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Fireplace Refacing in Seattle, Tacoma & Everett
A new face on a fireplace that already works: stone veneer, tile, thin brick or paint over the existing surround. Cosmetic only, done to clearance. Free quote.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
Request a Free Fireplace Refacing Quote
Tell us what's going on — we'll confirm a time by phone or text.
Fireplace refacing is a cosmetic job. The fireplace stays where it is, the firebox and flue stay as they are, and the visible face gets a new skin: stone veneer, tile, thin brick, a plaster or stucco finish, or a proper masonry paint over the brick you already have. It is the right service when the fireplace works fine and you simply cannot stand to look at it anymore.
It is also the service people ask for when they actually need something else, so we are clear about the line. Refacing does not fix a smoking fireplace, a cracked firebox, a rusted damper or a leaking chimney; it covers them up. A surround full of new stone over a firebox that needs crack repair is a wall that has to be opened again. If the hearth, mantel height or the fireplace unit itself need to change, that is a fireplace remodel, a bigger job with its own page. Refacing is the light, fast version: new surface, same fireplace.
We reface fireplaces in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and the road-accessible Puget Sound from our Renton office. The quote is free, a second-opinion quote is free, and we price match a written quote and take 10–25% off. Call 206-453-2045.
Symptoms
Signs you need fireplace refacing
- The brick is an orange or brown color that fights everything else in the room
- Old paint on the brick is flaking, yellowed or half-stripped from a previous attempt
- Tile on the surround is cracked, chipped or from a style that dates the whole house
- Soot staining above the opening will not clean off the brick
- The surround is sound and the fireplace works, but the room has been updated and it has not
- You want a stone look without tearing out the existing masonry
- A home sale is coming and the fireplace is the one thing buyers comment on
Common causes
- Builder-grade brick and tile were chosen for cost, not for how they would look decades later
- Latex or the wrong paint was used on the brick and has not held up to heat and soot
- Smoke rolling out of the opening over the years has stained porous masonry past cleaning
- Room remodels changed flooring, walls and trim and left the fireplace as the odd piece
- Surrounds were never meant to be a feature, just a frame around the opening
How It Works
Our fireplace refacing process
Before we cover anything, we check that the fireplace underneath deserves covering. That means a look at the firebox for cracks and failed joints, the damper for operation, the lintel above the opening for rust or sag, and the existing face for loose brick, hollow tile or crumbling mortar that a new veneer cannot bond to. We also confirm the flue is clear and the chimney top is not leaking water down behind the wall you are about to finish. If we find a problem, you get a free quote for it and the choice to fix it first; we do not reface over a defect and call it done.
Free quote and material walkthrough
We look at the fireplace, confirm it is sound, measure the face and the opening, and go through veneer, tile, brick and paint options with a written quote.
Prepare the surface
The existing face is cleaned of soot and loose material, old paint is dealt with, and hollow or loose areas are re-secured so the new finish has something solid to bond to.
Protect the room and the opening
The hearth, floor and firebox are masked, and we keep the fireplace opening, damper and any glass doors clear of mortar and adhesive.
Apply the new face
Stone veneer, thin brick or tile is set in a heat-appropriate mortar or thinset over a scratch coat or backer; paint or plaster finishes are applied in the coats the product calls for.
Finish to clearance
Edges, trim and any mantel shelf are finished at the distance from the opening the fireplace is listed for, and the hearth line is sealed.
Final clean and walkthrough
Grout and mortar haze are cleaned off, the room is vacuumed, and we check the damper and doors still operate freely.
Options
Repair and service options
Refacing is mostly a materials choice, and each one has a different price, weight and look:
- Manufactured stone veneer: lightweight cast stone set directly over the existing brick; the widest range of looks and the most common choice.
- Natural stone veneer: thin-cut real stone, heavier and more expensive, with the variation only real stone has.
- Tile: large-format porcelain, handmade ceramic or mosaic on the surround and hearth face, set in a thinset rated for the heat near the opening.
- Thin brick: a new brick color or a modern running-bond or herringbone pattern over old brick, without the depth of full brick.
- Masonry paint, limewash or German smear: the lowest-cost refacing, changing the color while keeping the brick texture; we use products that tolerate the heat and clean the brick properly first so the finish lasts.
- Plaster or stucco: a smooth, modern finish over brick for a minimal look.
Hearth resurfacing can be added to any option. Every choice comes with a free quote, and we price match a written quote and take 10–25% off.
Pricing
What affects the price
- Square footage of the face and whether it runs floor to ceiling
- Material: paint or limewash versus tile, manufactured stone or natural stone
- Condition of the existing surface and how much preparation it needs
- Whether the hearth face is refaced at the same time
- Pattern complexity, cuts and trim pieces around the opening
- Whether any firebox, damper or lintel repair is needed before refacing
- Protection and cleanup needs in a finished living space
Every chimney is different, so you get a written quote after we look at the system. Ask about our price match and free second-opinion quote.
Safety & Seattle Conditions
Safety considerations
Refacing touches the edges of the fireplace opening, and the opening has rules. Combustible trim and mantel shelves have to stay a set distance from it, and the materials right at the opening need to tolerate heat, which is why we use the right mortar, thinset and paint rather than whatever is on the shelf. We never reduce the size of the opening or the hearth extension with the new face, and we never cover vents or the air intake on a factory-built fireplace.
Refacing is not a repair. If the fireplace smokes, the firebox is cracked or the chimney leaks, covering the face hides the evidence and changes nothing underneath. NFPA 211 recommends an annual inspection of any fireplace in use, and we suggest one before the new face goes on.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Many of the fireplaces we reface are in mid-century and 1970s homes. Seattle's median home was built in 1976, Tacoma's in 1967, Lakewood's in 1975 and Lynnwood's in 1979, and the brick and tile of that era are what most homeowners want to change.
The one regional caution is water. With 40.34 inches of precipitation a year at Sea-Tac and about 73% of it falling October through March, a chimney with a failed crown or flashing can wick water down the masonry behind a finished wall. We check the top of the chimney before we reface, so the new stone is not the first thing to show a stain.
Our Work
Fireplace Refacing in action
Same fireplace, a face you actually like
Free quote on stone, tile, brick or paint refacing, price match plus 10–25% off. If you're not happy, we're not done. Call 206-453-2045.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Fireplace Refacing FAQ
Can you reface my fireplace without removing the old brick?
Yes, and that is the usual method. Stone veneer, thin brick, tile and paint all go directly over sound existing brick after it is cleaned and prepared. Removing the old face is only needed if it is loose, badly damaged or too deep for the look you want, and at that point the job is closer to a remodel.
Will refacing fix my fireplace smoking into the room?
No. Smoking is a draft problem caused by the damper, the smoke chamber, the flue or the size of the opening, and none of those change when you reface. We diagnose that under fireplace repair and fix it before the new face goes on. Refacing over a smoking fireplace just stains the new surround.
Can I paint the brick on my fireplace?
Yes, if the brick is clean and the right product is used. Soot has to come off first or the paint will not hold, and the paint near the opening has to tolerate heat. Limewash and German smear are popular because they keep the texture of the brick and age well. We prepare the brick and apply the finish so it lasts rather than flaking in a season.
Is stone veneer too heavy for my existing fireplace?
Manufactured stone veneer is light enough to go over most existing brick faces without any structural change. Natural stone is heavier, and on a framed chase or a thin surround we check what is behind the face before recommending it. Either way, the veneer bonds to the existing surface, so the condition of that surface matters more than the weight.
Can you reface the hearth at the same time?
Yes. The hearth face and the top of a raised hearth can be tiled or veneered to match the surround. If the hearth itself needs to be raised, extended or rebuilt, that moves the job into remodel territory, but resurfacing an existing hearth is a normal part of refacing.
How long does fireplace refacing take?
Paint and limewash are typically a one-day job. Stone veneer, tile and thin brick usually take two to three days including setting and grouting, longer for a floor-to-ceiling face. We schedule it in the written quote, and the first visit is free and often available same day.
What if you find a problem with the fireplace before refacing?
We tell you, in writing, with a free quote for the repair, and you decide. A cracked firebox, for example, starts at $299 to repair. We would rather fix it now than cover it and have you open a finished wall later. We will not reface over a problem without making sure you know it is there.
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