How to Reface a Fireplace with Granite

Steps for Refacing a Fireplace with Granite

1. Handling heavy masonry materials is a two-person minimum job. Do not attempt to do this alone.
2. Carefully pry away the old granite using a prybar. Start from the top and work your way down.
3. Protect the floor with a folded drop cloth. A scrap piece of 2×4 can be used as a lever to pry the hearth.
4. Apply a layer of mortar on the sub-hearth using the trowel. Add a few blobs in key areas to allow the hearth to be wiggled into place.
5. Place the hearth on the mortar and check for level. Hit it with the rubber mallet to make adjustments.
6. Generously apply concrete construction adhesive to the back of the legs and the top granite piece.
7. Place both legs on each side and check them for level.
8. Place the top carefully and check for level.

Why Concrete Adhesive Over Thin Set: During a This Old House fireplace reface, the crew pointed out a critical difference between the old installation and the new approach. The previous installer had used thin set with minimal contact points, which led to failure over time. By applying concrete construction adhesive generously — while staying off the edges so the adhesive can spread when pressed into place — you ensure a much tighter, more durable bond across the full back surface of each granite piece.

Pro Tip: Mason Dan McLaughlin, featured in This Old House Magazine, recommends using a demolition hammer with a chisel bit to chip away an old hearth and the mortar underneath during removal, while leaving the concrete hearth base and firebox floor intact. Wear eye and ear protection and a dust mask when using a demolition hammer. To make the new hearth sit flush with the floor, you may need to build up the base with an additional layer of concrete before setting the new granite.

Resources:

Refacing a fireplace is a two-person job. Use caution when handling heavy materials.

It’s challenging to match granite, so it makes more sense to order four new pieces rather than just one or two replacement pieces. A local stone fabricator can template the fireplace and cut and round each piece to the appropriate size. In this case, Mark used granite in the color Black Pearl, fabricated by International Stone, Inc.

To adhere the granite to the fireplace, Mark used a concrete construction adhesive manufactured by Quikrete.

The other materials Mark used for this job, including the chisel, hammers and buckets, can all be found at home centers.

Expert assistance with this segment was provided by MJM Masonry.

Pro Tip: If you’re sourcing granite or other natural stone for a fireplace reface, consider visiting a local stone fabrication yard. As one This Old House project demonstrated, many stone manufacturing yards have smaller pieces left over from larger jobs that they’re happy to sell at a lower cost. You can provide them with a template or measurement, and they’ll cut a piece to fit your exact specifications.

Technique Detail: When setting heavy stone pieces onto a fireplace surround, proper support and adhesion are critical. As demonstrated in a This Old House Magazine project, masons first lay several courses of brick up the sides of the firebox and the smoke chamber to provide a solid backing for the side pieces. Thick, 16-gauge wires are then secured into drilled holes in the brick to help anchor the stone cladding in place.

Materials

• Bucket

Tools