How to Update an Ugly Fireplace with Paint

WOW! All I can say is WOW! Today, I decided it was time to make my fireplace look a little better. Now, I want to share with you how to update an ugly fireplace with paint. First, let me say, my fireplace looked like a stinking Calico cat and if you know me, you know I do not like cats. Every time I looked at it I thought “cat”. And that my friends is no bueno! I mean, look at this…..

See what I mean? Do you see it too? Calico cat, in my living room. Staring at me every day. This reminds me of a story….

The year was 1982 ish. I was around 7 years old. My older sister had a kitty that she loved. Well, my Mom asked me to put the kitty in the back yard. Instead of doing the smart thing like opening the gate and putting it in there, I tossed it over the fence. WELL……. things did not go so well for the kitty. In my defense, I was only 7. At that time, I thought all cats landed on their feet. Oopsy, not that kitty. I felt horrible y’all! We ended up having to put the kitty out of it’s misery. It was not a good day.

Maybe that whole thing scarred me for life and that’s why I don’t like cats. Who knows?I just know I don’t want my fireplace to look like one. LOL

I digress….sorry y’all!

Ok, to start, you need to prep your area. Do this by sanding your tile. I used my battery operated Ryobi Sander to make it go a little easier. Now, let me tell you this, you need to sand ALOT! If you don’t, your paint will not stick to the tile. Sanding creates a rough surface and makes it easier for paint to adhere.

After you sand down the tile, you need to clean the tiles very well. I used Simple Green and it worked great! Make sure you clean all the solution off well.

Once you have finished cleaning the tile you will want to tape off your area. I love using 3M blue tape. It holds up really well and makes it easy to create straight lines.

After taping off your area, it is time to prime the tile. I used Behr Heavy Duty High Hide Primer. I did two coats to make sure it was covered well.

Now, it is time to paint. I used what I had on hand which was Sherwin Williams Alabaster white. I also did two coats of paint for maximum coverage. I love how it turned out.

I may also paint the tile on the floor but I wanted to live with this for a few days before I did. I don’t want too much white!

Super easy right? You learned how to update an ugly fireplace with paint. It only took me a total of maybe 3 hours which I felt was pretty fast. Now, this is not a long term solution. I am sure it won’t last forever but it can get me by until I find the tile I want for my fireplace. And the fact that it is not a high traffic area, it should hold up pretty well.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. If you want sources for my decor in this pic visit my Target haul post here. Also, if you would like to see some of my other DIY projects click here. See you soon!