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Installing a Fireplace Surround

Dave45 | Posted in General Discussion on February 13, 2006 05:23am

A customer has asked me to install a granite fireplace surround in their bedroom fireplace.  The fireplace is a gas log unit and it’s on a corner.  The walls are drywall and the granite was cut and finished by their countertop contractor.  There are three pieces for each side of the fireplace and it looks like it’s just a straight up installation – I won’t be trying to cut or polish the granite.

I’ve done quite a bit of tile work but never granite.  What’s the best way to hang this?  Mastic? Adhesive? Something else?

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  1. User avater
    JDRHI | Feb 13, 2006 10:00pm | #1

    Details man, details.

    How big are the peices? How thick?

    I'd stay away from mastic or adhesives and lean toward thinset...but that would depend on the granite itself.

    J. D. Reynolds

    Home Improvements

  2. Rickie | Feb 14, 2006 02:22am | #2

    It's on a corner? Meaning the granite head piece won't have legs under it at the corner? Could be a problem. You may need some sort of mechanical fastener such as small angle brackets to guarantee the installation. But as far as adhesives are concerned I have been hot on PL Premium recently, got some on my hands last week and it's still there.

    1. Dave45 | Feb 14, 2006 02:45am | #3

      It's a corner fireplace but there's no hearth or mantle.  Each of the sides gets three pieces approx 5" wide and 24" long that lay flat on the wall and surround three sides of the fireplace opening.  The pieces are made from some leftover countertop material from their recent kitchen remodel.

      I think it's just a matter of installing a temporary ledger at the bottom to hold the weight until the adhesive dries and stick the pieces to the wall.  The customer is getting the thickness and I'll post that when he responds.

  3. Piffin | Feb 14, 2006 06:37am | #4

    First thing I'd want to do is to find out why in the worldf the guy who cut the pieces and uis used to working with granite is not the one installing this set-up.

    There is likely to be a story there, maybe a flag down on the play

     

     

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    1. Dave45 | Feb 14, 2006 04:56pm | #5

      No mystery to it, Piffin.  The customer has a home here in San Jose and an apartment in San Francisco.  The countertop was fabricated for the apartment and the customer had the leftover pieces made into this fireplace surround.

      Since the installation seems pretty straightforward, the customer asked me if I could do it.  Like I said in my initial post, tile would be a "no brainer" but I've never worked with granite so I want to make sure I do it right. 

      1. Piffin | Feb 15, 2006 04:46am | #6

        I see - use thinset. There are places mastic might be fine, but I'd be concerned that close to fire.. If you did go mastic route, be sure to test that it is not thermo-plastic. You don't want the heat to make it act like candle wax 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        1. Dave45 | Feb 15, 2006 06:18am | #7

          Would you thinset directly on the drywall or use a concrete or Hardi backer?

          1. Piffin | Feb 15, 2006 06:46am | #8

            Probably direct on the SR. Since this is a BR with gas log, they won't be droppig any logs up against it. Some Victoia's lace maybe, but that won't fall hard enough to knock things loose, or will it?;) 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

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