How do I update a dated 1980s brass-and-oak fireplace?
In Clyde, the brass-and-oak fireplace is right at home in the town's 1960s-to-'80s ranch houses, most of them ready for an insert upgrade. The brass door and honey-oak surround refresh with paint or a swap, but the dated firebox in these ranches is usually the bigger opportunity.
Ranch-era fireplaces, ready for more
Clyde's 1960s-to-'80s ranch builds tend to have modest fireboxes that were never great heaters. The quick cosmetic wins hold — matte-black paint or a new door over the brass, paint or a tile reface over the honey-oak — but in a low ranch ceiling, a direct-vent gas insert that drops into the existing opening turns a decorative box into real, even heat with a clean modern front.
Damp valley air is hard on hardware
Clyde shares Canton and Waynesville's cold-air drainage, and river humidity rusts dampers and degrades masonry chimneys faster than you'd think. While we update the front, we check the damper and liner so you're not sealing a corroding chimney behind a fresh face.
Mixed fuel, permitted with Haywood
Clyde is mixed-fuel; we set the insert up for natural gas or propane, whichever serves your home. The gas line is licensed work — we permit it with Haywood County and meet the inspector. We're 25 minutes west; call (828) 545-0525 for a free estimate.
Fireplace help in Clyde
We install and service fireplaces throughout Clyde and the rest of Haywood County — just 25 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?