Does anyone know a proven way to cover a brick fireplace with a smooth surface?
Next client has a dual side fireplace insert with brick surround and mantle, and would like to have a smooth modern/contemporary look. Whatever method is used needs to be very flat.
My first thought was 1/2″ Hardi backer buttered and screwed into the brick with the corners taped with thinset and the whole works finished in a drywall joint compound to ease getting a smooth surface.
The other options seem to be cast concrete pannels, granite slabs, large granite tile, or ?
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn’t rule the world.
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Why not paarge and plaster?
simple, cheap, easy!
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I hate to say it, but I don't know anything at all about plaster and hadn't considered it. Is it something that a guy could pickup fairly quickly and end up with a super flat verticle surface?
This fireplace divides the kitchen and dining room from the front entrance/sitting area and is really a main focal point and the clients are expecting something super flat.
We could install verticle guide boards to help with keeping the plane flat, but I don't think freehanding the surface would work, at least for me given the smooth finish and worst possible viewing angles for hiding defects. By skimming the final surface with joint compound we could use long sanding boards to produce a dead flat surface.
Plaster instead of the hardibacker with a skim of joint compound? Can plaster be sanded flat before it set up hard? Unconventional application for sure. I can almost hear the plaster guys laughing uncontrolably in the background at that one. :-)
Since the brick is probably an inch out of plumb, would the variation in thicknesses cause any cracking problems with plaster?
If you can get it flat with drywall compound, you can get it flatter with plaster, just different technique. From my perspective, with the brick out of plumb, it would be esier to float it true with the browqn coats than to deal with this using any kind of furring and boards, AND be more resistant toi the kijnds of problems a fireplace will give it - rough tools, firewood slamming it, and the heat problem itself.I can describe technique later on, if you are going ahead this way, or maybe one of the masons here will chip in sooner.
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I'll do a little reading to at least be able to ask intelligent questions.
The fireplace can be worked on anytime between January and June so there's time to experiment a bit.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
My first thought was drywall, but then you mentioned HardiBacker so I figured you knew something about drywall near a heat source that I didn't. But THEN, you mentioned joint compound and I wondered once again, why not drywall?
Drywall could be secured with glue or furring strips. If glued, and the bricks are irregular, it seems that expanding foam would be quick and easy.
-Don
But THEN, you mentioned joint compound and I wondered once again, why not drywall?
Drywall would work, except around the firebox opening, which requires a fireproof material and drywall is only listed as fire resistant.
Probably the main reason for steering clear of drywall was the sound/feeling factor when people brush up against it. This is in a heavily travel lane and it will be leaned on and whatnot.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
No way would I even think of drywall on this. Paper burns.Even firecode is only rated to be able to resist fire spread for a limited time.
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Are you saying you want the smooth material to be continuous right to the very edge of the actual firebox opening, with no other materials like your typical brick for the first 6" or so around the opening? I think the hardibacker idea would work okay, but I'm still wondering if even with the hardibacker, it is acceptable to bring it right to the edge of the opening.
We'll incorporate a smooth-looking frame of some sort so we're essentially creating a smooth surface butting up to it.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Boiler plate.
I like your thought of precaste panels. You could do a stand off effect and play with some lighting too. Vary the distance of stand off, play with the shapes of the panels themselves, the options are pretty much endless. You could even mix mediums and use caste concrete (etched & stained maybe) along with granite or something else. Personally, a big flat expanse doesn't excite me too much but it would be a great area to create an interesting focal point.
Call your local plaster Co. (if you still have one), Will look and last better than the other stuff and be lots easier...
Bud