Fireplace facelift questions and suggestions needed

[Clarkbar2311]

OK I'll post pictures of whats actually there later today but here is the real problem. The people that sold me the house painted the brick around the fireplace and the hearth. I'd like to install some cast stone veneer before I buy my insert ( hopefully for next season ). Do I need to blast the paint off to apply the veneer or can I cover it with cement board to level out my surfaces and veneer over the top?

Someone has had to deal with a similar setup.

Thanks in advance.
Jim

 

[Clarkbar2311]

Anything??

 

[begreen]

Not too many masons here right now I guess. I'm sure not one. Summer can be pretty quiet at times. If you ask in a couple months there would be a lot more responses.

Here's my 2 cents (and that is probably all it's worth.) It would seem that the bond for the stone substrate is going to be affected by paint. That means the substrate, be it cement board or heavy chicken wire or metal lath, is going to have to be mechanically well fastened to the brick if it was left painted. I would strip the paint off as best as possible without getting obsessive about it.

As for stone, there have been some old threads here about stone hearths. People have used several different types of stone depending on the look desired. Search the old forum threads for nuggets like this one:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/55388/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/2857/

 

[cityhick]

They make a wire type of mesh that is designed for that type of application. It must be screwed to the exsisting brick. I used it at my last house and it works well,It is time consuming though. My buddy didnt feel like doing all that work and used construction adhesive directly over his brick and was done in half the time and so far three years out hasnt had any fall off. Im not saying his way was right but so far it hasnt been wrong. hope this helps.................Mike