Finished staining brick on fireplace-pics inside

14 years ago

I finished staining the brick on my fireplace and thought I'd share the pics since some were interested. I am very happy with the results. The existing brick was a little too cool for my taste and I wanted to warm the whole space up. The whole process was quite easy, but it took a lot longer than I thought it would. I'd estimate that it took me about 10-12 hours from start to finish.

Here is the fireplace before:

And after:

and another that is a bit blurry, but not as washed out from the overhead lights as the previous pic:

I should probably take a better pic in the daylight, but I was too impatient to wait until tomorrow to share it!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (38)

natal
14 years ago
It's beautiful! I didn't realize you could stain brick.
0
bac717
14 years ago
I like that so much better than painting the brick. It looks great with what I can see of the wall color. What a transformation. I've seen it done with exterior brick as well. There is a business in our town that did that several years ago.
0
Related Discussions
Finished pics - Creamy white, stained island
Q
Comments (68)
I am fairly new to this forum and have enjoyed browsing through all of the lovely kitchens and reading the comments but I have yet to comment myself. Until now...I must tell you- I LOVE your kitchen!! It's my 'dream' kitchen! We are getting ready to do a full remodel of our kitchen and I am completely stuck on the cabinets. Due to our budget, we have selected Mid Continent Cabinetry and I cannot decide on a door style!?! :-\ Would you mind helping me select a door style that would be similar to yours? I can't exactly tell from the pictures just what yours look like and since every company offers something different, I'm just not sure which one to go with! Here is the link to the Mid Continent site: http://midcontinentcabinetry.com/Products/Signature_Series/ We will be going with the Signature Series, full-overlay door. I am considering the Adams with the 5-piece drawer option (least expensive) in the Traditional door style, the Concord (mid-expensive level) or the Mission (most expensive) both with the 5-piece drawer option in the Simple door style. Or should I select something different? I would appreciate any and all input! I'm so stuck!!! Thanks much! Here is a link that might be useful: Mid Continent Signature Series door styles
...See More
Inside my summer kitchen.......(lots of pics)
Q
Comments (8)
If you like it, go for it. It is very cool I think. For me the upper walls might be a bit too busy though and so I would probably save one wall as is and strip the others. As far as the bottom half - hmmm, not white. I might first try cleaning a spot with denatured alcohol to see if it is a shellac finish. If it is, I would at least try to put on another coat of shellac. When I am working on stuff like this, I take one area and try my plan out on it to see if I like it, before I do the whole room. It is hard to tell how the room is going to look since you are taking down the ceiling too. I'd wait until everything that is going to be removed is gone, then step back as see what you think. I had many, many layers on my walls (no newspapers though) and saved pieces of each of the wallpapers. In one spot in the dining room, I saved the oldest wallpaper on the wall. It is faded and very fragile, but a pretty A&C pattern. I haven't sealed it because I am afraid of what that might do to it - but I probably should. It sounds like such a fun project for you. I would love to see the end result. Diane
...See More
Pics of our FR black painted brick fireplace (long post)
Q
Comments (51)
I looked again at the entire room, last comment I was focusing on the fireplace, as I had never seen a black fireplace before and it was so bold. I love it. You did an amazing job with the light colour flooring, the black window blind, black couch, light walls, pillows match your flooring, everything gels beautifully. You really changed the look of the room completely. It is very upscale and modern in comparison to the before pic. It is budget friendly too. Also love your kitty, lol!
...See More
I'm losing sleep - I need someone w/a vision - plans inside (pic)
Q
Comments (11)
The house faces North - so the back (where the room will be) gets a lot of morning light but is shaded in the afternoon - sun hits the front of the house in the afternoon. DH thinks that having 5 tall windows side by side (with 6inches of drywall in between) might look to busy. I think he's thinking of wanting to do a series of wider windows. THe reason that the builder did this though was to match the 2 windows that are in the exisiting family room. The contractor already got the structural plans for the 5 windows (have to put steel poles in between each window). We'll have no wall space to think of though- only place for a TV would be above the fireplace.
...See More
threedgrad
14 years ago
Fabulous!!!
0
greenthumbfish
14 years ago
Awesome - great job and thanks for sharing!
0
susanilz5
14 years ago
Wow, what a difference! It looks great. Now we need to know how it's done. Instructions please!
0
boxerpups
14 years ago
Awesome!!!!
0
nhb22
14 years ago
Oh WOWY WOW WOW (as Oprah says) that looks fabulous!
0
moonshadow
14 years ago
Wow, UNreal!
Have seen stained concrete but never brick, it's absolutely beautiful!!!
How did you do it and what products did you use?
0
yodajo
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone. I am pretty pleased.

susanilz5- I used a brick tinting kit made by a company called Dyebrick (www.dyebrick.com). The kit consists of a pigment powder, carrier solution and fixing agents (three in a kit). There are about a half dozen or so different shades to pick from. There is also a way to get different shades out of each kit by playing with the fixing agent.

The stain is the consistency of water. You a brush to paint it on the brick, but since its so thin, it takes a little practice. I took care to avoid the grout, but it was impossible to be perfect with it. We just took a screwdriver when we were done and scratched the stained grout off and then scuffed the scratched grout with a wire brush so it wasn't obviously scratched.

If you have really pitted or 'holey' brick, it is more difficult to stain it. Mine is pretty flat and it was still time consuming.

I used two full kits of Old World Red and not even a quarter of the brown. I was going to buy the kits directly from the company, but checked ebay just to see and lucked out there. Someone had bought a bunch and had some leftover.

It truly does look like the brick was always that color and totally natural.
0
deeinohio
14 years ago
It looks absolutely beautiful. Fantastic job.
Dee
0
sonaliagrawal
14 years ago
You are going to save me hundreds of dollars! My entry porch-ish area right outside the front door is brick. And i HATE it. I have been talking to my contractor about getting it covered in stucco sort of material. Well.. I am going to put that discussion on hold and investigate in your approach instead. I dont mind the brick at all, but my house is 50 years old, and the brick just looks worn out and bad. If I could stain it up to renew the look, ahh..

Btw, where did you buy this dye brick product?
0
yodajo
Original Author
14 years ago
sonalia-I bought mine on ebay, but I think I lucked out. If you go to dyebrick.com, you can order it there. The company is in the UK.

I would check their before and after gallery on their site. Its amazing what people have done!
0
juddgirl2
14 years ago
It looks great! I have an ugly red brick chimney outside that I wanted to reface with stone or have a stucco wash applied to cover it up. Maybe I'll look into a brown stain that will make it blend in with the new stucco and stone on the rest of the house instead.
0
jlc712
14 years ago
It looks fantastic! You should be so proud of yourself! I think you're going to like your room so much more.
0
cooperbailey
14 years ago
awesome job- it doesn't really look the same!@
0
RNmomof2 zone 5
14 years ago
My artsy-fartsy MIL did this in the 80's to their brick ranch. She used watered down paint in different tones to get the same effect. I didn't see their house before but I think she took fairly monotone brick and made it look similar to the redo above. What a difference.
0
susanilz5
14 years ago
maxsam - thanks for the instructions. I'm clipping them for future reference. I still can't get over the transformation!
0
dody40
14 years ago
Wow! I am soooo impressed. It even makes a difference in how your clock looks. I love it.

dody
0
jlj48
14 years ago
Beautiful job. I remember your original post. It looks amazing!
0
dgmarie
14 years ago
OMG OMG I LOVE this post. This is EXACTLY what my current brick looks like but I have a LOT of it and want it a warmer color.

Could you PLEASE PLEASE post a close up of the finished brick so I can show my husband?

I don't think I could do the whole thing myself but maybe a painter could? I wouldn't want to screw it up.
0
yodajo
Original Author
14 years ago
dgmarie-When I first saw your pic, I thought, "Wow, its my old fireplace, only bigger!"
Give me a sec and I will take a close of pic for you!
0
yodajo
Original Author
14 years ago
Here are your closeups, plus a better full shot in better lighting. I think you could do it yourself, but it is a big job. My fireplace probably stops at the top of your picture. The difficult part of the job is staining the sides of the brick. The main part of the brick is a breeze, but getting the rest so it looks natural, and taking care to avoid the grout, is a challenge. I made a ton of mistakes, but like I said, a screwdriver and wire brush took care of those!
Here you are:
0
lynninnewmexico
14 years ago
I'm incredibly impressed, Maxsam! You've not only changed the look of the brick, but you've drastically changed the look of the entire room. It's so much warmer and more inviting now. BIG congrats!!!
Lynn
0
dgmarie
14 years ago
Thank you for the photos!!

I found a decorative painter here via google who specializes in staining concrete and brick. Now that I know what I could do, I may talk my hubby in to it. The labor costs would probably kill us, though!
0
yodajo
Original Author
14 years ago
lynn-Thank you so much! I am sitting here with a big cheeseball smile on my face on all the nice comments I'm reading! I am so happy I'm not the only one who thinks it makes the room some much warmer and more inviting!

dgmarie-Good luck! Let me know what you decide!
0
powermuffin
14 years ago
That looks so good!!! It is nice to find a product that lives up to your expectations! Who would have thunk it?
Diane
0
kimmieb
14 years ago
Sarah Richardson did that on Season 2 of Sarah's house on the exterior, except she didn't like the grout not being the changed so she had them stain both the brick and the grout. Probably a good thing since it was an entire big house that would have to be stained. It was cool too. I really like your transformation. You did a great job.

http://www.hgtv.ca/sarahshouse/theshow.aspx?sectionid=210&categoryid=8000782771026018860&postid=59060
0
sameboat
14 years ago
I love it. It's warm.
0
haley_comet
14 years ago
Wow I am totally impressed! I am thrilled you didn't paint the brink but just changed the color to your liking. I never knew you could do that...bravo! That's amazing...must have been a big job but it looks so beautiful.

Haley
0
User
14 years ago
Oh my gosh, what a wonderful transformation! I would love to see a long shot of the room like in the first photo if you don't mind. I want to see the change it made in the whole room and not just the fireplace itself. Which is totally amazing!
0
yodajo
Original Author
14 years ago
Here you go, justgottabeme. Thanks again for your help!
Before:

After:
0
mrsmarv
14 years ago
What a wonderful transformation! I love it.
0
natal
14 years ago
Every time I open this thread I am blown away! The company should feature your project on their site.

Btw, I'm looking for a smallish club chair like the one in the first pic. Where did you buy yours?
0
marybeth1
14 years ago
It's not just warm it's like you gave the whole room a big hug! Great Job!
0
yodajo
Original Author
14 years ago
natal-I am in Mi and bought it at a local furniture store. The manufacturer is Jessica Charles. Its very comfy!

Thanks again you guys! Now I just need to make some window treatments and get a few more pictures on the wall so I can call it a day!
0
natal
14 years ago
Maxsam, thanks! I found a local store that carries the line.
0
nutsaboutplants
14 years ago
Fabulous transformation! The whole room glows now.
0
User
14 years ago
Thanks for the pictures. It looks absolutely beautiful!
It's always my pleasure to help.
0