10 Ways to Cover a Brick Fireplace

Not in love with your home’s brick fireplace? You’ve got some options. There are a number of attractive ways to cover a brick fireplace, and all of them can offer you a new look without a huge investment of time or money.

Brick has long been a popular choice for fireplaces since it’s one of the most stable and affordable heat-safe building materials. However, you may find that traditional red brick looks outdated with your current style, or you may just be ready for a change. In any case, it is possible to cover a brick fireplace and breathe new life into it. It just takes a bit of creativity and the work of a skilled contractor (or some ingenuity and elbow grease, if you’d rather do it yourself).

Here are some ideas that you might want to try, including a few that can be done quickly and easily on your own.

10 ways to cover a brick fireplace

It’s easier than you might think to give your brick fireplace a makeover and turn it into a focal point of your space. Start with these ten ideas for refacing inspiration.

1. Paint it

A coat of paint can work wonders when it comes to revamping your brick fireplace. This is particularly true if you’re starting from unfinished red brick, though you can also go over a previous paint job.

To paint a fireplace, you’ll want to use a latex, heat-resistant paint. Look for flat or semi-gloss varieties for a more modern look, and be careful to only paint the exterior brick and avoid the firebox. Prior to painting, apply a couple coats of masonry primer, which will help protect the brick from both heat and humidity.

2. Stain it

You could opt to stain the bricks of your fireplace instead of painting. Brick stains come in both opaque and transparent varieties depending on whether you want your fireplace to get a simple refresh or to look entirely different.

Keep in mind that, unlike paint, which provides a top coat to your brick, stain seeps into brick’s porous surface, revealing imperfections that you may have wanted to hide.

3. Go for a limewash

Limewashing your brickwork is a simple project that can be completed in just a day or two. It provides a distressed, almost bleached look to your brick, and is a great way to update the façade with minimal effort.

Clean the brick before applying limewash using white vinegar and a sturdy, plastic- or fiber-bristled brush (no metal). Then buy limewash from your local home improvement store and dilute it with water before applying with a standard paintbrush.

4. Cover it in concrete

Concrete is a popular way to cover a brick fireplace since it’s contemporary, sustainable, and affordable. It’s also something that you can do yourself with a bit of handiwork.

If you’re going with a DIY, make sure to cover up the brick with cement boards prior to applying your concrete. If you try to apply it directly over the brick you’ll end up with a messy and uneven result instead of a streamlined finish.

5. Stick to stucco

Stucco offers a very similar look to concrete, but it’s a little bit more breathable (a good advantage when you’re dealing with a naturally humid feature like a fireplace).

Want to mix it up? Try out some different textures with the stucco and add additional depth to the overall effect.

6. Add a stone veneer

If you like the look of a stone fireplace, opt for stone veneer since it’s cheaper and lighter than real stone but provides the same great look.

Similar to when you cover a brick fireplace with concrete, you’ll need to provide a stable surface before your new addition. Cement boards are ideal here too, though you could also apply what’s known as a scratch coat. From there, look for an interlocking stone veneer that can be applied without mortar to save time and make the whole process a whole lot easier.

7. Tile over it

Another way to cover a brick fireplace is to tile over it. This Old House has a helpful tutorial on how to do it, which includes applying what’s known as a thinset, as opposed to using cement boards.

One benefit to opting for tile is that it’s incredibly versatile. Choose from a huge array of tile colors, shapes, and styles so that you can achieve the exact look that you have in mind for the space.

8. Wow with wood

Replace a brick façade with wood for a fireplace that’s equal parts rustic and charming. You could even take it a step further and apply a visually impactful board and batten mantel.

Because fire safety is of the utmost importance here, make sure to follow all local fire codes before installing wood (a flammable material) around your fireplace. Your municipality will have its own rules around how many inches need to be between the wood and the heat source, and you’ll need to know these limitations before you get to work.

9. Take it to the top

A floor-to-ceiling mantel can add style to any fireplace, and it’s possible to do it with a variety of materials—including tile, wood, stone, or even more brick. Not only will you end up with a dramatically new look, you’ll also create a true showstopper that you can then base the rest of the room’s interior décor off of.

If you decide to go with brick for the mantel extension, be sure to make any necessary fixes to the condition of the current brick first so that the new addition doesn’t look out of place.

10. Clean it up

If you’re not sure if you want to completely cover your brick fireplace, consider just giving it a thorough cleaning first. Once it’s looking clean and pristine, you might discover that you actually like the look—or that you’re 100% sure you want to go for something totally different.

To clean a brick fireplace, make a solution of equal parts vinegar and water and spray it directly on to the brick. Then use a plastic- or fiber-bristled brush to scrub off any dirt, dust, and/or general debris. If you want something a bit more heavy duty, you could also use a mixture of trisodium phosphate and water, but be sure to wear a mask and heavy-duty gloves for protection.

Brick fireplace revamp: DIY or hire a pro?

All of the ways that we’ve mentioned to cover a brick fireplace can be DIYed, but should you go that route or hire a professional?

As with any home improvement project, it ultimately comes down to your comfort level and your skill level. This is especially true with a usable fireplace, since there are inherent dangers to getting it wrong. (Alternately, if your fireplace isn’t functional, you can feel a lot more confident going at this task on your own.)

If you do decide to go with a pro, costs will vary depending on the current condition of your fireplace and what you want to do with it. Refacing can be as cheap as $200 or as expensive as $4,200, according to HowMuchIsIt.org, and prices for labor may be even higher based on where you live.

Check out our guide to hiring service providers for some tips on choosing the right pro for the job.