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How to Install a Tile Fireplace Surround
By Youri Naimark of Denver Tile Installation
Gone are the days where an evening in front of a roaring home fire also meant staring at a drab, brick mantel and hearth. Today, stylish fireplace surrounds liberally take advantage of marble, granite, limestone, slate, and even tile! It takes a few days to complete, but with the versatility and durability of tile, your new fireplace surround will boast unparalleled elegance! • Carefully think about and plan out your fireplace surround design by creating a cardboard mockup of the surround to lay out the pattern. This way, you can visualize the center starting position, spacing, adjustments, and the best location for accent tile pieces. • Either completely detach the mantelpiece or protect the edges with painter’s tape. • If you choose to tile over an existing, uneven surface (such as brick), you need to first apply a layer of thinset. Mix up a batch, and don’t overlook the grout lines when you smooth down the entire surface with the flat face of a trowel. Let the surround dry overnight. • Mark with a plumb line a denotation that starts at the top of the center of the firebox hole and ends at the top of the surround. • Attach a temporary, wooden support ledge that covers the entire width of the surround at the top of the firebox opening and make sure that it is level. This ledge will support the heavy tiles while they set. • Mix up a new batch of thinset and apply first at the base of the centerline, immediately above the support ledge. Place the first standard tile here; the bottom should rest against the top of the temporary ledge. Continue applying thinset and placing tiles on either side of the first tile, alternating left and right. Periodically check for level, flush, and spacing. Work your way up the centerline with this pattern until you have covered the entire space above the firebox. Let the tiles set overnight. • Next, tile the legs of the surround. Use full tiles on the field and plan to later cut tiles for the bottom. Again, start by creating temporary support ledges for the bottom of both legs, taking into account the size of the final tiles that will go there. Position the ledges across the bottom of both legs and check for level before attaching. Starting on one leg, apply thinset above the ledge and set the tile from the bottom up, the same way as you did above the firebox. Complete the other leg the same way. • Remove the support ledges on the surround legs and cut tile to fit in these spaces. Apply, and let the tile set overnight. • Using a putty knife, clear away any pieces of thinset stuck between the tiles that you didn’t already clean off during the tiling process. To prepare for grouting, place painter’s tape over any art tiles that have irregularly shaped surfaces. • Mix the grout and apply it to the face of all the tiles by holding the grout float at an angle. Pack it in well into the joints, and pull back on the float at a diagonal to remove excess grout from the tile faces. Wait about an hour and then wipe off the tiles. Let the grout dry overnight, and mist the grout with a spray bottle occasionally if starts cracking during the drying process. • Reinstall the mantel. Wait two or three days before building a fire to make sure the tile has completely cured. Keep in mind that although tiling requires quick thinking and application, if you take your time, you can wiggle the tiles as necessary before the thinset dries completely and the joints will still appear even. Now, at your next dinner party, guests will flock around your warm, inviting fireplace and enjoy drinks in modern style! Learning to install tile is easy, if you go to our website at www.DenversTileInstallation.com and click through to the blog.
Born and raised in Ukraine, Youri Naimark was an construction engineer for 20 years (specializing in coal mine construction). In that time Youri oversaw major projects and won several State-level awards. After moving to US in 2002, Youri scaled down and started a Denver tile installation company. Since then Youri's company has become a boutique home improvement firm. Youri has been publishing articles related to home improvement for over 3 years and recently he started a blog dedicated to proper home improvement practices and some Do-It-Yourself tips, which can be found at denverstileinstallation.com/blog.
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http://www.denverstileinstallation.com/blog/
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