Fireplace Remodeling

[haarlem_mite]

Hello,

I am in the process of doing minor renovations in my home, including the revamping of a small fireplace. The fireplace had been painted repeatedly over many years and I decided to strip the paint. Used a less harsh soy based stripper to remove the paint- but the end result was horrible. The tile underneath lost its finish and I have to re-tile- no big deal- but my main concern is what material should I use to replace the outer-hearth where I couldn't remove all the layers of paint.

Family members have suggested slate or flagstone.

My question is- what is the safest and most economical material for a tiny space- no more than 40"?

Thank you,
Haarlem_mite

 

[wg_bent]

Anything that is non-combustible works. Tile looks nice, stone, stucco, brick, slate....It's really up to you as to what YOU think looks nice.

Tile is probably the easiest to work with for most home owners. That's what I used and I've seen many others use.

Look at the pictures off the hearthnet main page for LOTS of ideas.