Painting a granite fireplace?

[Mattatooi]

Got a wooden surround which I am going to sand down and paint, probably in some sort of cream colour. The hearth and panel bit is all granite. I was originally going to just take it out and maybe try to sell it, but I don't think I would get much for it, and budget is tight. So someone said you could paint it. I first thought they were a bit mad, but I could see it working?

Previous owner took her electric fireplace with her, leaving me a nice dirty hole with a filthy material in it lol.

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• Mattatooi
• 7 Aug 2014
• 2

I have done some googling and cannot seem to find much info about doing this. As you can see its a glossy granite. I think I would like to paint it black. Importantly we are blocking up and putting an electric fire in, so no real fire is going in. I thought I would give it a go at painting it to see if it looks ok and if its a total disaster I could get rid of it.

What sort of finish could you get with this. Will it look terrible? What is best way to tackle it?

Thanks

 

[emilybronte]

Blimey, that's pretty hideous, isn't it? I can see why you want to paint it black.

I have never painted salmon-pink granite before, but I would be inclined to sand it down to provide a key, apply oilbased undercoat, then either oilbased eggshell paint or matt black stove paint (masking the surround as appropriate, of course).

Good luck!

 

[Mattatooi]

Thanks for reply.

What would be a good grit size of sandpaper for keying? Have you painted granite before then? Any recommendation on type of product to use? I am a bit new to this and there are so many products out there.

What about a spray type paint? Would this provide a smoother even finish? Brushing paint on this surface might not look so great?

 

[emilybronte]

Thanks for reply.

What would be a good grit size of sandpaper for keying? Have you painted granite before then? Any recommendation on type of product to use? I am a bit new to this and there are so many products out there.

What about a spray type paint? Would this provide a smoother even finish? Brushing paint on this surface might not look so great?

For sanding I'd use whatever it takes to get rid of most of the glaze, as the new paint won't adhere very well otherwise. I'd also do it with a palm sander to save my wrist and elbows, starting with a coarse grit sheet and moving to a medium before undercoating.

If you are unused to brush-painting, then yes, a spray paint might be better but be aware than unless you spray evenly(ie moving the tin as you spray from side to side or up and down at an even , steady speed), you can get drips or runs.

Makes - I don't know of a good spray on undercoat, but the Little Greene oilbased undercoat (apply with brush)is good stuff. For the top coat, Plasticote make a stove paint which would work well enough, but there are others. Just ask in your local fireplace/stove centre.

 

[blightymam]

You could tile over it?!