How do I update a dated 1980s brass-and-oak fireplace?
In Weaverville, the brass-and-oak fireplace lives in the older downtown homes — Reems Creek's rapid new construction skipped that era entirely. Updating one means painting or replacing the brass door and refreshing the honey-oak surround, and often upgrading the inefficient original masonry firebox behind it while you have the front open.
Two housing markets, one dated fireplace
New Reems Creek subdivisions came with modern fireboxes; it's the older homes around Downtown Weaverville and Ox Creek that still carry the 1980s brass doors and honey-oak mantels. For those, painting the brass matte black and painting, restaining, or refacing the oak is the fast, high-impact update — and it costs little more than a weekend and careful masking.
The inefficient box is the real opportunity
Those original downtown masonry fireboxes often run a net heat loss, pulling warm room air up the chimney. Since Weaverville's north-facing valley is slow to warm in spring, a direct-vent gas insert — the Napoleon Oakville X4, for one — is a worthwhile drop-in that turns the box into a power-optional heater while we fit a fresh clean front.
Licensed and permitted
Weaverville is on the natural-gas mains, so the conversion is simple, but the line is still licensed work — we permit it with Buncombe County and meet the inspector. We're 15 minutes north; call (828) 545-0525 for a free in-home estimate.
Fireplace help in Weaverville
We install and service fireplaces throughout Weaverville and the rest of Buncombe County — just 15 minutes north from our Asheville-area showroom.
Related questions
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