We all know the feeling of walking into a home and being completely turned away by a tired design or lack of style. At the focal point of a home, an outdated or poorly painted stone fireplace is sure to draw attention, but in a not so great way. Many people view their dull stone as an insurmountable project, with high costs or intense labor associated. However, a renovation may not be as painstaking as you may think. Painting your stone fireplace may just be the update your home needs.
With many techniques, colors, and supplies available, it might be hard to know where to start; most people are not HDTV experts. Roaming the aisles of Home Depot may prove to be a waste of time if you don’t know exactly what your goals are. Before undertaking the project of painting a stone fireplace, consider a few things:
What look are you aiming for? Do you want something eclectic and rustic-chic, or are you looking for something simple, yet more elegant. Understanding your desired final design will help you pick a method of painting.
Think about the design of your living area. Whatever room your stone fireplace is in needs to be considered before painting. Choosing the color is most crucial here, thinking about what would match the look of your home already.
Know the size and space of your fireplace. Nobody wants a half painted fireplace. This consideration is important because you need to know how many supplies you will need, how to work around the surrounding area, and it will help you estimate costs and time required.
Techniques and Colors
Whitewash
One of the most popular and desired techniques used in painting stone is whitewashing. A whitewash approach is not only easy, but the trend will surely elevate the style of any faded greys or browns. Adding a splash of white into any room will brighten the area, as well modernize dated decor. This technique can be as simple as mixing a paint and applying it yourself, but different approaches offer different finishes.
White wash can be accomplished by mixing paint with water to create a thin, liquid based consistency. By mixing a 1:1 ratio of paint and water, creating the whitewash is simple and
relatively mess free. This will keep the integrity of your original stone to an extent, but it is a great way to add brightness and cleanliness to a space. The process is as simple as cleaning stone, creating your mixture, and applying it with a durable paintbrush.
Gray-wash
Similar to whitewash, gray-washing is just another color option. It utilizes the same, simple technique, but results in a more natural stone color. It will still update your fireplace, and this is a great way to clean up the shades already being shown off. This example of a gray washed fireplace shows off how clean and bright a new shade of gray can be.
Solid Paint
If the sheer look of whitewash or gray-wash is not enough of a change for you, painting your stone a solid white color can completely alter the look of a fireplace. An opaque layer can create a bright, white pop in any room. As any other painting project, you have to prime and paint; for stone, oil based paints and primers are the best option.
This technique will be more involved and probably require more supplies, but will have a more drastic change.
Not only can it be painted white, but other light colored shades like pale greys, muted browns, and warm beiges are popular for stone fireplaces. One of the best benefits to painting a fireplace is that you can choose from any color of oil-based paint or primer, and home improvement or paint stores will have such a great variety of choices.
Bringing home paint samples or color swatches to test out in your home can help you know that you’re choosing the perfect color.
Click here for in-depth guidelines and supplies.
Brick-Anew Stone
Lightening the color of stone fireplaces can be tricky, and whitewashing won’t work on darker stone. After looking for effective ways to achieve a lighter shade, paint seems to be the best option for this desired look. The company Brick-Anew offers paint kits made specifically for stone fireplaces. Without having to piece together the right paint supplies, Brick-Anew makes the process easy with their paint kits. A great way to lighten stone can be shipped right to you with a Stone Fireplace Paint Kit.
Stain
If you want to avoid a simple paint job, staining can help you achieve a look of darker stone. While this might not work for fireplaces that naturally or already have a darker shade, staining can refurbish the look of lighter stone. This technique is perfect if you are unsure about exactly what color you want. With staining, you can build on the color in layers until you reach your desired darkness.
Don’t feel stuck with your drab fireplace. Painting stone can be easy, affordable, and a DIY that will completely change your home.
