• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog
  • Cricut
  • DIY
    • Basement
    • Building
    • Countertops
    • Floors
    • Organizing
    • Furniture
      • IKEA Hacks
    • Outdoor
    • Paint
    • Stairs
    • Other Home Improvement
  • Home Decor
    • Decorating Ideas
    • My Home
      • House tour
      • Room Reveals
  • Crafts
    • Accessories
    • Fabric and Sewing DIY
    • Holidays
      • Spring and Summer
      • Fall
      • Christmas
      • Winter
    • Silhouette and Cricut Crafts
    • Wall Art
  • Shop

Semigloss Design logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Blog
  • Cricut
  • DIY
  • Crafts
  • Furniture
  • Shop
×
Home » Home Improvement » How to Paint Fireplace Tile with a Stencil

November 28, 2017

How to Paint Fireplace Tile with a Stencil

Sharing is caring!

  • Share
  • Tweet

Make designing your dream room a breeze with my Printable Room Planner.

Learn how to paint fireplace tile with a stencil. Check out this post with more information on how to use DIY stencils. 

Over the long holiday weekend, I completed a project that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.

I painted my fireplace tile. I have slate tile which is probably sacrilege to some people, but I hated it. It always looked dirty and dull. Each slab was a different color. It drove me nuts. Plus, I wanted a pattern.

However, I did not want the mess of removing the mantle to remove the tile, then the mess of tiling itself. So I did what anyone does in my situation and grabbed paint and a stencil.

Want to learn how to paint fireplace tile using a handmade stencil?

Ironically, after working on this room all weekend, my sofa and chair that I had listed on craigslist sold, so this room is empty. 

Paint fireplace surround with a stencil

This post contains affiliate links. By purchasing an item through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Painting Fireplace Tile FAQ’s

How do you paint a tile fireplace?

I didn’t have to paint the entire tile because the slate made a great background color for the stencil. 

However, if you need to paint your fireplace tile, it’s possible!

  • Clean the tile and rinse any soap you used. 
  • Lightly sand the surface. 
  • Use a good primer so that your paint will stick. 
  • Paint the tile. 

What kind of paint should be used to paint fireplace tile?

After priming, you can use chalk paint or latex paint. 

I used chalk paint for my stencil because the coverage is excellent for stenciling. 

If you use chalk paint to paint the entire tiles, be sure to add a few coats of polycrylic to seal the paint. 

You can also use latex paint if you want. 

How to Paint Fireplace Tile Using a Stencil

Supplies Needed

  • Paint (I just used chalk paint that I had on hand)
  • Stencil brush
  • Card stock for making stencil or stencil film
  • Silhouette (for cutting stencil)
  • Cut file
  • Paper plate

Prep Work for Stenciling Fireplace Tile

  1. Figure out your tile spacing. All of my pieces were different sizes, so it took some math to figure out a decent size. In the end, there was still leftover space, but it’s not super noticeable because as a whole, it reads as a complete pattern. 
    Learn how to paint fireplace tile using a stencil to instantly update your fireplace. This easy fireplace makeover is so easy to do!
  2. Resize your cut file fit the predetermined size.
  3. I used card stock for my stencil and had my silhouette cut 3 of them. Card stock is cheap, so if you need to make more, you can. It is a bit flimsy, but it worked okay for a small job like this.
  4. Clean your fireplace well. I vacuumed mine well and then wiped it down a few times. (We also took this opportunity to remove the glass doors.)

Stenciling the Fireplace Tile

  1. Once your tile is dry, place your first stencil. I worked from the outside edges and worked my way in. 
    Stencils
  2. Put paint on your brush and dab off most of it onto the paper plate before continuing onto the stencil. Work your way from the corners in to the middle to prevent seepage. You don’t have to have perfect coverage. In fact, a mottled look makes it look more like cement tile.
  3. I continued stenciling all of the whole stencils that I could. If any one area gave me trouble, I stenciled what I could so that I could come back to finish the hard areas.
  4. Then I went back and bent the stencil to fit the hard areas. In some areas, I cut it. Don’t worry about being perfect. Cement tiles are not perfect. 
    Stenciled fireplace tile surround
Star stencil on fireplace tile surround

I’m so in love with the results. 

The top of the fireplace is clad in shiplap using this technique. 

Stenciled fireplace surround with shiplap

Want to create your own faux tile masterpiece?

The cut file is available in my Etsy shop if you want to make your own masterpiece. It includes PNG, DXF, and SVG files. DXF files work with Silhouette and SVG work with Cricut.

Check out this post for more information on using DIY stencils!

Looking for other stenciled projects?

  • Stenciled rug
  • Stenciled Wood Signs
  • Stenciled mirror 
  • Tips for stenciling walls

Pin for Later!

How to stencil a fireplace tile surround
fireplace makeover collage
Emy Flint

Emy is a vintage obsessed mama of 2 DIYer who loves sharing affordable solutions for common home problems. You don’t need a giant budget to create a lovely home. Read more…

« Copper Leaf Shaped Name Cards (with Free Leaf Cut Files)
Holiday Home Tour 2017 | Semigloss Design »

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Paint Tagged With: budget friendly, paint, silhouette, stencil, tile

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. cassie bustamante says

    November 28, 2017 at 7:21 pm

    oooh emy! that is awesome!!! totally love how it turned out!

    Reply
    • Emy says

      November 30, 2017 at 1:13 pm

      Thanks Cassie! Now to find a new sofa…. Or just have a pretty space to work in for now.

      Reply
  2. Ashley says

    January 01, 2018 at 5:40 pm

    Did you have any problems using chalk paint when the tile got heated up while using your fireplace? Also, did you have to seal it?

    Reply
    • Emy says

      January 02, 2018 at 2:32 pm

      Hi Ashley. I haven’t used the fireplace yet. It’s not used often because we have a wood burning stove in the basement that we use more. We’re hoping to get a good snow day soon and have plans to use it then, so I’ll let you know how it goes.
      I didn’t seal it because the slate is very porous. There are spots where I had accidentally gotten paint on it and despite scrubbing it clean several times, the paint remained. If your fireplace surround is glossy at all, you should seal it. A few coats of polycrylic will keep it protected. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Beth says

    January 14, 2018 at 10:35 am

    Emy, this is spectacular! I am in love! And that ship on the wood mantel- you’re killing me! Just saw your updates on Insta this weekend and this room is spectacular!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Let’s be friends!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for Something?

Hi, I’m Emy!

Hi, I’m Emy!

I'm a color loving DIYer who believes that a beautiful home is possible, even on a budget.

Reader Favorites

unfinished basement ceiling painted sherwin williams sea salt

How to Paint an Unfinished Basement Ceiling

can of polycrylic and paint brush

How to Apply Polycrylic Without Streaks

removing chair rail with pry bar

How to Remove a Chair Rail and Repair the Walls for Paint

green shiplap walls

The Ultimate Guide to Installing Shiplap in a Bathroom

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Contact

About Me

Disclosure and Privacy Policy

Click here for the Semigloss Design disclosures and  privacy policy.

Looking for a post?

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

Emy Flint of Semigloss Design is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Copyright © 2022 Semigloss Design