Restoring a fireplace by cladding the brick with tile

This video take you through the entire process of covering a brick fireplace with tile. The before and after images are stunning. Check out my KZbin channel for more DIY videos. I have every step of fully renovating this condo. Enjoy!

[@Randylayhe001]

For anyone using tile with pattern such as marble or the ones in this video do a layout on floor to get a “flow” of the pattern.

[@zaidabeattie3425]

Just started viewing VIDEOS AS THIS FOR MY FIREPLACE. ;)

[@Dathan]

Nice work with a contemporary look. Thanks for sharing.

[@crobinson1479]

Great job. I like how you didn't make sharp edges on the hearth. The overlapping tile on the hearth was good idea.

[@area859]

That looks amazing! Didn't know you could just tile over the brick like that! Great job!

[@MarkJauregui]

Thanks! It's so easy and the results are fantastic. You can tile over anything, the question is, will the subsurface ever move causing the tile job to begin to fail. Brick is a solid backing that will hold well for tile.

[@IWBVS]

@@MarkJauregui What if they painted the brick with semi gloss paint?

[@MarkJauregui]

@@IWBVS Hard to say. The sheen might create an issue with the adhesion; you might just rough it up. It's a good idea anyway to put up a metal lath between the subsurface and tile. It's a step I could skip here but if your worried, that should take care of it.

[@deldeek]

Did you also tile where you had the pirate of wood that held the top tiles ? And what size spacers did you use for these tiles ? Great video

[@Drew3437]

Thanks Mark, the fireplace looks great. This was very helpful! Great tips, now I'm going to do my fireplace!

[@MarkSheppard68]

This was a timely find. I am about to do something similar, but with smaller tiles. Thanks for showing how it's done. :)

[@technoforever888]

Wow, it looks great. Would love to see the finished product with the grouting. I have an old 80s red brick fireplace that I'd like to redo.

[@behindthescenesofcannabis7010]

Good way to completely change the finish of your fireplace! I would have liked to have seen it complete with grouting.

[@MarkJauregui]

Find the finished fireplace in my other video of the completed condo.

[@behindthescenesofcannabis7010]

Thanks!

[@chrisnlannie]

Great idea...

[@albertorivera9726]

it looks nice

[@Adimaejoon]

By the way: awesome job

[@AugustVirgo82]

love this video! my fireplace is only the lower half of the wall and top half is I guess regular sheetrock with paint. can I put the tiles on the brick and on the wall to get the whole wall (top to bottom) look like you have?

[@CoolHippy]

Samantha Davis you might need special backing board for the sheetrock area above your fireplace depending on what kind of sheetrock is already there

[@CoolHippy]

Samantha Davis don't quote me though I am no mason =)

[@rolandperez4284]

Mark can i just cover bricks with hardie board and then tile? do i need to install corner beads and fiberglass drywall tape?

[@gangelo2787]

I thought the thinset trowel lines were to all be same direction? On the wall/floor and tile that is?

[@kittygerst4437]

Great video..I have a brick fireplace with concrete mantel . Would love to do mantle also. Single female and I want to try this but am not able to cut anything. I have about 9 boxes of unused 12x12 ceramic tiles. Will these work?

[@induwadhwa8650]

Very very nice!!! Mark , is there any type of wall paper that can be used on these kind of bricks to give about the same contemporary look? I am single female and cannot hold bricks due to health limitations. My fire place is 50 years old. Thank you.

[@MarkJauregui]

Wallpaper usually requires a flat smooth surface so I'm not sure it would be possible to wallpaper over brick. I would also be concerned about the heat from the fireplace damaging the paper.

[@induwadhwa8650]

Thank you very much

[@richardb7093]

why didn't you start at the bottom first?

[@appleyum42]

What thin-set did you use? I can't get anyone (lowes, HD, local contractors) to say the same thing. Some say mastic, some say not. No adhesives mention heat tolerances since they are mostly fighting moisture, not heat. The tile will overlap the metal border around the fireplace some, and it gets about too hot to touch. One place said to get "lyda-crete" at HD, but HD people never heard of it. My wife is dying for me to finally finish this project and I still am not sure which adhesive to use. What do you suggest?

[@MarkJauregui]

Mastic will work great. Thinset with an added strengthener like Verabond will work well and be less costly. I see thinset used around fireplaces all the time and I would not worry about the heat.

[@christinevee2934]

Question: Does this method allow for a mantle to ever be put in place and how would one attach it? I'm sort of leaning toward not having one, I suppose they are not necessary (ours holds junk and tends to be a catch all)....

[@MarkJauregui]

I never put a mantle; I think the look is dated and they collect junk. However, if you want to install one, you would want to cantilever a couple of 2x4s to support it. Make 2 holes in the wall and have two 2x4s firmly attached and protruding out about 8". This will support your mantle.

[@christinevee2934]

Mark Jauregui hm, thanks. I almost think they look dated also. If anything, a couple small flaoting shelves would be better. thanks so much. We plan to use your method to tile our own FP.

[@sharronwhite5977]

Mark, what tile did you use. thst is exacly whst I have been looking for to update my fireplace and can't seem yo find. thanks Sharron

[@MarkJauregui]

+Shsrron White The tile was left over from another job and it's a few years old. I can't say the brand or where it came from. I have seen similar looks at Floor & Decore

[@casst346]

up towards my mantle, 3 are like 3 rows that bump out/stick out on my brick fireplace..trying to determine how to handle that..it is not straight bricks up all the way..they bump out like steps..

[@f.demascio1857]

I've got the same feature. I'm going to cut them off flush. Then I'm going to anchor allthread rod tub outs for a new wood (live edge) mantle. It's going to require recesses for the hardware, but I will be filling the hole with cut wood plugs.

[@Kokoa_Chanelle]

What type of mortar did you use? I was told to use one that has a high heat tolerance but I can't find one. Shouldn't I be able to use a finer blend of cement?

[@MarkJauregui]

+Shonda C I'm not familiar with a high heat thinset. I used thinset from Home Depot with added Veribond to give it extra strength.

[@Kokoa_Chanelle]

OK thanks.

[@Adimaejoon]

I like to put granite tile over existing porcelain tile. Do not want to remove the tile. I have to use a short cut since my hands are bad, and I can not do a lot of hard work. I researched it. I could roughen up the porcelain tile. I was told at Lowes to use mortar. Any idea about using mortar instead of using an adhesive?

[@MarkJauregui]

The issue is going to be that your sub surface is too smooth for the new material to properly adhered to. Ideally, it would be removed. You could try roughing it up so that your new material has something to grab on to. It might be easy enough to hit the porcelain tiles with a hammer to shatter them off, I would hope that they might pop off rather easily & shatter when hit.

[@Adimaejoon]

Thanks for the answer. I plan on roughen up the tile, using a drill with a special attachment. Do not know if it will roughen it up enough. Taking the tile off with a hammer might be an option too. I was just wondering about the mortar. If it will last with the heat.

[@Kickassng]

question. I have paint on my brick. How do you suggest I prepare it/Clean it for tiling?

[@MarkJauregui]

You want to make sure that it is very clean and free of any loose material so that the thinset has a good surface to adhere to. I just used a light scrub brush and them sponged with soap & water.

[@f.demascio1857]

Clad the whole thing in hardieboard, then tile over. Stripping paint is terrible, and painting brick should be punishable by flogging.

[@Pebblesego]

wanted to see the grouting. the corners just stay that way?

[@MarkJauregui]

+ortiz oarteez The sides have small pieces of tile that turn back to complete the look. Unfortunately, ceramic tile does not have finished edges; this one in particular looks fine. I tent to use more natural stone for that reason. I can't stand the metal edge that is so popular now.

[@Pebblesego]

oh ok, thanks

[@tonymarony1]

You should have done the hearth first, sides of heart then top of hearth, sides of surround then face of surround.

[@MarkJauregui]

That's one approach. I did not do the hearth first because I would have to wait for it to dry which would have added a full day to the job also, I was dropping mess all over from the job above; I did leave a space at the bottom so the face sits over the hearth tile. The top of the hearth should be done before the sides and the face of the fireplace before the sides. This will allow for a perfect straight grout line; doing the sides first would be nearly impossible to create a straight line across all tiles.

[@captainquint25]

@@MarkJauregui Nice job. As a remodeling contractor, I agree with you with respect to installing the walls first.

[@captainquint25]

Looks great. Nice upgrade for not a lot of dinero. The stupid and childish comments below are rather astounding though, I must say.

[@2bless8]

If it is primed or painted I don't think you can do that. Does anyone know?

[@bradbohen2615]

No, you'd need to use a glue if it's painted correctly. Or screw wire mesh to it first like he was talking about. Or wire brush wheel on a drill to score the paint. Also in my other comment he should've prepared that brick, at least wet it or apply a bonding agent.

[@bradbohen2615]

Should've wet the brick first. Wipe it with a soaking wet sponge. & Or roll a bonding agent on first.

[@f.demascio1857]

I thought a bonding agent would have been a good idea too.

[@lucyleroux263]

Thanks for getting back to me Mark. The product you added to the Thinset... Was it this? m.homedepot.com/p/Custom-Building-Products-VersaBond-White-50-lb-Fortified-Thinset-Mortar-MTSW50/100091767 Can you perhaps explain the properties/function of both mortars you used? I'm trying to find similar products in South Africa

[@lucyleroux263]

Also what size grout line did you use for tile expansion? I'm going to be using this as grout www.keramicalia.co.za/adhesives/4-water-based-high-temperature-tile-grout.html and a refractory cement

[@MarkJauregui]

I just used a regular Polyblend from Home Depot. Tile does not expand, the grout is not for expansion but I used a 1/8" grout line.

[@MarkJauregui]

VersaBond is an additive that increases the strength of the thinset. You can buy it as a white liquid to add to the thinset or buy a premixed thinset that already has the additive.

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

Preferred the brick...had a rustic charm that was obviously lost on you. Now you get to look at snot coloured green while you are poking the fire

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

+Mark Jauregui Keep your hair on gorgeous. Not my fault you turned your condo into a 50's granny flat.

[@kinghunterx5]

+Robert Kennedy awesome job +mark jauregui. Trolls will be trolls; there's nothing this world can seem to do with them. It's just our job to call them idiots and move on. Really, great job. Now I'm on to watch your next video.

[@captainquint25]

"you preferred', well ain't that special. That would be what is called your opinion. Like asses, everyone has one......

[@ironmonkey1512]

I have worlds ugliest fireplace thanks

[@brianoconner406]

You should have left the bricks.