Is it worth remodeling an old fireplace?
A dated brick or builder-grade fireplace can drag down an otherwise beautiful living room, and most homeowners feel it before they can put their finger on what's wrong. A fireplace remodel is one of the highest-impact projects you can do without touching the rest of the room — new surround, new hearth, sometimes a full floor-to-ceiling rebuild — and the room reads completely differently afterward. For older homes especially, it's usually money well spent.
Does updating a fireplace really change how a room looks?
The fireplace is almost always the focal point of the room it sits in. Once you change the surround material, the hearth shape, or the height of the stone or stack, the rest of the furniture and finishes seem to fall in line behind it. We've remodeled 1970s brick walls into clean stacked-stone features, builder-grade slips into custom natural stone, and original masonry surrounds back into something true to the home. We also build basement fireplaces and below-grade surrounds when a finished basement needs the same treatment.
What's included in a fireplace remodel?
A fireplace remodel can be as light or as full as you want. Stone or tile veneer overlays change the surface without touching the firebox. A hearth extension changes the shape and proportion. Mantel work adds the warmth a flat surround is missing. A floor-to-ceiling rebuild ties the fireplace into the rest of the wall and the ceiling for a true centerpiece. We mix natural stone, manufactured stone veneer, brick, and tile fireplace refacing depending on the look. An indoor stone veneer accent wall on a nearby wall ties the room together when the fireplace gets a stone update.
Can stone veneer be installed over existing brick?
In most cases, yes — stone or tile veneer can go right over existing brick once the surface has been prepped properly, and you skip the demolition and dust of a full tear-out. The exceptions are when the existing masonry has structural issues or when the surround geometry needs to change. We take a look in person and tell you which approach actually makes sense for your fireplace.
Ready to plan your fireplace remodel? Call Adam Baker Masonry at (616) 612-1284 for a free in-home design consultation. We'll bring material samples, talk through the look you're after, and put together a written estimate.
