painting a metal gas fireplace surround

by | Feb 28, 2022 | All Things Home, Family Room, home improvement, Painting & Refinishing, Room Makeovers, Tutorials | 2 comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

So, remember the family room makeover?  It’s still there, but it has dragged on for quite a while!  It’s a project that moves in fits and starts.  I’ll make huge progress and then I’ll get distracted by other things for a while.  That’s not a bad way to work on a project, though, especially one that’s strictly cosmetic and not causing any real interruption to the household.  I can take a break and come back to it with fresh energy and perspective.  It’s allowed me to make decisions one step at a time and I certainly haven’t felt rushed!  This past weekend, though, it was warm-ish (for February in Minnesota), sunny, and I was itching to tackle a list of undone projects including finishing the details of a project I worked on back in October – painting the metal fireplace surround.

I painted the mantel and tile, but the reveal was a little anticlimactic because of the chipping paint on the metal fireplace surround.  (You can see that makeover HERE.)  I was procrastinating painting it because I honestly wasn’t sure how nice it would look painted.  I knew I couldn’t give it a factory finish with a can of spray paint.  But, the chipping looked terrible, so I decided it was worth a try.  If it didn’t look better, we could look into replacing the cover.

The first step to painting a metal fireplace surround is to remove any chipping paint.  In our case, it was caused because the fireplace wasn’t venting properly after it was serviced a couple of years ago.  The heat wasn’t venting, so it built up behind the glass and caused the paint to bubble and peel.  Thankfully, we noticed it happening and had it properly serviced and checked.  It works great now, but the chipping paint remained.

I removed the chipping paint with a scraper/rigid putty knife...

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

And then sanded it down with fine sandpaper and then steel wool until the edges of the chipped paint were as smooth as I could get them.  I gave the rest of the metal a scuff with steel wool to give it a little tooth for the new paint to hold on to.  I cleaned the metal with a microfiber cloth to remove the dust.

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

Since I was using spray paint, I taped off the glass and covered it in brown paper bags…

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

The paint I used for painting the metal fireplace surround was Krylon’s High Heat paint in a satin black.

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

I applied two light coats of paint, allowing the instructed dry time between coats.  We had a warm fall day, so I took advantage of what might be my last opportunity for painting the fireplace surround in a while!

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

I was a little skeptical after the first coat, but it ended up looking great after the second coat.

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

You can still see a very faint ridge where the paint chipped, but only when it’s sitting in the sun.  Inside, installed back on the fireplace, you can never tell.

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

As a reminder, here is how the family room fireplace looked…

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

And here is how it looks after painting the mantel, the tiles, and painting the metal fireplace surround…

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

We also installed a chair rail, which adds a nice little architectural detail to the room.

It is every-so-slightly blacker than the black of the other metal components of the fireplace, but I don’t think that’s the kind of thing anyone would notice unless they were looking for it.  Because the two metal surfaces next to the painted surround tip upward, reflecting more light, they look lighter, anyway.

I’ve done a lot of painting over the years, but painting a metal fireplace surround was a new venture for me and I am pleased with how it turned out.  I honestly thought we’d be looking into replacement cover options, but this one turned out great for the cost of one can of paint.

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

I decided to give the vintage pond yacht a little featured time over the fireplace for a little while.  Don’t worry.  Karlsen is safe and sound.

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

painting a metal gas fireplace surround | miss mustard seed

Receive a Daily Dose of Encouragement and Inspiration!

Stay Inspired with Marian's Daily Blog Posts

Sign up to receive uplifting blog posts directly in your inbox! Join our community of like-minded individuals and start your day with a burst of creativity, motivation, and positivity. Whether you’re seeking decorating tips, DIY projects, or simply a dose of inspiration, Marian’s daily posts are sure to brighten your day and ignite your creativity. Don’t miss out on your daily dose of encouragement – subscribe now!

    2 Comments

    1. anita sams

      Looks really good. Those little details can drive us nuts! I can only imagine what satisfaction you have from knowing it is finished.

    2. Jennifer W

      It turned out so great! That surround looks like brand new! Thank goodness you chose to at least try Marian. What a great job you did! ???? in the styling too, I really love the pond yacht on the mantle!

    Hello!

    Marian Parsons - Miss Mustard Seed

    I’m Marian, aka Miss Mustard Seed, a wife, mother, paint enthusiast, lover of all things home and an entrepreneur, author, artist, designer, freelance writer & photographer.  READ MORE to learn more about me, my blog and my business…

    Let's Connect

    WATCH ON YOUTUBE

    decorating, projects, and recipes for spring

    Categories

    Articles by Date

     

    our sponsors

     

     

    Bliss and Tell Branding Company

     

    Pin It on Pinterest

    Share This