Brick Fireplace Makeover With Tile – Yes, you can install tiles directly over a brick fireplace! Learn how to renovate an old brick and fireplace surround and tile a fireplace for a fresh, modern look!
After tearing down the fireplace and removing many of the ugly peach marble tiles, I found the original 1946 brick fireplace. It took some work to smooth out the rough surface and prepare it for tiles, but now it has been beautifully transformed. Fireplace with stone and glass tiles!
Brick Fireplace Makeover With Tile
After hammering and shoveling, I found the original 1946 brick fireplace.
Our Diy Faux Brick Fireplace
I then made a fireplace out of cement board to bring the height up to the floor, then raised the center a bit higher (you’ll soon see why!).
I removed the front of the gas port and will get a fresh coat of high heat black spray paint to cover all the brass. I should have done this before running the demo, but I couldn’t figure out how to remove it! After removing the last screw, it fell to the ground. Good thing I haven’t installed the marble slab yet!
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Inside the old brick fireplace were a few mortar blocks as well as chips that would have removed the ugly peach tile.
Diy Fireplace Makeover: How To Add Brick To A Fireplace :
Before covering the brick with a new decorative tile, the surface should be leveled. This is especially important for the mosaic stone and glass tiles that I use. Small pieces can get caught in cracks and crevices, leaving the new floor unstable.
Thoroughly scrub the entire surface of the brick fireplace with a wire brush, then vacuum. Adding these fibers helped loosen whatever was stuck in the cracks and crevices.
Apply a thin layer of sealant to the brick using the flat side of a small nozzle. I found it easier to use a narrower mouthpiece. Apply a thin layer to all corners and crevices of the brick, adding more as needed to smooth the surface.
Once you’ve covered most of the brick, use the flat side of a large tile trowel to remove the excess. I left the tile on the inside of the fireplace to have a straight line when I added the new fireplace tile later.
How To Tile Over A Brick Hearth
I played endlessly with the thin set, dropping the high notes and filling in the low notes. It was helpful to look at the fireplace from above to see if something was missing.
The demolition caused extensive damage to the brick-to-plasterboard joint. The new tiles go over the brick with a beautiful wood veneer around it. So while the thin layer was drying, I decided to cover the thin plywood and clean the drywall fireplace.
Check local building codes when using combustible materials in your fireplace! Standard building codes say it should be no closer than 6 inches from the furnace opening, with an extra inch for every ⅛ inch above that. Please don’t burn down your house!
I cut the plywood at the store so it was easy to attach it to the studs around the fireplace with my Ryobi Airstrike nails.
Smart Tiles Diy Fireplace Makeover
After adding the fireplace mantle, the seams and nail holes are filled with wood filler. Since there is a clear difference between the appearance of brick and plywood, installing fireplace tiles will be much easier!
I started with the hearth board because its final height will determine where the first row of hearth boards will begin. If your fireplace does not have a hearth, you can go to the next section.
Only four tiles were needed for the entire field, but this box of six tiles allowed me to play around with placement. I wanted the natural pattern of the marble to flow from one slab to the next, cut from one slab.
With black stripes that look like tiger stripes, the two tiles actually look like they came from the same tile. I centered them and chose the closest match to either end. They each had painters tape on them so I remembered how they were positioned.
Before And After Painted Brick Fireplace Makeovers
I had to cut the two end boards to match the raised part of the fireplace. Marble is a soft stone and its cut edges can be slightly trimmed with a tile saw. Fortunately, it can be easily sanded to get a smooth edge.
These large format tiles require special thin padding to prevent sagging. They line up well with the edges of the cement backer board, with 1/16-inch intervals for smaller grout lines.
I used these beautiful polished marble square tiles for the outer border. I decided to use liquid nails instead of thinset for the marble and glue them to the backboard. I wanted to avoid the stickiness on hardwood floors and this gave me more control over the application. A quarter-round tile floats above the hardwood floor to allow for the expansion and contraction of the seasons.
It took a few irregular cuts to line up the cut corners. Good thing I have extra tiles! Fill the holes with mortar; the entire edge appears uniform.
Fireplace Mantel Surround
The trim goes around the corner of the fireplace, so I cut a quarter round slot to accommodate it. It took a few passes between the tiles to get it right!
After placing a piece of quarter round board over the liquid nails, it was held in place with painters tape. They hardened so quickly that they are now rock hard!
Installing the rest of the fireplace tiles was very simple. I started by drying the mosaic tiles and replacing some of the dark glass tiles with neutral stones.
The gas port was black and I wanted to lighten the look. When the fireplace tiles are installed, remove the unnecessary tile grid supports and add new ones with additional grout.
Fireplace Makeover On A £10 Budget
Before the thin layer sets, nail a 1×2 to the top of the hole to prevent the slab from sagging in the oven. Make sure the board is completely flat and level!
Place the first row of tiles on top of the backing board. If you are using large tiles, cut them to fit around the fireplace.
The spacing of these mosaic tiles is somewhat inconsistent. I had to choose between leaving a small gap at the top or splitting the top row of tiles in half.
Since the edges of the tiles will be covered with a fireplace insert later, I decided to leave a gap at the top. The layer behind the tile matches the tile and fills each area with tile.
Brick Fireplace Ideas To Elevate Your Home
Allow the grout to settle on the top row of tiles before removing the bottom tile. This will prevent sagging and misalignment of the tiles.
Walk down the sides of the fire until you reach the stove. Again, I had to choose between a small slice of tile at the bottom or a carved hole. I wanted to keep the tile all the way around the fireplace, so where the wall tile meets the fireplace is filled with tile.
Once all the tiles are installed (check the grout bag for drying time), it’s time to grout! I used sand free grout on both the perimeter and the stove. Unsmoothed grout is ideal for grout lines up to ⅛ inch and won’t scratch glass tiles like the smoothed varieties do. Learn more about smoothing and unsmoothing!
Spread it on the tile surface with the mortar held at an angle of 45 degrees. Move the floating tiles at different angles to ensure that all empty spaces are filled. Then wipe the tiles with a damp cloth or sponge.
Fireplace Remodel Ideas: Mantels, Inserts, And Tiles
When tile around a fireplace is attached to the fireplace, use sealant instead of grout. Flexible sheeting allows the two vertical surfaces to move independently without cracking when the house is in place.
I am so proud of how the fireplace tile turned out! The combination of glass tile and stone provides a nice contrast of texture and keeps it from looking too shiny.
You have done a great job! I couldn’t do it all alone! Looks like a builder did it! Thanks for sharing Monday! Hope to see you next week!
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