Wanting to reface my fireplace. Need help.

17 years ago

This is my first time to post on this forum so bear with me.

I have a 70's style fireplace with the typical old red/orange and white brick which I would like to reface with something like marble or granite 12 X 12 tiles. I have a lot of experience laying tile down but I have a couple of questions laying it over brick.

I have read on this forum where a lot of people lay the tile right on top of the brick. My brick seems to have a little texture ( holes, dips ) and also deep mortar lines. I don't know if I could tile on mine or not because of this. I was thinking about installing thin backerboard over the brick first and tile over the backerboard which brings me to my next question. If I use the backerboard, what would be the best way to attach it to the brick ? Would I drill screws through the backerboard into the brick or should I use something else such as some sort of anchor screw ? I have never tried to install anything onto brick before. Another way I thought of doing it would be to attach 1 X 2 boards to the brick and then attach the backerboard onto the boards. What would be the best way ?

Another problem I have is that the bricks on top of the hearth on front stick out about an inch or more over the rest of the brick. What would I do in this situation ? Do I use something like plywood to fill in the gap from the floor up to it or maybe something else ? Also, I have carpet up to the hearth now, but could I tile down the front of the hearth to the carpet to give it that tucked under look or should I pull the carpet away from the brick first ?

Next question. I have an insert in my fireplace now but plan to take it out. I may want to install again later but for now I just want the look of the fireplace with a screen. When I lay my tiles on top of the hearth, would I go ahead and lay them into the back of the firebox ? If not, where would I need to stop the tile ? Like I said, I may want to install my insert later and did not know how this may effect that if I did.

Any help would be greatly appreciated because I am lost on this job.

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ventupete
17 years ago
You should install your stone tile right over the brick. Use fortified thinset mortar (don't use the pre-mixed kind -either buy the dry mortar with the fortifier in it or mix in the liquid latex fortifier), put it on with a trowel so that you push it into the grout (mortar) seams. You can get it pretty uniform so that the tiles have a level backing. If you're nervous about your ability to get the tiles level, you can trowel a bed of mortar over the brick face and then stick on the tiles with thinset - but it's not really neccesary. Also the thicker the backing the more it will stick out into the room. Using this method you also don't have to worry about meeting the code clearances from the firebox since you won't be using any combustible materials. The thinset will form such a strong bond that you would not be able to remove the stone tiles in anything other than small pieces. With regard to the overlap on the front of the hearth, your suggestion to fill in the space with plywood is a good one. Just remember that in most jurisdictions you need at least 1 inch of non-combustible material on the top of the hearth. I don't know the dimensions of your hearth, but make sure that you keep it deep enough to meet your local code (usually anywhere from 1 foot to 18 inches depending on the width of the firebox opening). I would pull back the carpet and run your tile to the floor. Don't lay your tile into the firebox. The firebox has special high heat brick in it (fire brick) and your stone tile will not withstand the repeated high heat and cooling cycles in the firebox. Run it up to the opening and finish off the edge with high temperature mortar (buy some mortar clay or fire clay and mix it up in accordance with the directions). You will end up with the hearth being a little higher than the firebox opening, but that's fine and actually makes it easier to sweep any stray ashes back in. Don't know the answer on your insert, you just have to measure to see if you have the clearance. Hope I answered your questions.
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Wanting to reface my fireplace. Need help.

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ventupete

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