Restoring a neglected wood fireplace in Lauderdale Beach
Brick fireplace restoration follows a set order, from the firebox to the face and the hearth.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Signs a fireplace needs restoring
- Fireplace unused for many years
- Patches in mismatched mortar
- Broken or stained surround tiles
- Earlier repairs that keep failing
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Old fireplace restoration, step by step
Original features the plan keeps
A good restoration keeps as much of the original fireplace as can safely stay. Sound firebrick, a working frame, original tile and matching face brick are all worth keeping.
Your estimate lists retained features as clearly as the replacements. That way you can see what restoration means for this fireplace rather than assuming it will be stripped out. If something you value cannot be kept, we explain why before the work is approved, and we suggest the closest match. Keeping sound original parts also keeps the fireplace looking like itself.
The right mortar for the firebox
The mortar in a firebox is not the same as the mortar in a garden wall. The building code calls for firebrick to be laid with a refractory mortar made for high heat. Ordinary mortar can break down under direct fire.
Every firebox joint we set or refill uses a heat-rated fireplace mortar, applied and cured as its maker directs. If earlier repairs used the wrong material, we explain whether it has to come out. The mortar is hard to see once the work is done, so the estimate names it.
Cracks in the hearth
The hearth in front of the fireplace catches sparks, embers and dropped logs. Over time it can crack, lose grout or develop loose units.
We check whether the cracks are on the surface or run through the hearth. Surface cracks and open joints can be repaired and refilled. A crack that runs through, or a hearth that rocks, points to a support problem. We explain which applies and list the repair separately. Repairs are matched to the hearth material, whether brick, stone, tile or concrete, so the surface reads as one piece once the work is done.
Raised hearths
Some fireplaces sit on a raised hearth, a platform in front of the opening. Its edges take knocks from feet and furniture, and its top takes heat from the fire.
We check the top surface, the edges and the joints where the raised hearth meets the face. Loose units are reset, chipped edges are repaired or replaced, and open joints are refilled. If the platform itself has moved, we explain the cause before proposing a repair. Replacement units are matched to the existing ones so the platform still reads as one surface.
What the restoration estimate covers
- Hearth cracks and loose units repaired
- Surround tiles reset or matched
- Loose stones reset on a stone face
- Room and floor protection
Restoration answers for old fireplaces
Is the chimney part of a fireplace restoration?
The focus is the fireplace itself, from the firebox and damper to the hearth and face. Findings on the chimney above are noted and listed as separate items, each with its own reason and price.
What should I mention when I call about restoration?
Tell us how long the fireplace has been idle, how you want to use it and what you want to keep. Mention past repairs if you know of any, and whether the fireplace is masonry or factory-built.
How is brick fireplace restoration different from a repair?
A repair fixes one part. Restoration plans the whole fireplace, so several repairs fit together and the finished look is consistent. If only one part needs work, we say so and quote that repair on its own.
Proudly American
Local service. Careful repairs. A fireplace worth coming home to.
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Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo