The red or orange brick fireplace from the 1970s and 80s is in a huge number of DMV living rooms and family rooms. Painting it is one of the fastest ways to modernize the room. It's also nearly permanent, so it's worth choosing the right finish and doing the prep properly.
THREE APPROACHES
| Finish | Look | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|
| Paint | Solid, uniform color; most modern | Very difficult to remove |
| Limewash | Soft, chalky, aged; brick texture shows through | Partly, while fresh |
| Whitewash (thinned paint) | Light, translucent wash | No |
For the difference between limewash and paint in more detail, see our limewash vs. paint guide.
PREP IS EVERYTHING
- Clean off soot and grime with a stiff brush and a masonry or degreasing cleaner. Paint won't stick to soot.
- Rinse and let it dry fully, often a day or more. Brick holds water.
- Repair loose mortar and fill gaps.
- Prime with a masonry primer (or a stain-blocking primer over smoke stains) before color.
- Use a thick-nap roller and a brush to get paint into the mortar joints.
WHAT ABOUT THE HEAT?
- The brick surround and mantel wall can take standard interior paint over a masonry primer.
- The firebox interior should not be painted with regular paint. If you want it black and fresh, use a high-heat product made for fireboxes, or leave it as is.
- Gas fireplaces and inserts run cooler on the surround, but check the manufacturer's clearance and finish guidance.
POPULAR CHOICES
- Warm white with a matte finish: the most popular, bright and classic.
- Charcoal or black: dramatic, hides soot, pairs well with wood mantels.
- Greige or soft gray: blends into neutral walls.
Painted brick still looks like brick. If you want a smooth modern fireplace, a skim coat or a tile or stone veneer is a different project, and often worth pricing alongside paint.
WHAT IT COSTS
Painting a typical brick fireplace surround in the DMV runs about $400–$1,200 depending on size, height and how much cleaning the brick needs. It's often added to a room repaint; see our interior painting cost guide.
RELATED READING
LIMEWASH VS. PAINT ON EXTERIOR BRICK
How each looks and ages, breathability, maintenance, cost, and historic-district concerns.
ACCENT WALLS THAT LOOK CUSTOM: PAINT, PANELS & WALLPAPER
Deep paint colors, board-and-batten grids, 3D geometric panels, and wallpaper feature walls — with real installed costs for each.
INTERIOR PAINTING COST IN DC, MD & VA (2026 GUIDE)
Everything you need to know about painting costs in the DMV area, from single rooms to whole-house projects.
Planning a project? See our Interior Painting service page for scope, process and recent work.
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