How to Change the Facade of a Fireplace

Paint over the existing facade. This technique will work over brick or wood but not natural stone. Tape off the area around the facade with painter's tape. If painting over a dark-colored brick or wood, prime the area first and let the primer dry for four hours. Brush interior latex paint over the brick or wood. Let the first coat dry for at least four hours and apply a second coat.

Remove old paint on a facade. For a wooden facade, use a heat gun or chemical paint stripper to remove the paint. Sand the surface with a fine-grit sanding block. If you will be re-staining the wood to a different color, use a hand sander to remove all of the old finish. If you are painting, just paint over the wood after you sand lightly.

For brick, mix together trisodium phosphate cleaner with warm water in a bucket. Wear latex gloves while you use TSP as it can be harmful to the skin. Open a window to increase the ventilation in the room. Apply it to the brick and let it set for about five minutes. Scrub the bricks with a bristle or brass brush to remove the paint. This will take several tries until all of the old paint is removed.

Plaster over the existing facade to make it smooth. This works best for brick. Thoroughly clean the surface of the facade and let it dry completely. Mix Plaster of Paris with water in a bucket., following package instructions for the exact amount of water needed. Work quickly once the plaster is mixed; it will set in less than 45 minutes. Trowel the plaster over the facade in a thin 1/4-inch skim coat. Smooth out your work as you go to remove any trowel lines. Let it set until hard. Sand down the surface until it is smooth with a fine-grit sanding block. You can leave it white, or you can paint it to the color of your choice with latex primer and paint.