My friends at Brick-Anew sponsored this post by providing the materials-the enthusiastic review of those materials …that’s all me!

In most great rooms or living rooms, the fireplace is the focal point. The style of the fireplace, the material it’s made of and the mantel usually reflect the design style of the home itself.

If your home was built in the 90’s (or before), you may want to consider a fireplace makeover. Mike and I have been planning one for months and last Saturday, in just a few hours we gave new life to our tired old fireplace!

Winter after winter can take a toll on the hearth. Our fireplace started out as a wood burning fireplace and someone installed a gas line at some point. Because it once burned wood, the stone just above the firebox was discolored with soot.

The inside of the box was half black from soot and half dirty white, the screen was falling off and the old gas logs were awful…

On top of that, the gas line was so clogged that the flames were pitiful. That’s what put me over the edge…those tiny flames. Even with the gas turned all the way up, the flames looked like little lighters sticking up under the logs…

So we talked to our friends at Brick-Anew and came up with a plan.

If you’ve got a minute, I’ll show you the first easy steps in our fireplace makeover!

1—>Clean out Firebox

When fireplace is cool

1-****TURN OFF GAS AT GAS CUT OFF VALVE*** 

(Your gas valve will most likely be close to where the gas comes into the firebox, in our case, it was directly under the hearth where the  gas key turns on the gas…in the basement – in the suspended ceiling.) 

2- Use a drop cloth and some heavy duty trash bags-

Take out logs and lava rocks, grate and disconnect gas line using 2 crescent wrenches-

Remove gas line with burner assembly and discard-

3-Using a shop vac (or brush and dust pan), remove any left over debris in fire box.

(again, make absolutely certain that your fireplace is completely cool)

4- Using household cleaner clean off soot as best you can to make certain the paint will adhere.

(you won’t be able to get all the soot off, just make sure it’s as clean as possible)

2—>Clean Brick or Stone with :Rutland Brick and Stone Cleaner

***Use Gloves***

1-Wet small inconspicuous section of stone and test the cleaner before cleaning your entire fireplace.

2-Doing a section at a time-spray water on your stone or brick-

Then spray stone cleaner- with a brush, clean the front of stone (or brick).

3-Before the stone dries, spray the section generously with water to rinse and go back over  the stone (or brick) with an old towel.

Mike helped me by using a little elbow grease on the hearth because the stone there was really nasty…

If you have an outdated brick fireplace and are thinking about painting the brick, Brick-Anew’s got you covered with their

Brick Anew Fireplace Paint

You’d be amazed how much impact painted brick can have on your room. 

3—>Paint the inside of the Firebox with

Black Firebox and Stove Paint

The paint is thin and takes a few coats but it dries in a jiffy and took under 30 minutes to finish…

With everything cleaned out, the stone clean and the box painted we’re ready to install the new logs!

I’ll show you how we installed the logs next time!