DIY Stone Fireplace Renovation with Hidden Storage

I remodeled our living gas fireplace using stone veneer and a solid wooden beam. I wanted a place to hide all of our audio and video components behind the TV to a built a compartment behind the tv. This is my first DIY KZbin video and unfortunately I had the white balance off on my camera most of the recordings so apologies on the strange look and feel on some of the video.
I hope to make more videos so click to subscribe for more DIY house stuff.
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[@PackMan13x]

Thank you for showing all the struggles and mishaps. I feel like everyone leaves those out and every single time I tackle a project, there are issues that I just have to figure out that nobody else seems to ever have. Looks great.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks! You’ve come to the right place for struggles and mishaps 😆

[@ianbeagleman1191]

Thank God, someone who showed me how to do a faux fireplace with the same kind of stone I have and a similar mantle. Great job and thanks!!!!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

So glad to hear! I couldn’t find anything else on here either so that’s why I decided to do this. Hope it got you started in the right direction!

[@barbbehnke798]

What is the stone called? Where can i buy?

[@movinngroovin2104]

Guess the wife couldn't help him with the mantel. Looks great good job.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Team effort 😆 thanks!

[@chainsawhero5]

Love the idea to rough break the stones to make them look more natural. I’ve been angle grinding the hell out of them to look more machine cut. I think your way looks better!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks! I liked the look too.

[@UpUSPOffandI]

.5

[@ParentsandProjects]

This fireplace turned out great. I like the recessed area for all the cables. Good job on the video too!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thank you!

[@DIYDeclassified]

That stacked stone looks so good. Great job! Im currently working on a similar project right now with built in cabinets surrounding the fireplace. Keep up the good work man!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks! Good luck on yours!

[@LumberjackPa]

Not exactly where I hoped my search would lead me but, I liked this video and subscribed. Thanks for sharing.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks for the subscribe and for heading down the KZbin rabbit hole to my channel

[@russellstanley8100]

Great job Craig! You’ve inspired me to start planning my remodel!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Go for it!

[@dmc9781]

Great video, learned a lot from showing all your steps and mis-steps, great job!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks!

[@vickigonya9432]

Wow!!! That looks amazing!! Great job!!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks!

[@duanejohnson2026]

What an Awesome job!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Hey thanks!

[@jelsner5077]

Looks great! Good problem solving, too. It would appear more "real" if you added a stone hearth in front of the firebox.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

I agree. If I was building it from scratch I would have definitely put a raised hearth to be able to sit on. Only reason I didn’t with this was that I didn’t want to have to redo and repair where the vent exited the outside of the house. Maybe the next one.

[@jelsner5077]

@@CraigHartmanDIYEven if you cut out and removed the wood flooring 16" in front of the fireplace and replaced it with a complimentary stone tile, it would really finish it off. You could whip that out in a weekend!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

@@jelsner5077 if only we hadn’t just sold and weren’t moving in 7 days lol

[@jelsner5077]

@@CraigHartmanDIY Hahaha!

[@JVDV11]

Epic! Looks fantastic

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thank you!

[@dhenschel4]

Sure looks nice in the end, I am just getting ready to install mine so this really helps. FYI - I believe there should be a non-combustible material hearth out 12" from the fireplace. It should be in the instructions if you can get ahold of some online.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Good luck! In the install manual for our specific model from Heat & Glow requires a 1/2” clearance of combustible materials around the sides and different height clearances of a mantle based on how far the mantle sticks out, but actually doesn’t require a hearth. You’re definitely right to read that manual though if you can get your hands on it. It helped a ton.

[@dhenschel4]

@@CraigHartmanDIY Yes you did talk about the 1/2" clear to combustibles. I have an older stove so maybe they have improved the safety to remove the need for the hearth. I believe mine talked about no hearth required if the stove was high enough but can't remember. Anyway you got it covered.

[@smileyflorida7444]

Great job!,

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks!

[@tibret28]

Nice job, it give me some ideas

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Glad to hear it!

[@ronaldomalley]

Probably should’ve taped and mudded those seams on the Durock, along with dampening the Durock before adding mortar to the wall in addition to back buttering the stone. Looks great though, hope it lasts.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

I get taping seams for tile in a shower, but what’s the thought for the stone? Time will tell but I wasn’t able to remove a stone when I tried with a pry bar and hammer so I don’t think the moisture was pulled out of the mud too fast.

[@gsparky51]

Nice job! We're doing something similar.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks. Good luck with yours!

[@TheBekki414]

Missed a perfect opportunity for a stud finder joke. Great editing skills though! About time you started professionally documenting all your projects! 😁

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

It was painful when I realized when I was editing that I didn't make a joke.

[@pitchpower3408]

Wowwww thank you for this very well explained video. What do you suggest if I want to integrate modem or PlayStation. Is it better to put them elsewhere by passing the wiring in this set-up? What have you done?

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

I put one of our Orbi satellite routers behind the tv. If you have a number of components you want plugged in to Ethernet you may want to put a switch back there to plug multiple components into. We don’t have any gaming systems but I would say if you need to access the actual PlayStation regularly I probably would hide it behind the TV. If you don’t need to physically touch it then behind the TV may be a good option!

[@markpenske7]

nice job. what type of stone did you use? is it natural stone or concrete simulated stone? what type of wood did you use for your mantel?

[@danmailman18]

Would you mind letting us know what type of stack stone you used, where you purchased it, and where did you get the exhaust extender for the fireplace insert. Great first video!

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks! The stone is Eldorado Mountain Ledge in Sierra color. I got it at a place called C&C Stucco in north Denver. I got the vent at some small hot tub/fireplace store in South Denver but can’t remember the name.

[@VirajBham]

Hi, your setup looks great. I am planning to do something similar. Just curious, how high did you mount the TV? and whats the distance from the floor to the bottom of fireplace and the distance between the fireplace and the mantel? I am trying to decide on a tv height and dont wanna end up too high. I have a 65" TV. Thanks

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks! We moved from this house so I can’t measure, but the bottom of the tv was just below chest height (I’m 6’5”). Check out the recommendations on your fireplace if you can. My natural gas insert had specific clearances on how much space was needed.

[@averton28]

where did you get the mantel

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

I wish I could remember the name but it was a very small place in southwest Denver that just had random lumber.

[@ryanpereira8133]

Awesome video!! I’m about to start doing similar stone from a company called ProVia, this came out great!! How’s it been holding up so far?

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Thanks! Looks just like when it went up. I actually tried removing a small stone after everything was set to adjust something and couldn’t pull it off with a pry bar, so I’m pretty confident she isn’t going anywhere 😆 good luck on your project!

[@ryanpereira8133]

@@CraigHartmanDIY oh wow 😂 that’s awesome! And thanks for the response! Do you think if I used Quikrete Mortar Mix Type N it’ll be okay?

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

@@ryanpereira8133 I would look at the tech sheet for your stone first to see what it says about mortar and substrate. It probably will say what types it requires. Type N says stone, but I lean more towards what the stone says will hold it in place.

[@ryanpereira8133]

@@CraigHartmanDIY sounds good, thanks again and keep up the good work!

[@weichen-yg8tk]

Do you need to grout the gap between the stones?

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

I just did a dry stack with no grout.

[@livinghaha01]

How many boxes of airdrome did you use? Also do you know if the hearth that y’all poured is code compliant? Just wonder if hearth can actually be higher than the firebox itself. Yours looks amazing and I’ve already demoed mine so I’m all in;). Great blog article as well.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Airdrome?

[@matthewr1990]

Looks great but why would you do all this work for the TV to be so high.

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Suppose it just comes down to personal preference. We’re very used to the TVs being higher on the walls and have never thought twice about it. And for us to get the TV clear of things on the mantle and the mantle clear of the heat zone it just ended up being how high the TV would be.

[@matthewr1990]

@@CraigHartmanDIY I respect your opinion. Good job either way. The principle is sound and I hope it helps many others.

[@TheItalianDNA]

What products did you use?

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

I used Versabond LFT as the mortar, Durarock cement board, and the stone is Eldorado Mountain Ledge in Sierra color.

[@teddygoodbear]

what kind of cement did you use？

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

VersaBond LFT

[@teddygoodbear]

@@CraigHartmanDIY Thank you for your answer,and in this case,can I use drywall ?

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

You’d want to check the spec sheet for the material you’re putting up. The stone I used was very specific on what type of mortar and substrate to use. Usually just drywall is not going to be a recommended substrate and you’ll want to use cement board or plywood depending on what you’re doing.

[@teddygoodbear]

@@CraigHartmanDIY Thank you so much !

[@domantas.boredpanda1791]

Hi! We love your channel and would like to feature some of your content on our channels. Would you be interested in a paid partnership with Bored Panda Studios? We cannot find your contact. To what email we may send our proposal?

[@CraigHartmanDIY]

Glad you liked it