLEASE HELP!!!

THANK YOU!

Hi all,
We have a 1980's house with 2 brick fireplaces. The downstairs one we knocked out the brick and drywalled it in and it looks fabulous and modern - but it was a lot of work! Upstairs we don't plan on doing a major reno so don't want to go to that extent of work. Now that we have painted the walls, the reddish colour of the brick doesn't look so bad. But now we need a new mantle. We want something contemporary and will likely paint or stain it black to match the black hearth. Anyone have any brick fireplace reno photos where they didn't cover up or paint the brick?

Thanks!

I have a 60's house with a prominent reddish brick fireplace to the ceiling and matching brick arches on either side of the fireplace--
would love some suggestions on modernizing the dated look and contractors that do that kind of work in Houston.