Asked on Apr 22, 2014

How to refinish a brick fire place.

I have a brick fireplace, and have seen on tv different ways to paint and refinish them but not sure what else I can do to update and make it more inviting it seems dark in my room. Also would like to mount a flat screen on it but wondering if I do will I be able to use the fire place to burn wood, or will the heat be harmful, Seen them on TV also but not sure how it all works or what to do. Any suggestions.
  25 answers
  • You may want to try a concrete or masonry type paint or stain (I would do a light grey with the colors I see in your photos). If you could add some wood mouldings with a mantel that would be just gorgeous! When mounting the tv to brick, that would require a masonry drill bit with the proper mounting hardware (I don't see any reason why you can't mount it into brick...people do it all the time)! Good luck and please post photos upon completion!
    • @Sonja Oswald ~ Vintage Treasures Too Thank you very much I am not a good decorator, going to take more pics of my living room I have white wood work and would like your opinion.
  • Tammy Tammy on Apr 24, 2014
    I used paint and followed the steps recommended from a company called Brick Anew and it turned out beautiful. It doesn't look painted but looks like actual bricks that were made to look white. Here is a link. http://www.brick-anew.com/?utm_source=bing|yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brick-Anew+Brand%28Bing+Ads%29
  • Jen Clemons Jen Clemons on Apr 24, 2014
    On TV, I've seen them either create a beautiful wood mantle box or stucco over the brick. Hope that gives you some ideas.
  • You are so very welcome! Would love to see more pics and give you my opinion! I'll look forward to them!
  • Mary Smith Mary Smith on Apr 24, 2014
    We had our brick wall covered with stone and added sandstone hearth and mantle. Looks great!
  • Sonja, In the closeup image you can see a dark stain from the heat source. If you installed a TV, it would get the same treatment, probably not ideal for a TV, You might consider installing a mantel to separate the heat source. A wood or stone textured mantel can be built with the same concrete overlay as the fireplace. You can view fireplace remodels at the link below. You are located in there service area and can request a quote using the form at the bottom of the website page. http://www.signature-concrete-stain.com/fireplace-design-ideas.html
  • Therese C Therese C on Apr 24, 2014
    Just a quick drawing idea for your fireplace. I would start by painting the bricks a 'natural, natural color' to go with your room..shades of white, barely noticeable shades of grays and peach? Then I would do something like the drawing I worked up. Fairly easy and subtle work that makes a huge impact. Good luck! Post after pictures of whatever it is you decide to do!
  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on Apr 24, 2014
    As is, it overpowers the room. I'd go with a paint - you can change your mind later if you want a more expensive approach. Agree a mantle would add interest, and it might prevent the dark stains from harming the TV as provides a bit of a barrier.
  • Jackie Prim Jackie Prim on Apr 24, 2014
    I painted my large fireplace with hi gloss Valspar white for concrete It opened the room up. I'm not fond of TV's over fireplaces It kinda takes the beauty away from the FP. What ever you decide. Enjoy It!
  • Janice Laprise Janice Laprise on Apr 24, 2014
    Do you really want the TV that high up to comfortably watch? Heat from a fireplace is definitely an issue when mounting the TV above.
  • Karon Nelson Roberts Karon Nelson Roberts on Apr 26, 2014
    I would go to a Hardscape place and get some stone-- a friend got leftover stone(stone pieces that are left after large stone is cut) at a discount and redid her fp. No TV~~ the heat from the fp even with a mantle could harm the electrics in the TV and will take away from the beautiful "Makeover" fp. Good Luck!
  • Ozzys Girl Ozzys Girl on Apr 27, 2014
    We had that same fireplace. So we covered it with Airstone from Lowes. You just glue it on with the glue that goes with Airstone, its 75% lighter than stone but looks like real stone. You cut it with a hack saw we got a blade and used our circular saw. You dont see brick anymore. Check it out on my pinterest board of house updates or message me.
  • Thanks for the info, how do I find your pinterest board?
  • Ozzys Girl Ozzys Girl on Apr 29, 2014
    I`m under Jody Osborn. You have to use more glue than what they say we had to buy 1 extra bucket. Its because the bricks are not flat and wanted to make sure it stuck, and it did. Still have to cover the mantel holders I want corbels and haven`t found the right ones yet. And the cap for the top of fireplace we have to go have cut just have not had time yet. Le tme know what you think?
  • Reta Minnis Reta Minnis on Oct 18, 2014
    I used stone spray paint to paint over a brick wall behind my wood stove. Valspar and Rustoleum both have one. I have used both but it was Rustoleum one the bricks behind the stove. I bought two shades of gray. I painted the whole thing one color first and decided I wanted a little contrast so I took a piece of cardboard and cut out the size of one of the bricks and put a light coat over one brick every so often. I loved it and so did everyone that saw it. I put my flat screen tv over the fireplace at my sisters house but we made a cover to put over it with 1x4 barn wood and found a picture to put inside. Then when they weren't watching tv it just looked like a nice picture above the mantel. You could also use a mirror you frame to put over it.
  • Pat Pat on Dec 18, 2014
    A mantel would help deflect the heat and would break up the large expanse. What kind of decor do you have and how big is your budget?
  • Christina Christina on Dec 30, 2014
    Another idea to do along with adding a mantle and trim is paint a wash over all or some of the bricks. You could make the bricks look slightly different from each other and tint the bricks with other colors in the room and even paint some solid so the bricks look like some were reused. To make a wash thin a little acrylic latex paint with water and brush or roll on. You can add more paint to make the color more intense. Another idea is just tiling over the brick after building the wood surround. My brother-in-law used glass mosaic tiles--beautiful! I think he was able to put them on top of the brick after applying a coat of something to smooth out the bricks.
  • Christina Christina on Dec 30, 2014
    If you darken the wall paint and use a golden khaki or some other neutral the bricks won't stand out as much.
  • We sheetrocked over our brick fireplace.. purchased a new mantel And tiled around the inside of mantel. Which was easy with sheet glass tile and new stick on mastic sheets.. and then grout.
    • Pollyanna Sidell Pollyanna Sidell on Dec 14, 2016

      That is beautiful!! Mine is exposed on all four sides and shows up the vaulted ceiling through the roof. Even though it is white washed in various pattern it's too much.

  • this was before.. you can do it... even at that.. it will look like the wall then you draw the eye down to the fireplace ....and add a mantle to separate it.

  • Julie M. Julie M. on Dec 15, 2016

    We put in stack stone. My 12 foot ceilings made it a four day project to let it set and stabilize by layers but it worked out well and I found real stone veneer "tiles" to do the job.

  • Pat11183342 Pat11183342 on Dec 15, 2016

    People have given you stunning ideas.

    But given you intend to use the fire place and you wish to put a TV above, save up and consult a professional or beg "This Old House" or " Divine Design"etc to help.

    I'm assuming the TV size that you'd want to place above a mantal would be of substantial size and cost. Also fire retardant products have to be correctly. And you don't want heat to distroy or break down anything.

    Remember, it's not just a TV, it's electrical that tied to your whole house.

  • Sarah A. Victory Sarah A. Victory on Dec 18, 2016

    The brick could be painted and a mantel of your choice installed. I had the same brick on my fireplace as on the exterior of the house and covered the fireplace and hearth surround w/ predominately white marble. An electrical outlet is required for a wall mount TV and sounds like a bit of work on the bricked wall to accomplish. Good luck whatever you decide.

  • Bst15896330 Bst15896330 on Dec 18, 2016

    rstWe just sold a house with a similar fireplace. The brick on it created a dark space in the room. I had never painted brick before, but I did it--with a slightly thinned chalk paint. This allowed me to lighten the brick, but the bricks still showed through in different, but lightened colors. It was beautiful and more modern. (I used Rustoleum chalk paint from Woodcraft store. I put on one coat and then added another coat, followed by a sealer, not polyurethane which will ultimately peel. The hardest part was putting the first dab of paint on it; I read an online post that said to drink wine first !)


    Anyway, the finished product was stunning.