Restoring a neglected wood fireplace in Richmond Heights
Tell us how you want to use the fireplace, and we plan the restoration around that goal.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Signs of wear in an old fireplace in Richmond Heights
- Heavy soot across the face brick
- Rust on the lintel or firebox metal
- Broken or stained surround tiles
- Earlier repairs that keep failing
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Fireplace refurbishing, item by item
Smoke stains that tell a history
Dark stains above the opening record smoke that did not go up the flue. They tell us the fireplace had a draft problem at some point, even if nobody remembers it.
We look for the cause before cleaning the stain. It may be a damper that did not open, a rough smoke chamber or a fire built too far forward. Cleaning the face without fixing the cause would only prepare it for new stains. The plan addresses the cause first and the face after.
Mortar that matches in color and sand
New mortar that does not match the old stands out on a restored face, even when it is sound. Preservation guidance on repointing stresses matching the color, the texture of the sand and the way the joint is finished.
We look closely at the existing joints and prepare a sample to match. The sample is checked dry, since mortar lightens as it cures. Once the match is right, the repointing goes ahead. The result should read as the original fireplace, not as a patched one.
A cap at the top of the flue
An open flue lets rain, leaves and animals fall straight into the fireplace. A neglected fireplace with no cap often shows the result on its damper and firebox.
A chimney cap is not part of the fireplace restoration itself, but it protects the work. If your flue has no cap, or the cap is damaged, we note it and list chimney cap replacement as a separate item. You can decide whether to do it with the restoration or on its own.
Eroded firebrick surfaces
Years of fires can wear away the face of firebrick, leaving it thin, rough or hollowed. Eroded brick protects the masonry behind it less well than a full unit.
We judge how much of each worn unit remains. Lightly worn surfaces can stay. Units worn deep or crumbling at the face are replaced with matching firebrick in heat-rated mortar. The estimate shows the affected areas, so the extent of the work is clear before you approve. New units are left to cure with their mortar before the firebox takes a full fire.
How a restoration estimate is laid out
- Condition review of every fireplace part
- Firebrick replaced where units have failed
- Clearance to nearby trim checked
- Debris bagged and hauled away
Before you approve restoration work
Can you restore a factory-built fireplace as well?
Yes, within its listing. Panels, grates and other replacement parts have to come from that model's own parts list. The label on the unit gives the model and serial number we order by.
What if parts for my factory-built unit are discontinued?
We check for manufacturer-approved alternatives. If none exist, we explain what that means for the fireplace. Unlisted parts are not fitted, because the listing depends on the tested components working together.
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.
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