This simple step-by-step tutorial will answer all of your questions about painting a brick fireplace the right way, including which paints work best, what paint sheen you should use, and whether chalk paint is a good idea.
The fireplace in our family room is a particularly unlovely brick. When we first moved in, it was unpainted red brick and I hated it.
I’m not a huge fan of orangey-red brick to begin with, but our fireplace was especially bad because of some very sloppy mortar lines.
(Unfortunately, this is the only before picture I have, but you get the idea.)
I felt absolutely no qualms about painting the brick white soon after we moved in.
The white was a huge improvement. Huge.
But it was just so boring.
Every now and then I get a wild idea about my house. I used to just brush them off, but then one day I got brave and started actually making them happen.
And those crazy ideas have turned into some of my absolute favorite parts of my home. This spring I got a wild idea to paint my fireplace navy.
I absolutely love how it turned out, but there were a few bumps along the way.
And I’m actually glad of the problems I had because they taught me a lot about how to paint a brick fireplace the right way.
And now I’m sharing what I learned with you, so you can also learn from my mistakes…instead of having to make them yourself!
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What sheen to paint a brick fireplace – matte or satin?
I started by painting the fireplace using chalk paint and it looked amazing. But I got distracted and didn’t seal it right away.
And when my son drove his little cars all over the hearth, the paint got pretty scratched up.
In an effort to save myself some time (a big mistake), I repainted it using satin latex paint in a color that exactly matched the chalk paint color I had used.
And when I was finished, it no longer looked amazing.
This is hard to capture in photos, but the photo below gives an idea. The more shiny half on the right is painted with satin paint.
The shinier side just doesn’t look good. I’m not even really sure how to describe it, but all my attention was drawn to the actual paint on the shiny side.
Not the fireplace, the paint itself. The matte chalk paint side looked like it belonged and the shiny side did not.
I know that sounds crazy, but there was a huge difference between the two. I don’t think it had anything to do with using latex paint rather than chalk paint.
The problem was the slight sheen of the satin paint. The brick itself has a very matte finish, so it makes sense that matte paint looks much better on brick.
Lesson learned and in the future I will only use matte paint on brick, even if I am just painting with boring old white paint.
Can you chalk paint a brick fireplace?
As I mentioned above, I initially did use chalk paint. The color was gorgeous, it was easy to work with, and it had a fantastic matte finish.
The chalk paint I used was Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint. I mixed a custom dark blue color using the colors Legacy and Relic.
Unfortunately, it was not durable enough without a protective top coat.
This is generally the rule for anything you paint with chalk paint whether it is furniture or home decor or even fabric.
And apparently, it is also true of a brick fireplace.
The fireplace may have been fine if nobody ever touched it, but my son loves to play on the hearth. When there’s no fire, of course! And his little toy cars pretty quickly scratched up the paint.
So if you do choose to use chalk paint on your fireplace, I would strongly recommend a good sealer.
Personally, I wouldn’t wax a fireplace; wax just isn’t durable enough.
If I were going to use chalk paint, I would follow it with General Finishes Flat out Flat Topcoat. This is my favorite completely matte sealer.
OR you can save yourself some trouble and use matte latex paint and skip the need for sealer altogether.
Okay, now let’s get down to the actual tutorial!
Materials for Painting a Brick Fireplace
- Cleaner – I like to use a regular spray bottle filled with warm water and Dawn dish soap for pre-paint cleaning
- Painter’s tape – to protect any surfaces that adjoin your brick including the mantel, walls, and if you have them, fireplace doors
- Primer – to help seal the brick and prepare it for paint
- Latex paint in a matte or flat finish -I used HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams Blue Mystery
- Stiff paintbrush – you don’t need a fancy paintbrush to paint brick, but a brush with stiffer bristles will do a better job of getting the paint into all the mortar lines. I would not use your favorite furniture-painting paint brush for this project because the bristles will likely get destroyed.
- High heat spray paint – If you have fireplace doors that need a paint update, this paint works great.
How to Paint a Brick Fireplace
Before you can paint anything, it has to be clean. Paint won’t stick to dirt and dust and fireplaces in particular tend to get covered in soot, ash, and general dust.
I usually use a spray bottle filled with a mixture of water and Dawn dish soap for jobs like this, but any general cleaner should work.
Be sure to clean all of the nooks and crannies as you go.
You might also want to use painter’s tape to protect any trim or flooring touching the brick.
And if you have fireplace doors like we do, you can also use painter’s tape to protect them while you are painting the brick.
Do you need a primer?
If your brick has never been painted before, you definitely need to start with a coat of primer.
Brick is very porous and soaks up a lot of paint. Starting with primer will significantly cut down on the coats of paint you need.
If your brick has been previously painted and you know that it was definitely painted with water-based paint, you can skip the primer.
But if you have an older home and the brick has been painted for many years, there is a good chance it may have been painted with an oil-based paint.
Oil-based paints used to be very popular for painting trim, doors, and other home features.
To test if your fireplace was painted with oil-based paint, you can put a bit of nail polish remover (with acetone) on a rag and rub it on the paint. If nothing rubs off, it is oil; if it does, it is latex.
If your fireplace was previously painted with oil-based paint, you have two choices.
You can either repaint it with oil-based paint or you can use an oil-based primer, followed by a water-based paint like latex paint.
I generally prefer the second option. Water-based paints are very durable these days and they are also better for the environment and much easier to work with and clean up.
Painting the brick
Painting brick is a bit of a pain, but it isn’t difficult.
Because brick is so rough, you really have to push the paint down into all of the grooves.
Start by using your paintbrush to push paint down into all of the mortar lines between the bricks. Then just go back with your brush and paint the faces of the bricks.
The beautiful blue I painted the fireplace is HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams Blue Mystery.
In most cases, two coats of paint should be plenty for good coverage.
Be sure to let the paint fully dry between coats.
You can also use a roller instead of a brush for the brick faces if you prefer. Personally, I found that it didn’t really speed things up. When I tried rolling, I still had to go back over each brick with a brush to get paint into all of the little divots.
Painting fireplace doors
As you can see, I also repainted the metal fireplace doors at the same time.
I would love to remove the doors for aesthetic reasons, but they really do make a big difference in helping regulate the temperature in our home.
So for practical reasons, they have to stay. But I at least wanted to make them blend in a bit more.
This is a pretty straightforward process: just tape off the glass and the surrounding brick and spray the doors with a high heat spray paint.
This paint is incredibly fumey, so be sure to wear a mask and do this when you can open the windows and get lots of fresh air circulating.
I’ve never seen a navy fireplace before, but I totally love mine. I’m so glad I didn’t chicken out and stick with a safe color instead!
And here’s how it looks now after I added a chunky DIY mantel and a DIY TV frame.
It’s amazing what a difference paint and some inexpensive lumber can make!
Want more inspiration for your own fireplace? I’ve gathered 25 other fabulous brick fireplace makeovers that include everything from painted brick to whitewash to German Schmear.
I would love for you to pin this post on Pinterest.
How to paint a brick fireplace (the right way)
Answering all of your questions about painting a brick fireplace the right way, including which paints work best and why.
Materials
- Cleaner
- Painter’s tape
- Primer
- Latex paint in a matte or flat finish (I used Valspar Blue Mystery)
Tools
- Paint brush
Instructions
- Clean the fireplace thoroughly, taking care to clean all the nooks and crannies as you go.
- Use painters tape to protect any trim or flooring.
- Paint the brick fireplace with a coat of primer.
- Let dry.
- Paint the brick using the paint brush to get into all the mortar lines between the bricks.
- You will need 2-3 coats.
- Allow to dry between coats.
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Teri says
Great color that goes with your area rug, which I am crushing on.
Carrie says
Thank you Teri! I love that rug!
grammy goodwill says
Why do boring (white) when there is navy paint available? I love how your fireplace looks now. I noticed your rug, too. Great look.
Carrie says
Exactly! I love it too – and I definitely kept the rug in mind when I was choosing the color. I think they look great together!
Linda says
I am NOT a fan of blue anything to tell you the truth – BUT – I LOVE this flireplace!! What a GREAT job!! Yummy! Good job and I’m glad you listened to your gut instinct.
Carrie says
Thanks Linda! I am so glad I listened to my gut too – I had no idea how it would turn out but I love it!
Gabrielle KOKOCINSKI says
Do you mix the 2 paints together and add water to it?
Carrie says
Yes, that is what I did. I mixed the two in a plastic cup and then added a small amount of water just to thin it a bit.
Kim Martin says
I so love your blue fireplace!!!! And I especially love the holder for your firewood; was wondering where you got it? Thank you!!!
kim martin says
I put my wrong email in about my question about where you got the firewood holder for your gorgeous blue fireplace; I love it!!!
Carrie says
Hi Kim, The firewood holder is actually an old wood radio that I turned around and repurposed as a firewood holder. I shared more about it here – https://www.lovelyetc.com/a-totally-unique-upcycled-firewood-holder/ You may be able to find a similar old radio on ebay or facebook marketplace – or even pay someone to create one for you.
Jennifer says
I never thought navy would be a suitable color for a fireplace until I saw your! It mixs really well with the wall color. I’m thinking about repaint my fireplace right now :) . You’re doing an amazing job, keep it up!
Carrie says
Thanks so much Jennifer! I never thought navy would work so well on a fireplace either but I am loving it!
Jeane coultas says
Just came across your article, beautiful fire place. 73 yo here and just got my old barn wood beam in stalled, goodness that was a bugger, but my dark blue isn’t right. So looking around for some inspirations on a new color.
Carrie says
I bet your fireplace is beautiful with an old barn wood beam mantel! I hope you’ve had luck finding the perfect blue!
Erin Taylor says
I’m looking for more materials and going to decor the fireplace with my kids this weekend! Thank you so much for sharing, Carrie.
Carrie says
Awesome – have fun!
Deb Pearl says
My husband and I recently bought a home with a brick fireplace, and we would love to be able to update it somehow. Painting the fireplace seems like a fun idea to bring some life back into it. Thanks for the warning that brick is porous! That’s a great idea to put some primer on it first so it isn’t so porous! Thanks for the tips!
Carrie says
No problem! Good luck with your fireplace!
Carrie says
I’ve been wanting to pain my brick fireplace place ever since I saw it on Fixer Upper. Now that I’m ready to do it I’ve been searching How-to’s…the easy process. After an hour of clicking here and there and watching videos I found this page. I want a pretty dark blue, which you have done. It’s an easy process, double check. And the cherry on the cake….we share the same name!! It was meant to be!!
Carrie says
Yes, definitely meant to be! I’m still loving my blue fireplace! Good luck.
Liz says
Do you need varnish if youre not using chalk paint?
Carrie says
Hi Liz, great question. If you use latex paint instead of chalk paint, you shouldn’t need any varnish or other sealer.
Judy Fisher says
I do not want to paint my doors. Do I need to remove them before painting?
Carrie says
I would just use painter’s tape and drop cloth or heavy paper to protect the areas you don’t want to paint. You shouldn’t have to completely remove them.
CJ says
This is a great look. I really like that color blue. What is your opinion regarding this color blue with a dark grey wall with white mantle? We are planning on having grey walls with white trim and need to find a color to paint our fireplace. I would love this color for the fireplace but not sure how it would go with grey.
Carrie says
I think this color would look great with gray walls! It would be a great pop of color.
Julie James says
This is a great article! The beauty of your makeover grabbed my attention but you packed some great info. Very helpful and inspiring. Thank you!
Carrie says
Thank you! I’m so glad it was helpful!
Ellen W says
I have a very tired and fairly sooty painted brick fireplace in the now dining room (used to be the old family room but a 4-season addition currently functions as that). I’ve been searching for good information about painting over painted brick and thought I’d never find it but then whammo – here it is! Your makeover looks fab and I can hardly wait to start mine now that I know how to properly do the job. Time to get paint and start my shelter-in-place project! Stay safe and be well.
Carrie says
I’m so glad I could help! Have fun with your project – painting something old and tired is the best!
Amy says
I’m curious about the mantle you added. I’m looking to do something similar. Do you have a post about that process?
Carrie says
Yes I do! And it was actually super easy – https://www.lovelyetc.com/diy-rustic-fireplace-mantel-the-cure-for-a-boring-fireplace/
Rita says
Your fireplace is wondurful, i love it. I wanted to know where i can find a fireplace wood holder such as yours. It is absolutely beautiful.
Carrie says
Thank you! My fireplace holder is actually an old vintage radio I got at a yard sale. The radio parts were already removed so I turned the wooden radio around and put the firewood in the back. You may be able to find a similar one on Facebook marketplace or ebay.
Ann says
How did you decide on which paint to use? Are they good for high heat? I’d love to paint our fireplace too, but there doesn’t seem to be much info regarding heat. And brick gets plenty hot when a fire is roaring.
Carrie says
The paint I used for the brick is just regular latex paint. Special high-heat paint wasn’t recommended in the research I did before painting. We haven’t had any problems with it and the brick on the front of the fireplace doesn’t get super hot. I did, however, use high-heat spray paint for painting the fireplace doors since they are more in the direct path of heat.
Esther says
If I use a paint+primer, do you think I would still have to prime first?
Carrie says
If your brick has never been painted before, I would still use a separate primer first. Paint + primer doesn’t really do all of the things a separate primer does. It gives more coverage but doesn’t help with things like sealing in stains and getting good adhesion. It’s kind of like shampoo+ conditioner – sounds like a great idea but really isn’t the same.
Esther says
That’s really helpful, thanks!!
amy burkot says
Greetings Carrie! I too have been searching for a fireplace update. I have an ugly brick floor surround and the same brass door that you have. I have a really old house so I need to keep that in mind when restoring. I’ve decided to use a tan matte paint. I have a brown suede on the walls. After painting the brick I ordered a stencil and am going to (attempt) to use 1 stencil 2 times on the same brick with a mahogany enamel paint. Think I’ll rough it up from there and put a chocolate glaze and then perhaps a brown wax to really age it. May/may not work but I’m pretty good at restoration so I’ll keep pushing until it’s done. I’ll post pics after.
Carrie says
Sounds like a really fun idea! I would love to see pics when you are done!
amy burkot says
BTW Carrie… Just saw your pic and Holy Crap do you look like my sister!
Carrie says
Haha, now I need to see her picture lol.
Danae says
Where did you buy your paint from? Can those colors just be found at a Lowe’s or Home Depot?
Carrie says
You can get it at Lowes – It’s Sherwin Williams Blue Mystery and is part of the Sherwin Williams/HGTV paint line they carry at Lowes.
Curtis says
Hi, is this a wood burner type stove? If so what range is it? And where is it from?
Carrie says
It is a regular wood burning fireplace, just with glass doors.
Catherine says
My fireplace has excess mortar around the bricks, kind of at the bottom of your fire place on your ‘before’ picture. Did you just paint over it, or did you remove any excess mortar? I have a ton and I have no clue what I should do…
Carrie says
I just painted right over it. Once it was painted, it really wasn’t noticeable. Even if you have a lot, I think it would probably blend in once everything is painted a solid color. You may still notice, but I bet nobody else ever would. Another option would be to possibly do a german shmear technique instead of a solid color. That look would actually probably be enhanced by your excess grout. Here’s a tutorial from a blogger friend of mine: https://heatherednest.com/german-smear-diy-whitewash-brick/
Kristin says
How do you get away with not using heart paint. Fireplaces need high heat paint or it will just melt off is everything I’ve read
Carrie says
I did use high heat paint to paint the metal around the glass doors, but not for the brick. Our fireplace doesn’t generate nearly enough heat to make the brick on the fireplace surround or hearth hot and I have talked to quite a few other people who have also painted their brick fireplaces with regular paint with no problems. But if you are planning to paint the inside of your firebox where the actual fire is, you would definitely need to use specialty paint. I hope that helps!
Christine says
I have been admiring re-shared pictures of your fireplace for a year and am thrilled to have found this blog post today! It’s been my inspo pic for my fireplace in the home I bought This year (color and all)! Love it.
Carrie says
Yay, so glad you found me!
Maria says
Can you tell me what color your walls are? I’m thinking of doing a blue like this on my fireplace, and I like the contrast with your neutral walls. What’s the paint color of those? Thank you! Gorgeous!
Carrie says
The walls are Valspar Bleached Slate. I used the same color throughout most of our house and it’s a great neutral. Good luck with your fireplace!
Mason says
Hi Carrie,
Your fireplace is wonderful, i really love it. I want to know where i can get a fireplace wood holder same as yours. It’s beautiful!
Carrie says
Thanks! I actually turned an old vintage radio into my firewood holder and I love how it turned out!
Sarah says
Thanks for this super helpful post! I’m curious if you actually burn wood in your fireplace and if there’s any concern about the paint or the Flat Out Flat Topcoat being flammable?
Carrie says
We do burn wood in our fireplace, but only about a dozen times each year. I’m not concerned about the flammability of the paint at all. I definitely wouldn’t recommend it for painting inside the firebox where the actual fire is, but the bricks on our fireplace facade don’t even get hot when we have a fire.
Pamela Dunlap says
How is this holding up? We have a brick fireplace, orangey red brick with that I don’t know, I guess its whitewash- so its mostly orangey red but mottled and dirty looking.
I HATE it but I’ve been spooked to do this. I’m not a confident DIYer, yet I know the impact on my home would be so huge I really feel like we need to take this step.
I’m trying to decide between white and navy but given that our home is quite dark, I may have to go white because I know it’s going to brighten the room loads, and I’m hoping to do a wood facade on the mantle to create visual interest.
Carrie says
It is holding up great! Painting a fireplace is a way easier DIY than painting cabinets or furniture because you don’t have to worry about getting a smooth finish or about the paint chipping off later. The brick is porous so the paint adheres really well and lasts for a very long time. I’ve had white and navy brick fireplaces and both are great and really update the entire room. Good luck with your fireplace!
Cara says
We just did this exact look with yours as inspo! But I’m wondering how to clean it? We were replacing the tv above the mantle and some Sheetrock dust fell on it and it looks dirty. Any tips for cleaning would be great. And should I use a sealer ?!
Carrie says
I usually just wipe our fireplace with a damp cloth when needed to remove dust. If you used latex paint, you shouldn’t need to seal it unless you expect it to get a lot of wear and tear. Usually fireplaces don’t get knocked around the way cabinets and furniture do. I hope you love your new fireplace!
Michelle Pruchnicki says
I love this tutorial. I am looking forward to painting our fireplace in our new home! I was wondering where the rug was from? It matches so well.
Carrie says
Thank you! The rug is the Loloi Madeline rug in Blue Cascade but sadly, I bought it several years ago and it looks like it isn’t available anymore.
Tracy Labadie says
WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR WALLS WITH THE NAVY FIREPLACE?
Carrie says
The walls are Valspar Bleached Sand.
K Narsh says
Chain doors can’t be removed and they are black. Inside box is ash white from other fires. I don’t plan on using it again (apt complex) should I paint inside box black?
Hope to paint bricks a raspberry red and gray accent wall a really soft blue or green to pick up accent colors if sofa. Rest of walls are apt white. Any suggestions?
Carrie says
Before painting the inside of the fireplace, I would make extra sure that you won’t be trying to use it again in the future. And even if you aren’t going to be using the fireplace, also think about whether future owners may be trying to use it. If so, a better bet may be to try to clean it well to remove the ash. If you know you don’t need to worry about future fires in the fireplace, painting it black would work well. Your colors sound lovely – good luck with your fireplace!
Margaret says
I’m so glad I found this blog! We too moved into a house with a very rough brick fireplace. Initially I wanted to paint it white but I kept seeing the picture of your dark blue. I finally opened the blog and read it. The part about going out on a limb, I totally got that. In spite of both my husband’s raised eyebrow and the questioning of friends, I got a deep green/blue/grey for the brick and a bit brighter for the wood paneling. Now that it’s finished everyone thinks I’m just brilliant. All because I read your blog.
I’d love to post a picture but there’s nowhere for a link.
Carrie says
I wish there was a way to post a picture! That sounds amazing – good for you for taking a risk! IF you want to email me a photo at carrie at lovelyetc.com I’d love to see how it turned out!
Lauren says
What color and paint brand is on the fireplace?
Carrie says
It is Sherwin Williams Blue Mystery.