Brick fireplace restoration, planned as one job, in El Portal
We match mortar, brick and tile to what your fireplace already has, rather than changing its character.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Restoration needs you can spot from the room
- Rust on the lintel or firebox metal
- Crumbling joints in the face brick
- Earlier repairs that keep failing
- Water marks inside the firebox
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How we restore a neglected fireplace
Refilling open firebox joints
Open joints between firebricks let heat reach the masonry behind the lining. The building code limits how wide those joints may be and calls for a refractory mortar to fill them.
We clear loose material from the open joints and refill them with a heat-rated mortar, following the product instructions. Joints are kept tight and neat so the lining works as one surface. Where a joint has opened because a brick has moved, the brick is reset first. The finished joints are left to cure before any fire, as the mortar's instructions require.
Cleaning with the gentlest method first
Masonry cleaning guidance says to choose the gentlest method that works for the brick and the soiling. Harsh methods can remove the fired surface of a brick, and that surface does not grow back.
We start with the mildest approach, such as plain water and a bristle brush, and step up only if needed. Chemical cleaners are used only where they suit the brick and the stain. Each step is judged before the next. The goal is a clean face that still looks like the original brick.
Resetting a stone face
A stone face can lose stones as its joints fail. Loose stones can shift, crack or fall, and the gaps they leave let the backing weaken.
We reset loose stones in a mortar suited to the stone and repoint open joints to match the existing ones. Broken stones are replaced with the closest available match. Where a manufactured stone face is involved, its maker's instructions guide the repair. The stone work is described on the estimate separately from any brick or tile.
Nesting material left in a quiet fireplace
Birds and small animals sometimes use an idle flue, and their nesting material ends up on the damper and the smoke shelf. Leaves and twigs can also collect there if the top is open.
Clearing that debris from the firebox and shelf is part of the restoration. Should an animal still be living in the flue, its removal becomes a separate job, done within the rules for that species. A cap with a screen helps prevent a return visit, and it carries its own price.
The restoration scope in writing
- Condition review of every fireplace part
- Hearth cracks and loose units repaired
- Clearance to nearby trim checked
- Workmanship warranty on the completed work
Your restoration questions, in plain terms
Can you restore a painted brick fireplace?
We can repair the brick and joints under the paint. Whether the paint should come off is a separate decision, because removal can damage some brick faces. We test and explain before recommending anything.
Is there a discount on fireplace restoration work?
Yes. Restoration items booked inside 72 hours of your free inspection come with a 10% discount. The inspection and the written estimate stay free whether or not you go ahead.
Is the restoration covered by a warranty?
Our workmanship warranty covers the work we carried out. If a repair we made does not hold, tell us and we come back to look. We explain what the warranty covers for your job before you approve.
We received your request
Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo