After you wash it with soapy water, be sure to let the brick dry completely before painting. You may also want to use a handheld vacuum to clear away any extra debris. It is also a good idea to tape off the edges where the fireplaces meet any walls, flooring, or trim.
Painting with fire made simple
22 May 2022
Posted at 12:25 PMh in News by Fiveways Fires
We all know the feeling of wanting to change something about our surroundings. Home improvement can be so much fun, and it’s an area where you can express your personality throughout your property! One easy way to transform a space, whether it be the living room or a bedroom, is to paint a fireplace. If your surround is looking a little tired, or the current style isn’t in line with the décor throughout your home, a DIY project could be on the horizon…
What will you need?
If painting your fireplace is on your to-do list, you’ll need some items to make the process more organised. These items will help you keep your project contained so that paint doesn’t splatter up the walls…
- Sheets to protect the floor
- Cleaning equipment(rags, vinegar, soapy water, wire scrubbing brush, a damp cloth)
- Painter’s tape
- Brush or roller
- Painting tray
Before painting, you will need to protect the floor with sheets, laying them under your working site. Separate your fireplace from the alcoves behind it with painter’s tape.
Painting a brick or stone fireplace surround
Painting the brick of your fireplace is easier than you may think. The process will be similar regardless of the material, but you will have to keep their characteristics in mind. These are the steps you must take for brick:
- Clean the fireplace, removing any soot and dirt from the surface with soapy water and a wire scrubbing brush.
- Ensure it is dry before doing anything else.
- Paint your primer onto the stone or brick surface with a roller and use a brush to get into the small spaces. You may need two coats.
- Use caulking to fill in any small gaps.
- Paint over the coating of primer with your choice of colour.
Painting a fireplace: the basics
It’s amazing what a coat of paint can do for a dated tile or tatty wood fireplace – and it’s so quick to make a stylish update. The good news is that most fire surrounds can be painted pretty simply. As you might have guessed, the main complication, compared to other painting projects, comes from the heat.
The general advice is to avoid painting a surface that could become too hot to touch. High heat can affect paint adversely, impeding curing and causing discolouration. In extreme cases, it can even cause blistering or flaking. So, don’t paint any surfaces that will be affected by the heat source. That includes the hearth, for example, if you have a real fire.
Other than that, you simply need to check that the surface is suitable for painting, prepare it (more on this below) and get going with your transformation…
How to paint a fireplace
Preparation
Preparation for most surfaces follows the standard steps – as covered in our blog post on surface prep . To recap, those are:
- Clean down with Sugar Soap and warm water
- Rinse and dry
- Lightly sand to abrade the surface, which will help the paint adhere – the glossier the surface, the more thorough the sanding required
- Make sure you clear off any dust before painting
Before you start to paint, we’d definitely recommend using masking tape to make your life easier. It will allow for a quicker job overall – as well as being really satisfying to pull off at the end:
- Mask around the outside edge of the fire surround or mantle, along with any tiles you want to avoid getting paint on
- Use low tack tape
- Remove it before the paint has dried.
Painting
If you’re painting a porous surface like bare brick, stone or MDF, it’s a good idea to seal before applying the paint. This avoids the surface sucking in moisture, which would lead to an uneven finish that requires extra paint. Frenchic Finishing Coat is perfect for this.
For real wood, it’s best to paint with the grain, following the way the wood grain runs. If in doubt, running your brush lengthways along a section (rather than widthways) makes for a better-looking finish – not to mention that long brush strokes tend to be easier than short ones.
While rollers can help you cover large areas faster, most fireplace projects are better suited to good quality brushes . When painting, keep pressure light and even, and follow the recommended coverage on the tin to avoid paint going on too thick or too thin. The tin will also have information on time between coats and drying information, which is important to check as timing can vary with different paint brands or ranges.
As always, choosing a self-priming and self-sealing paint like the Al Fresco or Lazy Range will make for a simpler project, eliminating some of the additional preparation and aftercare steps that other paints require. Or, if you’re looking for a satin finish, check out the huge range of Trim Paint colours.
Chalk paint fireplace inspiration
Now to everyone’s favourite bit – getting inspired and choosing your colours. Fortunately, we have plenty of chalk paint fireplace transformations that can give you some ideas for your own renovation project. Take a look…
If you’re looking for a quick update, try Blackjack and Cream Dream to create a modern, clean look with its own striking contrast.
Picking the Right Paint
Depending on how you plan to use (or not use) your fireplace, there are many options for paint. When picking out a paint color for your brick fireplace, take into consideration its sheen. Sheen refers to how shiny the paint is and how much light it reflects. Higher sheens will be much shinier and give off more light, while lower sheens will be more subdued.
Is the Fireplace Used?
If you plan to continue using your fireplace after painting it, you must use paint that can handle the heat. These paints withstand the heat and hold up to higher temperatures. This ensures that your paintwork lasts longer, prevents blistering, and all-around protects your paint job. In some cases, using high-temperature paint also removes the need to prime the surface before painting, but be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions first.
Do you Need Primer?
In short, yes. Priming helps adhere the paint to the brick. Brick is very porous, which is why you may also need to do more than one coat of primer or paint. When dealing with a high heat environment, it’s essential that you prime the brick before painting.
It’s also important to prime your brick twice, even if you don’t plan to use the fireplace. The fireplace is subject to more humidity due to the connection to the outside. Humidity causes staining on brick that isn’t adequately primed, so unless that’s the look you want, it’s in your best interest to prime before painting.
Picking the Right Color for Your Style
Once you’ve completed all of the preliminary steps, then you can decide on the right color for your fireplace. When it comes to decisions for colors, there’s a lot. While generally neutral colors are most versatile for any space, the decision is ultimately yours. For more modern and clean styles, we recommend using white or black paint for the fireplace. This creates a cleaner and bolder look for your room.
Whether you decide to whitewash your brick fireplace, restore its natural brick color, or paint it to be an accent to your room, you have plenty of options to meet your specific color preferences.
How Pizzazz Painting Makes Painting Your Brick Fireplace Easy
At Pizzazz Painting, our team of professional painters helps you achieve your painting goals. In addition to the wide range of painting services we offer, we also offer fireplace painting services. Our team of painters in Moorestown can perform an in-person consultation where we assist you in color selections that best complement your home.
To learn more about the services we offer or to schedule a consultation, call our team of experienced painters today at 609-702-8200.
