By Bruno Venichand, J. Perry & Sons — Florida CGC1540699
Thousands of homes in Broward and Palm Beach built in the 1970s–90s have the same fireplace: a red or painted brick face, a dated wood mantel, a raised brick hearth. Tearing it out is expensive and messy. Refacing it with stone veneer is not — the brick becomes the base for the new stone, and the job is usually done in two or three days. Here is how J. Perry & Sons does a fireplace reface, what it costs, and the decisions you'll need to make.
Can you put stone veneer directly over brick?
Yes. Brick is one of the best substrates for thin stone veneer because it's rigid, masonry, and already bonded to the wall. The requirements are:
- Clean, unpainted brick bonds directly. Veneer is set with a polymer-modified mortar straight onto the brick.
- Painted or sealed brick needs either the paint removed, or a metal lath mechanically fastened over the brick with a scratch coat applied — then the veneer goes on the scratch coat. We lath painted brick; we don't trust mortar to paint.
- Loose or spalling brick is repaired first. Rare in Florida, but it happens where a fireplace saw water.
The new stone adds about 1–1.5 inches to the face of the fireplace. That matters at the mantel, at the hearth edge, and where the fireplace meets trim or flooring — all handled in the plan, not discovered on day two.
Fireplace refacing cost in South Florida
Free Estimate
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com with project photos, the city, approximate dimensions, and material selections.
| Reface scope | Installed range |
|---|---|
| Veneer over brick, face only, to existing mantel (40–60 sq ft) | $1,800–$3,500 |
| Veneer over brick, floor to ceiling (100–140 sq ft) | $4,000–$8,500 |
| Lath + scratch coat over painted brick | add $8–$14 per sq ft |
| Remove old mantel, install floating mantel | $450–$1,500 |
| Re-cap raised hearth in stone, or remove hearth and tile flush | $500–$1,500 |
| Mortar-wash or whitewash the brick instead (no stone) | $600–$1,400 |
Per square foot installed: manufactured veneer $22–$35, natural thin veneer $32–$55. The full cost guide is here: stone fireplace surround cost in South Florida.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com. A straight-on photo of the fireplace plus the width and height is enough for a range.
Step by step: a brick fireplace reface
Day 1 — prep. Floors and furniture protected. Old mantel removed (kept if you're reusing it). Brick cleaned; painted brick gets lath and scratch coat and cures overnight. Hearth decision executed: cap it, or demo it and prep the floor for tile.
Day 2 — stone. Corners first, then field stone, bottom to top. Dry-fit around the firebox opening so cuts are tight and symmetrical. For gas or wood-burning fireplaces, heat-rated setting material near the opening per the insert manufacturer's clearance.
Day 3 — finish. Grout joints (or dry-stack, no grout, for ledgestone), mantel set, hearth stone or tile grouted, sealer on natural stone, cleanup. Most refaces are finished by the end of day three.
Which stone works best over brick
- Ledgestone / stacked stone — dry-stacked, no visible grout, strong texture. The most popular reface look.
- Limestone or coral stone — smooth, light, coastal. Fits Florida interiors and hides nothing, so the brick must be flat.
- Manufactured stone — lightest, lowest cost, widest color range. Ideal over painted brick on lath.
- Porcelain slab — for a modern, grout-free face. Needs the brick skimmed dead flat; priced as a slab surround, not a veneer reface.
Not sure? We bring samples to the house and hold them against the room.
The mantel and the hearth
The mantel is the detail that makes a reface look new rather than covered up. Options: keep the existing mantel and shim it forward 1–1.5" to meet the new stone; replace it with a floating reclaimed-wood or stone mantel; or remove it entirely for a clean full-height wall.
The raised brick hearth in most 1980s homes is the second decision. Capping it in matching stone keeps the footprint. Removing it and running floor tile flush opens up the room and is the choice in most modern remodels — it adds demo and floor patching, roughly $500–$1,500.
Does a fireplace reface need a permit?
Refacing a fireplace with stone veneer is interior finish work and does not require a permit in Broward or Palm Beach counties. Adding or converting a gas insert does, and is handled by the gas contractor. In a condo, the HOA typically wants the contractor's license and insurance on file.
Fireplace refacing by city
- Fireplace remodels in Fort Lauderdale
- Fireplace remodels in Davie
- Fireplace remodels in Tamarac
- Fireplace remodels in Pembroke Pines
- Fireplace remodels in Boca Raton
- Fireplace remodels in Wellington
Related: Stone veneer installation in South Florida · Stone veneer vs. stucco vs. paint
Brick fireplace refacing — FAQ
Can you put stone veneer over a painted brick fireplace? Yes, with metal lath and a scratch coat over the paint first. Mortar does not bond reliably to paint, so we never set veneer directly on painted brick.
How much does it cost to reface a brick fireplace with stone? $1,800–$3,500 for the face to mantel height, $4,000–$8,500 floor to ceiling, installed. Lath over painted brick, a new mantel and hearth work are extra.
How long does a fireplace reface take? Two to three working days for most fireplaces; add a day if the brick is painted and needs a scratch coat to cure.
Do I have to remove the old mantel? No. It can be shimmed forward to meet the new stone. Most clients replace it with a floating mantel because the stone makes the old mantel look dated.
Is the fireplace usable after the reface? Yes. On working gas or wood fireplaces we keep the manufacturer's clearance at the opening and use heat-rated materials there. Decorative and electric fireplaces have no restriction.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com. Licensed Florida general contractor CGC1540699. Serving Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Free Estimate
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com with project photos, the city, approximate dimensions, and material selections.
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