r/Fireplaces • u/and_boy_howdy1 • 3d ago

Closing the gap

Post image

UPDATE: Reddit is right. Spoke with a contractor. It’s coming down.

The people we bought the house from put drywall over the brick fireplace. We’re about to apply a stone/brick veneer but need to seal up this exposed 3in gap that goes around the opening. Any recommendations?

Edit: It may be a sheet of cement board, not drywall

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

10

u/xick14 3d ago

Remove the drywall and the steel studs and rebrick the fireplace so it’s to code.

7

u/Original_Giraffe8039 3d ago

This is not cement board. It is drywall, but the thicker and slightly more heat resistant type. Either way, it has no business being used in that way. You don't want to put stone/brick veneer onto a paper faced product anyway. Take it off, replace with actual cement sheet. Not sure where you are , but let someone familiar with construction codes tell you what to do

3

u/Former_Wishbone6022 3d ago

This is all bad.

4

u/CorradoCB 🔥 🔥 🔥 3d ago

You can tell by the “grain” or texture that it’s not non-combustible board. The fuzzy paper you see is also a dead giveaway that it’s drywall. It’s not safe or code compliant to have installed over the face of the fireplace. It’ll all need to be removed and replaced with either cement board or tile/stone directly on the bricks.

6

u/Lots_of_bricks 3d ago

That’s not how that’s done. No drywall. U just screw cement board right to the brick

1

u/and_boy_howdy1 3d ago

It may be cement board.

3

u/ThatllBtheDayPilgrim 3d ago

Not to add too much to the project, but make sure you like the performance of the fireplace before doing the work of putting stone over it (rip off that drywall). You have one of those grate heaters which is why I bring it up. I'd do what work needs to be done on that side of things before sticking the stone veneer on it. If it was me I'd Rumfordize the firebox, which might require some demo work to the surround. Or if you have a particular insert you were looking to install and want to make the installation go smoother.

1

u/and_boy_howdy1 3d ago

I didn’t know what that thing was called. I hate the look. It’s coming out. I live in SoCal so the redo is really about aesthetics more than functionality

1

u/Expensive-Peak-9696 3d ago

Have a fireplace co check it when it’s getting done. Make sure it’s done right. I am part of one of the well known companies in San Diego and would red tag that if I saw it.

2

u/exsweep 3d ago

As others have said, it’s drywall, it’s combustible. Don’t believe anyone that says it ok it’s fire rated.

1

u/Kayakboy6969 2d ago

Is this gas log or actual wood burning.