I wouldn't put anything flammable down on that hearth surface!

I mean, you could paint, but the massiveness of the fake stone will probably remain. It's worth getting a fireplace person to at least give you an estimate for smashing it all down and replacing it with brick or something else that you'd prefer. Is this your main living space, or a basement, or...?

That's not fake stone. That looks like real stone to me. I doubt you want peel and stick tiles for your hearth. If you have a gas fireplace insert, you can probably paint the cement. Otherwise, you need something that can take the heat. I'd do a proper tile, if that's the look you prefer.

It’s my living room fireplace. I would use heat tolerant paint or tiles.

don't use cheesy peel and stick anything on that hearth.

get a good cleaner for it, and then think about doing a concrete stain.

Or, tile over it w/a zellige tile.

youcan remove all those stones (it's not that difficult) or you could try firring it out, putting up cement board, and tiling over the whole thing

you could try doing something like this

you can do a heavy mortar wash over the rock if you like

https://buildingbluebird.com/fireplace/

this one she did plaster over the stone

https://nestingwithgrace.com/rock-wall-diy-painted-white-rock/

or, if you really want to redo it, just keep the center firebox and do something diff on the sides

Thank you so much!!! I got so many great ideas from that. You are the best!

You have concrete molded 'rock' on the face of the fireplace. You either coat it with something or tear it off.

Easy way to remove the fake stone veneer wall facing

Love that video about removing it. It looks hard to remove, but maybe not. Thank you very much.

If you actually use the firebox I would caution you painting/staining the rock white. When I was a tween we rented a home with a brick fireplace that had been painted white. The soot stain above the firebox is what I remember most about how that all looked. White is not friendly where fire/soot is near.

I love the rocks but you meed to decide what works for you I have ahuge stone FP that I thought I would hate but turned out to my fave in the whole plac e. I think the hearth is good as is and peel and stick anything will be a down grade. Give the rocks areally good cleaning for sure then any more help comes from showing us th whole spaace withyour stuff.

I painted my brick fireplace white and it cleans right up. I also painted the brick hearth white, and that gets dirtier and needs to be cleaned a couple times a season. Scrub with TSP, sponge with water, maybe 30 minutes tops. I would do the hearth gray since that is the color of the ash that dirties it. But the white brick surround is fine.

If you are ok with lime or white washing the stone, you can leave the hearth as is.

Will you show pictures of the rest of the space so we can offer suggestions that work with the entire room?

If you do plan on painting/ washing/ liming the stone be very careful to choose a technique that respects the texture and variations of the stone. Often when people try to update brick and stone around a fireplace, the finished product is lighter but also ends up looking like a blob. No texture or variation.

Finally, you need to find a technique that works with the color tones in the rest of the room. Many times updated fireplace colors are too cool for the space - cold white or cold gray.

I suggest you whitewash the entire wall and install a mantel. Here's the idea. I also suggest you test the whitewash until you obtain the tone you like.

palimpset, you're right about the wood. but not everyone understands what "firring' out means. That was the best visual I could find. I would hope before anyone undertakes a DIY project they would do some research and check into local building codes. Or, hiring someone that knows how to do it.

I believe it's usually 12" around the top of the box, and 8" on the side. So, firring it out w/wood and keeping a foot distance around the box would be more than enough caution.

there. fixed it.

(and really, putting cement board over those slats, covered w/mortar and another tile, the surface isn't going to get so hot as to combust the little bit of wood buried beneath the 3" of cement and clay. If you light a fire and can come over and put your hands on the brick near the box and not get burned, you'll be fine. People burn a log or two in there, not smelting iron)

Personlly I'd remove the rock altogether, but some people like to keep the original parts of a home, even if it's buried.

nursenunez based on the video, taking down the fake rock looks easier than removing wallpaper from drywall, however, weight and disposal are the issues to consider.

After its complete you'll have a flat surface to either paint or apply a new material.

This is polished plaster

This is limewashed

This is Ship Lap wood on the walls.

This is large format porcelain tile

Those are very nice. Thank you I appreciate the suggestion and description of each.