# Fireplace surround



## DIYtrophywife (Sep 16, 2013)

Hi,
I am remodeling our fireplace surround. It had tile around it and I successfully demoed that. Now the "backerboard" is weak in places and I can press it in easily with 1 finger. I am thinking I need to tear out all of this "backerboard". I say backerboard as I don't really know what it is. Should I replace it with wonderboard? Ultimately my goal is to have a paintable fireplace surround, no tile or stone with a modern look. Can I paint the wonderboard as if it were drywall? Can the wonderboard butt up against the fireplace? It is a gas fireplace and has not visable vents in the front, I imagine it all goes up thru the chimney that I know is for sure there.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Post a picture if you can---you will have trouble getting a smooth ,printable surface with Wonder Board---Hardie Backer or drywall might be better---but we need to see what you have going on.--Mike----


----------



## DIYtrophywife (Sep 16, 2013)

*photos*

Thanks for your input. Is drywall safe to put around the fireplace? Photo 1 is of the whole surround. I started pealing back the gold "wallpaper" type stuff, as I had said in my last post it was weak in some areas. It appears the person who did this fireplace surround originally mudded the whole thing and it is now dry and crumbling (photo 2). I believe I need to tear out all the gold "wallpaper" and all the crumbling mud. Then I believe I am down to the original framing. What do I put in around the fireplace (black metal front) to get the final appearance a basic paintable wall like product (Photo 3).


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Yes,you can drywall right up to the face of the firebox----many codes ask for 5/8" thick--


----------



## jsand (Nov 19, 2011)

oh'mike said:


> Yes,you can drywall right up to the face of the firebox----many codes ask for 5/8" thick--


Just came across this thread when searching fireplace surrounds, and though it's old, want to say that in my region, it is absolutely NOT code to drywall right up to the firebox using standard drywall. The paper on drywall is combustable. It has to be Type X fire rated drywall to be non-combustable.


----------

