If you have recently moved into a home that has a brick fireplace that is not as visually appealing as you would like, there are things you can do to improve the overall look of the fireplace. Many of the changes you can do on your own or hire a professional to do the changes for you. Use the guide that follows to learn how to update the look of your fireplace quickly and easily.
Add Tile to the Front of the Brick
The first thing you can do to update the look of your fireplace is to place tile over the brick. There are many great wall tiles now available that can add a lot of character to a room without costing you a fortune. Measure your fireplace to determine how much space you need to cover with the tile and then go to a home improvement store and choose the tile that you feel would look the best in the room. Mix thin-set mortar according to the directions on the bag and use a trowel to spread the mortar onto the brick and then push the tile into the mortar. Between the tiles, be sure to use tile spacers so that everything can be evenly spaced. Allow the mortar to dry overnight and then remove the spacers and spread grout over all of the tiles. Remove the excess grout with a wet sponge and your fireplace should look great.
Add Stone to the Front of the Brick
Adding stones to the front of the fireplace will give it a very unique, rustic look. To add the stones to the fireplace, again, you want to spread mortar over the brick and place the rocks onto the fireplace. You will not need to use spacers to separate the stones though. You simply want to only be able to fit the tip of your finger between the rocks, when you are finished. After the mortar has dried overnight, rub mortar between each rock with your finger to fill the gaps between each rock. When the mortar has again dried overnight, you can then use a concrete dye to paint the mortar between the rocks any color you want to create a finished look.
Paint the Brick
Finally, consider painting the brick. You can paint brick just about any color you want to give the room depth and character. If you want to paint the brick a light color, you may need to add a few coats of paint to the brick to ensure you are able to create the color you really want to create.
Once you have updated the look of your fireplace, it should change the look in the entire room. All of these changes do not take too long to do and will make your fireplace more visually appealing quickly and easily.
For more information and options, talk with a company that offers stone resurfacing, such as Marble Tec Systems.
