How do I update a dated 1980s brass-and-oak fireplace?
In Canton, an honest update to a 1980s brass-and-oak fireplace starts below the surface — recent Pigeon River flooding water-damaged hearths and gas connections across the valley, so the firebox and any gas line deserve inspection before you spend a dime on cosmetics. The brass door and oak surround are the easy part.
Check what the water touched first
In the Pigeon River valley, flooding left many mill-town homes with soaked fireboxes, corroded gas valves, and connections that need to be verified and pressure-tested before they carry fuel again. We treat that as step one. A fireplace that looks fine can hide a gas connection that isn't safe — updating the brass on top of that would be exactly backward.
Then the cosmetic update
Once the firebox and line check out, the dated look is straightforward: matte-black paint or a new door over the brass, and paint, restain, or a tile reface over the honey-oak. If the old unit is beyond saving, a fresh direct-vent insert drops in with a modern front.
Damp valley air, and permits
Valley-floor fog rusts dampers and caps here earlier than you'd expect, so a stainless cap and a damper check pair well with the update. Canton is mixed-fuel — natural gas in town, propane out in the coves. Gas work is licensed; we permit it with Haywood County. We're 20 minutes west — call (828) 545-0525.
Fireplace help in Canton
We install and service fireplaces throughout Canton and the rest of Haywood County — just 20 minutes west from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
- How do I make a 1970s floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace look modern?
- How do I update brass fireplace doors — paint them or replace them?
- Can I stain or paint my existing mantel to update it?
- How can I update my fireplace on a budget?
- Can I replace just the doors or screen front to freshen up my fireplace?