How to Paint a Marble Fireplace Surround with Chalk Paint
Can you paint a marble fireplace surround? Get step-by-step instructions for how to paint marble and update your fireplace surround. This budget-friendly $25 fireplace update can be done in less than a weekend.
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When my family purchased our home in 2005, there weren’t a lot of options for customizing our gas fireplace.
So we went neutral.
Or at least, 2005 kinda neutral.
We chose a cream marble surround. It worked perfectly with the warm colors that were popular that decade.
But.
When we painted our downstairs with Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter?
That neutral cream surround didn’t feel quite so neutral anymore.
My husband and I debated lots of options to update the fireplace.
Everything from covering over the marble with ceramic tile to removing the marble completely and doing a stone surround.
But every option we liked would cost more than we wanted (or had available!) to spend.
We started upgrading the fireplace by beefing up the mantel. It was never really deep enough, and it looked sort of chintzy.
That new $20 mantel helped make it look more substantial!
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Can You Paint Marble?
Paint is a powerful tool.
Have you seen how AnnMarie updated her 1990s bedroom set?
And I loved how paint gave my hall bath and her master bath a brand new look.
I began to wonder, can you paint a marble fireplace?
Enter chalk paint.
I started looking into whether it would be an option. It would only cost us about $25 in supplies, counting tape, and a new paintbrush!
It would be easy enough that we could do it ourselves.
And if we didn’t like it? We’d only be out $25.
Before deciding to paint the surround, I tested out how it would look.
A little black card stock and some tape were all it took to help us visualize the black surround.
The Best Paint for Marble
Have you ever worked with chalk paint?
This stuff is some kind of wonderful, miracle-working paint!
It was developed by Annie Sloan for furniture refinishing and distressing.
It’s very thick, has a matte finish, and it adheres to just about anything.
Without any prep or primer.
After doing some research on different brands, I decided the best fireplace paint for marble was Rustoleum’s Chalked Paint.
Unlike Annie Sloan’s paint, the Rustoleum paint has a protective topcoat to seal the painted marble.
I thought having a protective topcoat would be extra important for the marble fireplace hearth.
It also can withstand the heat from a fireplace.
I selected their Charcoal color because I knew a black fireplace surround would give a neutral palette that would work for any decor.
Rustoleum has a nice variety of color options if you prefer something different.
How to Paint Marble
- Rustoleum Chalked Paint in the color of your choice
- Rustoleum Chalked Protective Topcoat
- 1-1/2 inch angled paint brush
- painter’s tape
- 100 grit sandpaper
1. Do You Need to Prepare Marble Before Painting?
One of the best parts of chalky paints is they adhere really well to just about any surface.
Primer is never necessary!
And while sanding is generally not required with chalky paints it will improve adhesion when painting marble
As you can see, the marble was polished to a high gloss.
It was really simple to rough up the surface with 100 grit sand paper.
See the difference?
I used a wet sponge to clean up all the marble dust.
Then went over it with a tack cloth to remove any extra dust I may have missed.
2. Tape the Edges
I used Frogtape to protect the wood mantle and the carpet.
And then a drop cloth for the carpet too.
I’m not the neatest of painters…
3. Paint the Marble Surround
Rustoleum’s Chalked paint is very thick, and it dries very quickly.
You’re going to want to use a stir stick to get the pigment thoroughly mixed into the paint from the bottom of the can.
Shaking just doesn’t do the trick since it’s so thick.
Because it dries quickly, you do need to work quickly.
It does have some self-leveling qualities, but it really does dry fast!
I didn’t mind if some brush strokes were visible. I felt like they could provide some texture to make the surface look somewhat like slate.
But if brush strokes will bother you, you can use a foam roller instead.
Y’all?
I was so nervous!
But as soon as I painted the first little part of the marble, I was in love!
It looked so good!
I started with the top section and did short horizontal strokes to cover the surface.
Then I ran the paintbrush lightly over the surface from one end to the next to make the strokes look even.
Next, I painted the two side sections with vertical strokes using the same technique.
I finished with painting the marble hearth.
I could not believe what a difference it made!
Buh-bye, cream marble, helllllooooo black beauty!
4. Do You Need Two Coats of Chalked Paint?
After the first coat, you can see some spots needed a bit more coverage.
I let it cure for an hour, then added a second coat.
It probably wasn’t necessary to wait that long because have I mentioned this paint dries super quickly?!?
As soon as I finished the second coat of paint I removed the tape.
I didn’t want to risk the paint possibly peeling!
If you don’t remove the tape immediately, you may want to use a razor blade along the edge to make sure it doesn’t pull off any of the paint.
5. Do You Need to Seal Chalk Paint?
I definitely recommend sealing the chalk-painted surface!
Chalk paint chips easily when it hasn’t been sealed for protection.
I let the second coat of chalk paint cure overnight before applying the first coat of sealer, but it should be safe to apply it after 4 hours.
Before you seal the surround, clean the surface well.
You don’t want any stray hairs, dust, or lint getting sealed in!
Next, make sure you stir the topcoat sealer well.
I was amazed at how much the consistency changed from stirring it!
I applied the sealer using the same process that I used for the paint.
The sealer isn’t nearly as thick as the chalked paint.
It goes on looking gray, but it dries to a completely clear matte finish.
I applied three coats of the sealer, letting it dry for a full day between each coat.
I wanted to make sure my newly painted marble fireplace surround was well-protected!
And that’s it!
I only used about 1/4 of a can of the paint and 1/4 of a can of the sealer for this project, which means I’ve got a beautiful new fireplace surround for less than $15!
Before/After
Everyone loves a good before and after, so let’s take a look back at where we started before upgrading the mantel and painting the marble surround:
And here it is with a close-up split view. What a difference!
If you have an outdated fireplace, I’m happy to report that chalk painting your marble or tile fireplace is an inexpensive and simple option to give it a face-lift!
What do you think? Will you give it a try?
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions or suggestions, contact me or leave a comment! Follow us over on Instagram and Facebook to see everything we’re up to.
More Posts You May Enjoy:
- How to Update Your Builder-grade Mantel
- Tips to Decorate Your Fireplace for Spring and Summer
- Neutral Fall Fireplace Mantel Decor
- Winter Mantel Decorating with Vintage Farmhouse Style
- How to Install Board and Batten
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Hi thank you for posting your idea. My husband and I have a fireplace exactly like this except it is gas. The marble now looks yelow or off white due to painting the mantle white. The marble on top of the fireplace stone/marble gets really really hot. So hot you cant touch it. Will that still be safe to paint?
Hey Kayla! My fireplace is also a gas fireplace. While I know the surround does get hot when it’s on, I’ve never noticed it getting so hot that it can’t be touched, so our fireplace boxes may be different? When I was researching doing this project, the Chalked paint by Rustoleum was listed as being safe to use on fireplace surrounds. It’s been painted for over a year now, and it’s not showing any signs of chipping, scratching or peeling from the heat. However, my husband and I knew that we were going to replace the marble altogether if this fix didn’t work out for us, so it was a safe bet for us to experiment and try it. I hope that helps you with deciding whether you’d like to give it a try?
Hello,
I followed your steps and love the results! But, as I was applying the top coat, I scratched across the paint with my nail and it chipped. I have to repair it and apply top coat, but I am concerned that it will chip this easily even after the top coat cures. I gave pets, with nails. Any additional suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Tanya! I think the problem is that the paint is designed for you to distress it which is why it chipped before the top coat had cured. I’ve had mine done for over a year now, and am happy to report it still looks great with no chips or scratches. I have a metal screen that sits on the floor that the kids (and I!) have knocked over and scraped across the surface. I thought for sure it would show, but it’s held up great! The top coat really does seal and protect it. I would recommend applying several coats for added protection, allowing it to cure for a full day between coats. I’d love to see a before/after pic! You can email it to us if you’d like to share!
We followed your steps and are thrilled with the results. We did sand the tile first and use a cleaner before painting. In our case we painted over gross red porcelain tile.
Thanks!!
I am so excited to hear you had great results! I’m happy to report too that after a year of use, the paint is holding up beautifully on mine. I use the fireplace all the time, and also have a metal grate that has been scraped on the floor section several times and there are no chips or scratches. Here’s to making our homes suit our styles for a reasonable price!
For those who have enjoyed your painted marble god sometime now: has it endured over time with no scratches. I have toddler grands that like to move things over my hearth.
Thanks for reaching out Ginny…it’s so good to hear that your painted fireplace has endured over time. Happy New Year!
It looks fabulous. I would like to do a kind of translucent gold wash or glaze over my marble surround. Do you know of any product I could use to do that? I’d like something more like a stain or glaze so the marble shows through but I can change the color.
Thanks so much, Sheryl! From what I understand, you can water down chalk paint and wipe it off for a more translucent look. That technique allows the wood grain to show through, so it sounds like it may work to let the marble pattern show too? But I’d recommend trying it on a sample tile first before doing it to the fireplace surround. Good luck! Let me know how it goes!