DIY Fireplace Overhaul Part 2
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Painting the red brick white on an old fireplace can make a STUNNING difference.
If you have a brick fireplace that needs refurbishing painting it might be just the thing to bring it into the modern age and make it beautiful!
We completed this fireplace overhaul three years ago.
We are STILL delighted with it. The best part is, we did it right. This paint job has stood the test of time. The paint did not flake or peel. The fireplace paint still looks lovely.
Watch our This is our Home YouTube Channel to see our current enormous remodel. It’s transforming our whole house (including a complete basement transformation) into a wonderful family home we just love!
Welcome back to Our fireplace overhaul series (go here to get started) that shows all the ways we updated this ole brick fireplace. This post shows how we did the prep and painted our fireplace.
Our fireplace overhaul is moving forward and we love it.
You can read about our back story and the first step we did in our fireplace overhaul by clicking here.
If you have an old brick fireplace that has decent brick and it’s still holding together well, PAINT IT. Just look at ours to see what a HUGE transformation a bit of paint can make on a well prepped fireplace.
Don’t like white? Paint it whatever color you like. But BE careful about the quality of paint you choose. AND proper prep of the brick is important. Otherwise you may have flaking or peeling paint in the future.
HOW WE PAINTED OUR BRICK FIREPLACE:
Fireplace Overhaul materials list :
Valspar Aspire Pure White Eggshell Paint
Duct Tape (for masking off carpet)
2 1/2 Inch Purdy paint brush
1/2 Inch brush (for smaller spaces)
Roller with a thick matte (long and thick fibers)
Bucket filled with water and a few drops of dawn dish soap
Scrub brush
Paint Scraper (for masking with duct tape)
THE STEPS:
- Masking off
- Washing the fireplace
- Paint!
The details:
One of the most important steps when you are painting in a living room full or beautiful carpet is to properly mask off the area.
My Dad is a professional drywall contractor so I always go to him when I need extra tips on how to get the job done right. He suggested we use a paint scraper to push duct tape down to protect the edge of the carpet nap. This is what that step looks like…
The next step is to wash all of the brick really well. This is very difficult if you have a sooty fireplace that has been used for over 60 years! there was a lot of scrubbing involved to get this baby clean enough to paint!
This is what we had to work with…that old fireplace was filled with soot and ash and a nasty old metal wood holder that was rusted beyond belief. That old purple candle was also something I found buried in the ash, wonder how long that’s been in there!
The next step is the fun part. Paint away. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the best paint you can find for this project so it holds up. We used Valspar paint.
I love this paint. My friends who are into doing home projects told me about it and I agree with them. It is the BEST.
I did not have to prime the fireplace at all. This was done in one coat and I love the results!! I found the paint at Ace Hardware.
We took two afternoons to paint our fireplace, we could have done it in one but we have a teething nine month old baby that likes to crawl in the paint so we are always chasing her around.
We love our fireplace so much now! The next step is creating the mantle and and building a wooden hearth for the bottom of the fireplace. Can’t wait.
This is now a fireplace that fits better in our lovely plastered living room. Painting it white lifted the whole room into a lighter, beautiful center for our home.
IN PART 3 of the fireplace overhaul! we are build the mantle and lay the wood hearth floor.
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Does your fireplace work? Gas or flame?
Hi Courtney!
It’s an old wood fireplace that is not currently working. I painted it white on the inside because I knew it would reflect back lots of light and make the fireplace a prettier and more welcoming centerpiece in our home. If it was a working fireplace, I would not have been able to paint it.
My fireplace needs a reworking for sure. I have mine covered with fabric to hide it. Can’t wait to try something like this! It adds so much to the room. Thanks for sharing with Saucy Saturdays
Oh I hope you do get to redo it! It is so fun to watch the transformation take place 🙂
That’s a huge project that turned out great! It’s funny, when we bought our house many years ago the fireplace was painted white. We didn’t want it that way, so we masked the whole area off and scraped the paint off. Now we have a brick fireplace, and love it.
Oh that’s so funny! good to know we can change it back if we want to eventually!
You have made the whole process look so simple. I would be intimidated to undertake such a daunting task. Your white fireplace looks so beautiful and refreshing.
Oh thank you! it’s not terribly difficult, just a little bit of elbow grease!
You are showing your creative side, big time. I have a fireplace that could use your touch. Can’t wait to see the finished result!
Thank you!
I’ve been waiting for part #2 – Loving the look and can’t wait to see the final picture. How do you find time to accomplish everything? I am so loving your blog and being able to come into your busy daily lives. Just amazing.
Oh thank you so much! it’s a struggle to find time for sure! usually it’s when our baby naps 🙂
Great job guys! Looks fantastic.
Thank you so much Tina!