If your marble fireplace surround is damaged or no longer matches your decor, replace it.
Materials:
Chisel
Pry bar
Hammer
Putty knife
Heat-resistant tile adhesive
Heat-resistant caulk
Replacement marble
2" x 4" lumber
Screws
- Remove the fireplace mantel.
- Remove the marble surround. Start with the top pieces, and work your way to the bottom. Be careful: The marble pieces are heavy and can easily break when you remove them from the wall, and you may want to use them for other projects someday. In most cases, you can use a chisel and pry bar (figure A) to pry the marble from the wall. After removing the marble, scrape off as much adhesive as possible.
- Remove the hearth. Some hearths are held in place with adhesive, but most are simply held by their weight and a few pieces of molding around the edges.
- If you're planning to use the same type of surround, use the old marble as a template, and send the measurements to a marble company so that a new surround can be created. Marble surrounds usually consist of a hearth piece for the floor, a spacer piece that fits directly beneath the fireplace, two upright side pieces and a top piece that fits above the fireplace.
- Position your new hearth (figure B).
- Apply adhesive to the bottom spacer for your new marble surround (figure C). Set the spacer in place, and gently press it in position (figure D).
- Apply adhesive to the bottom side pieces, and line them up with the spacer and the side of the fireplace (figure E). The finished edges on the side pieces should face the fireplace. That way, any unfinished edges will be covered by trim.
- Screw a 2" by 4" board to the wall so that it clamps the marble in place (figure F). Clamp the top section as well as the sides.
- After the adhesive dries (check the manufacturer's instructions for proper drying times), apply heat-resistant caulk to the seams.
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