With our fireplace refacing plan finalized and supplies staged, we dove into step one: tile. Below is a detailed, easy-to-follow account of how we prepped the surface, installed the tile, and finished with grout and sealer so you can see the whole process from start to finish.
To make the plan clearer, we highlighted the areas that would receive tile. The tile border around the firebox is only about 7 inches wide because the remaining brick will be framed with wood and MDF. Since the wood surround will overlap the tile, we tiled first.
Before you start, check local building codes to confirm the required clearance between combustible trim and the firebox. In our area the rule was at least 6 inches of tile before the wood surround can begin.
We chose a marble subway tile that we bought for roughly $5 per square foot. It gave us the look we wanted without an overwhelming cost.
Creating a smooth, stable substrate was the first priority. We installed 1/4″ cement board, cutting it with the score-and-snap method and fastening it to the brick with masonry screws. It was dusty work and much easier with two people — one to hold and one to drill.
While drilling, we removed everything from the mantel to avoid anything getting knocked down. Trust me, clearing the mantel beats repairing a broken ceramic house later.
We also demoed the old wood mantel top before tiling — it’s always a good idea to remove any coverings that will get in the way. For the hearth, rather than demoing the existing surface, we adhered cement board over it using heavy-duty construction adhesive and weighted the boards overnight. Later we added a few screws at the corners for reinforcement.
This approach worked well because our cork flooring was layered over previous flooring (we avoided disturbing an older asbestos liner), so adding cement board directly kept the hearth level with the floor rather than creating an awkward step up.
To protect the cork during the thinset-and-grout phase, we taped down rosin paper across the floor. Then we laid out the tile beforehand to plan the pattern and select any pieces with unwanted chips or veining. Buying a bit extra to account for overage and rejects is smart; we used about 90% of what we bought and returned the rest.
We mixed two patterns: a herringbone layout on the hearth and a standard brick pattern on the surround. With just a 7″ band around the firebox, herringbone on the narrow surround would have looked busy and unbalanced, so we kept the simpler brick pattern there. Laying tiles out first helped us balance veining and tone across the surface so it reads naturally.
A triangle square and a wet saw were essential for the many 45-degree cuts the herringbone pattern required. Marble can be brittle, so some corners chip near the end of a cut, but overall it was much easier to cut than penny tile was for past projects.
With the first few pieces cut, we mixed thinset and began installing tile. The process is straightforward: spread thinset, press tile into place, and use spacers and a consistent technique. We’ve detailed basic tiling techniques in other posts, so for this job we followed the same reliable steps.
The bottom hearth, with all its angled cuts, took the bulk of our time — roughly four hours across day one, with breaks. On day two we completed the top portion during a quiet afternoon; the straight cuts there made it go faster. Because the outer edge will be covered by the MDF surround, we weren’t picky about perfectly finished edges. We staggered cut pieces so we could use both halves, minimizing waste.
By the end of day two all the tile was in. The white strip of brick inside the firebox will later be painted the same charcoal color as the rest of the firebox and the floor trim will be added so everything looks seamless.
The next evening we grouted with a non-sanded grout in a soft Snow White tone. Grouting transformed the look immediately — filling the joints and unifying the surface. Sherry followed with a slightly damp sponge to smooth the joints and wipe away excess; the whole grouting step took under an hour.
After the grout cured according to the manufacturer’s directions, we sealed the tile and grout with a penetrating sealer we already had on hand. The sealing only took a few minutes and protects both the marble and the grout from stains and wear.
All told, the tile work felt like a major upgrade for relatively little time — roughly seven hours spread over a couple of days — and a modest budget. Here’s a quick cost breakdown from our project:
- Cement board (2 sheets): $16
- Masonry screws: already owned
- Liquid Nails Heavy Duty: $2
- Subway tile: $5.50/sq ft, totaling $70
- Thinset: already owned
- Tiling tools (saw, trowel, float, etc.): already owned
- Grout: $11
- Tile sealer: already owned
- TOTAL: $99 (we actually spent less thanks to gift cards and some on-hand supplies; without those the project might be around $150)
We’re excited to move on to building the surround, reconstructing the mantel, adding trim and molding, priming and painting, and then celebrating with a few cookies. If you’re considering tiling a fireplace, a herringbone hearth paired with a simple brick-pattern surround can elevate the space without being overly busy — and it’s a project that’s very achievable with basic tools and a little patience.
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