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Discussion Forum

Painting fireplace brick question.

josephd | Posted in General Discussion on August 27, 2005 05:13am

I would like to paint the brick on the face of my fireplace and need to understand the best way to prep and the type of paint I should use. I’ve tried a number of local paint stores and the suggestion is either use standard interior paint or black high temp stove paint. I don’t believe standard interior latex paint will last as this is a working fireplace and I think it will just blister. I’d also like to find a color other than flat black stove paint…I’m looking for a medium grey. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
josephd

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  1. freewheel62 | Aug 27, 2005 01:28pm | #1

    By working fireplace, you mean open fire, not containing a wood-burning stove insert, yes?  If so, how frequently do you use this, and does the brick get warm or actually hot?  If it just gets warm (meaning you can place your hand on the bricks and not yell 'ouch!'), you should be able to use a masonry sealer, and then a masonry paint. Lot's of working fireplaces are painted.  But, if you want to go with a high-temp stove type paint, they are available.  Any fireplace/woodstove shop will have stove paint in limited colors, but you'll have to read the label to see if it can be used on brick, and the brick will still have to be primed/sealed.   

    1. josephd | Aug 27, 2005 11:22pm | #4

      Yes it's the front face of the fireplace (no stove). We use it quite often in winter perhaps three or four times per week. It never gets so hot you can't touch it or burn yourself.It is one of those ugly faces that was done in white brick with a high contrast mortar and I'm sick of looking at it. Do you think masonary paint would do the trick or should I use stove paint after it's prep'd?jd

      1. freewheel62 | Aug 30, 2005 03:49pm | #8

        Everyone else has excellent points -- like that ugly brick, when painted, becomes painted ugly brick.  It is almost impossible to change once it's painted, since the paint bonds with the brick even w/ a good masonry primer. 

        Covering w/ stucco face (the real thing, NOT EIFS/fake stucco), tile, facing brick in another color, that may be the way to go for the best looks/longest lasting.  Add your mantle, and even if you spent your entire rework budget, you'll be happier with the end result.

        I too have an ugly white brick fireplace & have lived with it for years.  I am going to paint it w/ masonry primer & paint, just an off-white neutral. If you want to try the paint first to see how it looks, go for it. You can always add tile or other surface later if you aren't happy w/ the results.  Try Sears for masonry paint, they have the best color selection I have found.  My nemesis, Home Depot, has masonry paint as does Lowe's.  Read the lable completely, get a good masonry cleaner, clean, dry, prep & paint.

      2. seb | Aug 31, 2005 12:30am | #10

        Had a real ugly one that had been painted...still ugly....called friendly local plaster guy, and had him plaster it to match the walls in the room. Which were  plastered...Looked really good...

         

  2. BryanSayer | Aug 27, 2005 04:51pm | #2

    My suggestion is

    Don't do it.

    Brick is not designed to be painted (not that it can't be done) but I don't think it ever looks right. You lose the distinction of the mortar lines and looks monolithic. And once brick is painted,it is very hard to undo.

    1. msm | Aug 27, 2005 05:30pm | #3

      but, some brick is dang ugly. much brick laid from the 1950's - 1970's is. and if the mortar is that high-contrast stuff, it's loud and ugly. i love old brick, but some brick looks much better painted IMO.you could thin a light shade of paint down to a wash and spray it on with a hudson or a wagner, or just mop it on quickly to give a nice french country aging whitewashed look. this softens the contrast and gives it a little character. raw brick suck up paint like a sponge, so there's not much "open" time for yu to work the paint. keep a mop handy to immediately scrub and tweak the pattern of the wash.i agree that if you are talking about the mantel and surround area that stands out in the room, the brick is never going to be too hot to paint with normal latex. if it is, it's a terrible safety hazard anyway and you should address that issue first.

      1. BryanSayer | Aug 29, 2005 04:33am | #5

        If the brick is really ugly (and I certainly agree that there are really ugly brick fireplaces) then I would look at doing something more substaintial than painting it if at all possible. Like tile or stone over it. To me, ugly brick painted looks like really ugly painted brick. It just don't look right.

        1. msm | Aug 29, 2005 04:37am | #6

          i agre with bryan tha a new mantlepiece would be the nicest fix. however, if $$$ is an issue, paint the darn thing to match the trim in the room for now and start saving for the new deal

  3. MikeSmith | Aug 29, 2005 04:48am | #7

    the face brick can be painted with almost anything  and will not blister..

    firebox brick would have to be done with a high -temp

    Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
  4. Tim | Aug 30, 2005 05:30pm | #9

    We have a wbfp of what I would consider standard masonry construction, faced with this funky 70's beige brick and black mortar joints. We scubbed it clean with a muratic acid solution and painted with 2 coats of interior latex paint. This fireplace is used daily from October through April. The face of the fireplace, below the flue damper is a single course of brick that gets too hot to touch on occasion. No blistering, peeling or any other problems, 5 years and counting.

  5. handy | Sep 01, 2005 04:49am | #11

    You might be intrested in coverting your old brick fire/place yourself instead of a shopbought one. Don't cost to window shop or price materials. 

    http://ronhazelton.com/html/407a.html 



    Edited 9/1/2005 10:08 pm ET by handy

    1. josephd | Sep 01, 2005 05:07pm | #12

      Thanks for all the guidance and suggestions.Facing the fireplace is likely what I'll end up doing as Handy suggests. This was originally my ideal solution but was just looking for a quicker , cleaner way. In the end, I shouldn't compromise and do what I initially intended...re-face with stone tile. Thanks again.jd

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