THE EVOLUTION OF MY FIREPLACE
The weather can be quite unpredictable in Colorado. When the temperatures do dip, many of us Coloradoans love to enjoy the comforts of our fireplace in our home.
Last spring, when we were all cooped up at home, I took advantage of this time at home by finishing a few projects that I had been planning. One of these projects was updating our family room with paneling on the walls and a fresh makeover to our fireplace. With some Fusion Mineral Paint and some white-washing techniques, I was able to give new life to our fireplace.
Items I used for this makeover:
- Fusion TSP
- Blue shop cloth, microfiber cloths
- 220 Sandpaper
- Frog Tape
- Fusion Mineral Paint Ash
- Staalmeister pointed brush
- Staalmeister 2” flat brush
- Fusion Hemp Oil Wood Finish
- Fusion Raw Silk
STEP ONE: CLEANING, SANDING, AND TAPING
The first step always when painting is to clean your surface well. So I sprayed down the mantle with Fusion’s TSP and wiped it off with a blue shop cloth. As soon as the wood was dry I lightly scuff sanded the mantle with 220 sandpaper.
There is no need to sand to the raw wood just enough to dull the surface and open the pores so the paint will adhere. After I wiped off the sanding dust with a microfiber cloth, I taped around the brick to avoid getting paint on it. I always use Frog Tape. It seals really well and has never failed me.
STEP TWO: PAINTING
I was so excited to see the orangish colored mantle go away that I jumped right in with the first coat of Ash. I decided on Ash because one, it’s a beautiful color and two, I liked it with our wall color which is a greenish gray.
I always paint with a really good brush. I figure if I’m going to take the time to paint using the right brush is a must. On the mantle's details, I used a Staalmeister pointed brush. It’s perfect for getting into those difficult corners. On the top of the mantle, I used the Staalmeister 2” flat brush which is perfect for a smooth flat surface. When I paint I never put on a thick coat. Two thin coats always gives you a smoother finish.
STEP THREE: TOP COATING
Fusion does NOT need a topcoat, but I like a bit of sheen on dark colors so the next day I added a thin layer of Hemp Oil all over the mantle.
STEP FOUR: ACCENTING THE BRICK
When I finished some of the paneling (see another blog on this transformation), I took a step back and realized the brick around the fireplace looked dark and drab.
I quickly dusted off the brick, sprayed it with TSP, and wiped it down. Just a little bit of Raw Silk on the brick would tie it all together. I poured a bit of paint into a separate container and added a small amount of water to help it spread easily on the brick. I then selected a few bricks around the fireplace and the hearth to paint trying to keep the color distributed evenly.
Voila! My fireplace is complete and I love sitting in front of it during the snowy days in Colorado.
Share your fireplace transformations with us at the Painted Estate. We love to see our customer successful makeovers!