Painting a Brick FirePlace [Archive] - RedFlagDeals.com Forums

SergesPlace

Dec 3rd, 2007, 09:14 PM

Hey, does anyone have any experience painting a brick fireplace? I want to paint this one and was wondering if anyone had any tips they could share.

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/1598/img2359dz4.jpg

CSK'sMom

Dec 3rd, 2007, 09:48 PM

Clean the soot stains the best you can, prime with a really good high adhesion primer and then paint. It's going to take lots of time as you really need to brush the whole thing but the work can be well worth it.

SergesPlace

Dec 3rd, 2007, 09:54 PM

Clean the soot stains the best you can, prime with a really good high adhesion primer and then paint. It's going to take lots of time as you really need to brush the whole thing but the work can be well worth it.

Thanks. Is there anything you can suggest to clean the soot with? I guess i should just use crappy brushes since i'd probably ruin the good ones i have.

CSK'sMom

Dec 3rd, 2007, 10:01 PM

I know there are a couple of products on the market for soot but for the life of me I can't think of the name of them. Maybe check with a fireplace type store or a good paint store. Definitely don't use your good brushes, it will wreck them. You're basically going to end up almost scrubbing the primer and paint into the brick itself and the mortor.

SergesPlace

Dec 3rd, 2007, 10:21 PM

I know there are a couple of products on the market for soot but for the life of me I can't think of the name of them. Maybe check with a fireplace type store or a good paint store. Definitely don't use your good brushes, it will wreck them. You're basically going to end up almost scrubbing the primer and paint into the brick itself and the mortor.

I'm going to the Home Depot tomorrow. I'll see what they have to say.

SergesPlace

Dec 5th, 2007, 08:00 AM

Went to the Home Depot yesterday and discovered that Behr has a paint that's a primer and paint combined so i think the difficult part will be just choosing the colour since they have about 50 different tints.

deep

Dec 5th, 2007, 08:08 AM

I wouldn't use that "nanotech" paint+primer from Behr for this application. You are going to use a tonne of it, as it is extremely thick and the fireplace has an almost fractal surface area. It's also quite expensive, considering the results are no better than primer + paint. I tried it on a couple of exterior doors, and was less than impressed.

Ideally, you would spray that bad boy, but you could try the extremely thick nap/sponge rollers as well, the ones sold for highly textured ceilings. I think they would work nicely for you.

Definitely try and clean the soot, but if you find that you cannot get it off, then that's a pretty good sign that it's not going to come off on its own and take your paint with it. If the roller doesn't cut it, you'll be back to brushing...hopefully with some dollar store brushes!

SergesPlace

Dec 5th, 2007, 08:23 AM

I wouldn't use that "nanotech" paint+primer from Behr for this application. You are going to use a tonne of it, as it is extremely thick and the fireplace has an almost fractal surface area. It's also quite expensive, considering the results are no better than primer + paint. I tried it on a couple of exterior doors, and was less than impressed.

Ideally, you would spray that bad boy, but you could try the extremely thick nap/sponge rollers as well, the ones sold for highly textured ceilings. I think they would work nicely for you.

Definitely try and clean the soot, but if you find that you cannot get it off, then that's a pretty good sign that it's not going to come off on its own and take your paint with it. If the roller doesn't cut it, you'll be back to brushing...hopefully with some dollar store brushes!

Really? I was told that 1 gal would be plenty for this job and @ $27 it seemed to be quite reasonable. So you're suggesting to use a primer first and then a paint? I would love to be able to just spray the whole thing but don't have a sprayer. I like the idea of using a roller, that would save me more time than just using a brush. So deep, what would you suggest for a primer and then a paint for this kind of project? Any products come to mind?

deep

Dec 5th, 2007, 08:43 AM

Actually, $27 seems pretty reasonable - I must have been ripped off when I first tried it. One thing you may want to verify are the types of finishes available with it...do you want high gloss, no gloss, semi-? I'm not sure if the nanotech is available in every finish, but things have obviously changed since I used it, so maybe I'm not the one to speak about it :) It definitely has decent coverage due to its high viscosity, so maybe you do want to go that route.

I would still probably choose a basic latex primer (quick drying, nothing special, as anything will stick to brick) and then pick my paint from any collection.

SergesPlace

Dec 5th, 2007, 08:52 AM

Yea, that's the thing. The type of finish. That whole room is going to be painted so do i use the same colour paint for the fireplace that i'll use for the walls? The walls will be a flat colour. I don't want to bring to much attention to the fireplace i just want it to blend right in. Home interiors is just not my thing lol

CSK'sMom

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:14 AM

I wouldn't user the primer and paint in one either (I used it this summer on several exterior jobs and loved it though). Because the brick is so pourous you need a good, high adhesion primer. I'm thinking one of the Benjamin Moore primers. The thing with the brick is that because it's so pourous it's going to suck in the primer and paint like crazy. If you opt for any sheen in the final paint it's really going to show if you don't get a really good primer base under it. Kind of like an unprimed patch on a wall that never really looks right or matches the finish on the rest of the wall. When I painted a fireplace years ago a roller (even the thickest pile) was absolutely no good. It would coat the face of the brick but left air pockets in the face of the brick. It also didn't touch the mortor. The fireplace should probably be painted in the trim color and definitely not flat paint. It will be a nightmare to clean.

SergesPlace

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:25 AM

CSK'sMom,Can you please check this stuff out for me and see if there would be any issues using this other than it's flat?

http://www.behr.com/behrx/act/view/products_detail?prodGroupId=70&catName=Paints&catId=19

CSK'sMom

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:39 AM

Personally, I don't see the need for using a product like that. The Benjamin Moore Fresh Start primer and regular latex paint will give great results that last over time.

deep

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:50 AM

I agree...I don't think there is a need for speciality products for your application. Regular primer and regular semi-gloss or higher sheen paint should be fine.

You could try rolling on your primer and brushing any areas that don't have proper coverage...you may get lucky and not need much brushing at all.

Is the room being repainted, or is the corner of the picture indicative of the final colours? Cream and white would probably be OK choices if your goal is to make the fireplace kind of disappear.

SergesPlace

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:53 AM

Personally, I don't see the need for using a product like that. The Benjamin Moore Fresh Start primer and regular latex paint will give great results that last over time.

Hmmm, that's the 2nd time the Benjamin Moore Fresh Start primer has come up so maybe that would be a good way to go.

patrob

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:55 AM

CIL Paints has a promotion right now...buy 2 gallons of interior paint & get 1 gallon of ceiling paint or primer Free (mail-in cash back rebate).

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=522916

SergesPlace

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:56 AM

I agree...I don't think there is a need for speciality products for your application. Regular primer and regular semi-gloss or higher sheen paint should be fine.

You could try rolling on your primer and brushing any areas that don't have proper coverage...you may get lucky and not need much brushing at all.

Is the room being repainted, or is the corner of the picture indicative of the final colours? Cream and white would probably be OK choices if your goal is to make the fireplace kind of disappear.

No, the whole room is going to be painted. Just don't know what to choose. It's not a very big room so i thought maybe choose something to try to make the room appear larger.

SergesPlace

Dec 5th, 2007, 11:58 AM

CIL Paints has a promotion right now...buy 2 gallons of interior paint & get 1 gallon of ceiling paint or primer Free (mail-in cash back rebate).

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=522916

Now this could work cuz i have 2 ceilings to paint as well. Thanks for the heads up.

patrob

Dec 5th, 2007, 12:03 PM

Now this could work cuz i have 2 ceilings to paint as well. Thanks for the heads up.

Glad to help ;)

SergesPlace

Dec 31st, 2007, 11:41 AM

Well,i finally got it done. I chose a colour that blended well with my newly painted walls. I think it turned out pretty well. Thanks for all your tips and info :)

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6219/new3ze3.jpg

Crowbarfoot

Dec 31st, 2007, 11:56 AM

Good choice, that looks great!

Have me looking at my fireplace now.

:cheesygri

deep

Dec 31st, 2007, 03:23 PM

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6219/new3ze3.jpg

Nice work, Serge - the colour choice was a good one, and the outcome looks great, especially compared to where you started!

SergesPlace

Dec 31st, 2007, 06:17 PM

Good choice, that looks great!

Have me looking at my fireplace now.

:cheesygri

Hey, thanks guys.

Nice work, Serge - the colour choice was a good one, and the outcome looks great, especially compared to where you started!

1yellowdog

Dec 31st, 2007, 08:05 PM

Holy cr*p that looks great!
I was having reservations since I quite liked the brick as is but for someone who didn't sound very confident with their decorating abilities I think you did wondefully.
So how did the actual painting of the fireplace go? Did you need lots of primer or what? Did you use a brush or a roller?

SergesPlace

Jan 1st, 2008, 09:34 AM

Holy cr*p that looks great!
I was having reservations since I quite liked the brick as is but for someone who didn't sound very confident with their decorating abilities I think you did wondefully.
So how did the actual painting of the fireplace go? Did you need lots of primer or what? Did you use a brush or a roller?

Hey thanks. I used 1 gal of Behr primer 1 gal of Ben Moore (Pearl) Latex 1 brush and 24 beers :)

1yellowdog

Jan 1st, 2008, 01:27 PM

You used a whole gallon of paint even after priming? Whoo.

SergesPlace

Jan 1st, 2008, 02:15 PM

You used a whole gallon of paint even after priming? Whoo.

Actually it was about 3qt's of the can so there's some left over for touch ups if i need it.

1yellowdog

Jan 1st, 2008, 02:56 PM

Thanks. That's still a lot of paint considering I figure on a gallon of paint to do 2 coats of an average sized room.

wetkist

Sep 1st, 2008, 12:26 PM

that looks wonderful, I was looking for ideas on how to Paint my fireplace, and am thrilled that yours turned out so well,we are starting now!!

Excellent choice in color, and thanks to everyone for the ideas on what to buy!

SergesPlace

Sep 1st, 2008, 01:53 PM

that looks wonderful, I was looking for ideas on how to Paint my fireplace, and am thrilled that yours turned out so well,we are starting now!!

Excellent choice in color, and thanks to everyone for the ideas on what to buy!

Hey thanks and welcome to RFD. Your very first post complimenting someone means lot's of good Karma for you. :)