Instantly update a fireplace, bar, accent wall, and much more with Airstone! In only a few hours you can give your fireplace a makeover with birch bluff Airstone.
Stone Veneer Fireplace
This Airstone birch bluff dramatically changes the appearance of your home and can potentially increase the value.
Please note that I am only speaking about updating a flat marble or flat stone fireplace.
I’m not saying that this couldn’t work for other fireplace features and variations, but I have not tested it on them.
Stone Fireplace Makeover
We share all of our tips and tricks to using stone veneer on a fireplace.
If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a stone like material that is thin and lightweight.
As a matter of fact, if you felt it, you would have no idea that it wasn’t actual stone.
Airstone can be found at Lowe’s, and there are a few different patterns to choose from to match your home.
I went with the white and gray pattern Airstone birch bluff, since it is a more timeless look and can adapt to any home style.
Easy Fireplace Makeover with Airstone
This material is much lighter than actual stone, and can be cut with just a hacksaw.
You can see that birch bluff Airstone is semi porous in the picture above.
I did end up using my jigsaw to cut this, with a concrete blade or metal blade, for the sake of time.
It was pretty effective but did require a blade change or two.
That said, you’ll also want to wear safety goggles and a mask.
I also used the recommended Airstone adhesive, which seemed a lot like thin set, if you’ve ever used that.
Measuring For Airstone Fireplace Makeover
Measuring out your stone is important because you want to make sure the stone lines up correctly before you adhere it.
I started with the top of my fireplace that runs horizontal below the mantel and lined up a couple of stones.
The Airstone fit perfectly below the mantel, so I adjusted the pattern with these stones then set them aside.
I didn’t want to have to cut an entire row length wise to have them fit because it would be more tedious and time consuming.
Then I laid out an entire row and measured them and they basically fit the mantel perfectly as well.
The row was only off about a half inch which I just filled in with the stone fireplace adhesive.
Next I measured vertically for the columns that go up the sides and saw that I would definitely need to cut one of the stones length wise on each side.
All of these stones would also need to have their ends cut down a few inches to fit so they don’t overlap the fireplace.
Adhering the Horizontal section of Stone
I knew that all the pieces fit perfectly in this section.
So, I had to build some sort of scaffolding to keep the Airstone held in place until it completely dried.
To do this I used 2x4s to make a basic frame that supported the weight of the stones until they were completely dry.
The stones should be able to rest on the top 2×4 so that they won’t fall or sag.
I don’t have pictures of this, but in the image drawn below, you can see how this scaffolding should be built.
Some things to note:
When applying the adhesive, as they describe, put it on like you’re icing a cupcake, not just buttering a slice of bread.
For aesthetics, you’ll also want to stagger the pattern so that have some shorter pieces, longer pieces, and colors blended.
Fitting the Vertical Section
After the top has set and dried, you can begin work on the sides.
The obvious choice is to start on the bottom and work your way up, since the stones below will support the ones on top of it.
As I mentioned, I had to cut these to fit since they were too long.
You can easily measure them, draw a line with a pencil directly on the stone, and cut it with a hacksaw, or jigsaw in my case.
After that, slap the adhesive on the back of them and put them on until it’s complete.
It’s that easy and should only take a weekend, including dry time.
There you have it! A brand new look to your stone fireplace. To see more tips and tricks take a look at the Airstone website.
Conclusion
Now that you know it is easy to DIY a stone veneer fireplace, don’t get carried away with it.
Don’t be that person that installs airstone on the side their bathtub because they have extra material.
Adding stone veneer to small spaces like a fireplace, basement bar, or even outdoors will be your best bet!
I love how my Airstone fireplace makeover turned out! The stone gave my fireplace a little texture which made the space feel more cozy and inviting.
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