If you’re tired of your old fireplace and ready to give it a little face lift, you have come to the right place. This post will show you how to update an old fireplace on a budget with just 5 easy steps. I’ve told you guys there are very few projects that go “as planned”. This simple update to our old fireplace was one of those rare moments where the stars aligned and everything went as planned. We did it on a budget and it looks great too! I am dying over the transformation and how well it brought the rest of our home together. You can update yours this easily too!
Heres How to Update Your Old Fireplace!
If you want to create the same look, it’s easy! You can update your old fireplace too! As long as you, or someone you know can work a miter saw and nail gun, you’re good to go. This is the miter saw I got a few years ago. It is simple to use and I have created tons of projects over the years using it.
Here are the supplies you need:
- Thin Plywood that is not too coarse. I went with the $12 board that was smooth. You can decide what board you need depending on the space you are creating and the thickness you want. I wanted the thinest board possible so it wouldn’t look too bulky.
- 6- 1×2’s You can find this in the lumber area (try and find the straightest pieces.
- Nail gun
- Miter saw
- Paint- I chose “Into the Gloaming” by Sherman Williams
- Sand paper- I use a 90 grit.
- Caulking
Step One
Measure and cut your plywood to create the base of your project, and cover the old fireplace. For my particular space, I need to cut two pieces to fit my fireplace because it was larger than the 4 feet board. My fireplace is 52″x 42.5″ at the top and 52″x 54″ at the bottom.
Step Two
Start by cutting one of your 1×2’s to be the length (up and down) of your space. Attach to left, center, or right and attach it using your nail gun. On this particular cut, you want a regular straight cut. I only did the left and then I built off of it.
Step Three
From this point on, I built off of the 1×2″. If you are visual, you may want to pre- draw your design. I just went with it, making sure that I balanced out each board. If the right top corner had two angled cuts, I tried to do the left bottom corner also had two angled cuts. I cut all my angles at 30 degrees. Using a miter saw, move your saw blade to the 30 degree. If you use that angle consistently everything should fit together like a glove.
Step Three
This is the most tedious step, but super important. By caulking all of the boards where they meet, and between the plywood and the 1×2’s, you’ll create a seamless look where everything flows together.
Step Four
Sand down the caulking and wood to prepare for the next step. After sanding, be sure to wipe down with a cloth to remove dust.
Step Five
Paint or stain to desired look.
Check out may video on my DIY Fireplace Makeover Here
With these five easy steps, you were able to update your old fireplace on a budget. This budget friendly project is easy and hopefully you loved it just as much as I did! Don’t forget to share your home projects with me.
