How to Remodel a Fireplace

Many homeowners choose to remodel their fireplaces as part of overall renovation projects, so that the fireplace has a uniform look with the rest of the room. While you can usually purchase complete fireplace kits from home-improvement stores for a few hundred dollars, which include both a mantel and the surround, you can remodel a fireplace for even less with a little creativity.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Home improvement magazines
• Heat-resistant paint
• Your choice of brick or tiling
• Fireplace surround
• Industrial-strength adhesives
• Mortar
• Chisel
• Mason's hammer
• Power drill

1. Browse through home-improvement magazines to generate ideas on how you want your new fireplace to look. Because it's essential for your fireplace to match the overall design scheme of the room, you should also take any planned interior renovations into account before you make a decision.

2. Choose between brick or marble for the facade of your new fireplace. Brick has classic appeal, but marble has become fashionable in recent years for its sleek, unique appearance. Marble is also an excellent alternative for refurbishing a brick fireplace, since you can simply lay the marble over the brick without having to knock out the existing brickwork.

3. Take accurate measurements from every conceivable angle that you'll be dealing with as you remodel your fireplace. Double check to ensure that your measurements are correct, and make certain that you acquire the correct quantities of uniform marble, tiles or bricks. Otherwise, you may have to substitute off shades of marble, tile or brick in order to complete your project, which will detract from the overall look of the finished product.

4. Visit your local home-improvement store to purchase the supplies you need. You'll find a wide variety of bricks, tiling options and marble facades for fireplaces at most home-improvement stores, as well as all the tools and supplies you'll need for the job. You can also ask store associates for helpful tips and tricks to use on the job.

5. Start from the top, and work your way down if you need to remove and replace old bricks. A mason's hammer or power-drill set will be of enormous help to you if you need to undertake this task as part of your fireplace remodeling. Chisel off any leftover mortar once you're done to make the wall surface as flat as possible before you overlay the new bricks.

6. Reduce the mess--and your labor--by laying new tile or marble right over top of old marble, tile or brick. Anticipate the need to cut tile or marble to fit the required dimensions. You may be able to have that done for you at the store where you bought your supplies if you can supply them with accurate measurements.

7. Use special, heat-resistant paint if you want to update the appearance of your gas fireplace's outer casing. This will prevent blisters from forming on the casing the first time you fire up the fireplace after applying new paint. Beware, though--some heat-resistant paint can cause allergic reactions if its fumes are inhaled or if it contacts the skin of sensitive individuals.

8. Attach your new surround last, once you have finished with all repainting and resurfacing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have the money in your budget, you can simply purchase a custom fireplace. It's possible to get an attractive, custom-built fireplace facade for under $1,000.