Legendary Masonry Greensboro builds custom brick fireplaces in Greensboro, NC that become the focal point of your home or patio. We design indoor surrounds and outdoor fireplace structures that draft properly, handle heat, and match your style. From classic hearths to modern clean lines, our brick fireplace work is built to last.
Legendary Masonry Greensboro provides professional brick fireplace throughout Greensboro, NC, North Carolina and the surrounding area. Our licensed, insured crew delivers safe, clean, on-time work with a free estimate before anything begins. Call 336-647-6762 or request your free quote.
Custom Brick Fireplaces Built For Greensboro Homes
A brick fireplace is not just a spot for a fire, it becomes the visual anchor of a room. At Legendary Masonry Greensboro, we build and rebuild brick fireplaces that fit the way people in Greensboro actually live. Whether you have a 1950s ranch near Friendly Center that needs its old masonry brought up to code, or you are adding a new gas insert in a Lake Jeanette living room, we start by looking at how you use the space, what heat source you prefer, and what your existing structure can safely support.
Our first visit is always about inspection and layout, not selling. We check the existing chimney (if you have one), framing clearances, floor structure, and where combustible materials are located. In older Greensboro homes, we often find undersized hearth extensions or framing too close to the firebox, especially in houses renovated before newer code updates. We document measurements, show you photos of what we see, and talk through whether you want a traditional wood burning firebox, a gas log set, or an electric insert framed in brick for the look without the chimney work.
From there we sketch the fireplace face, hearth, and mantel area at full scale on the wall or floor so you can see exactly how the brickwork will feel in the room. This step keeps you from ending up with a fireplace that is too tall for an 8 foot ceiling or a hearth that sticks too far into a smaller den. Once the layout is set, we move into brick selection, structural planning, and scheduling the actual masonry work around Greensboro’s weather patterns so mortar cures correctly.
How We Build Or Rebuild Your Brick Fireplace
Every brick fireplace project we handle in Greensboro follows a clear sequence so there are no surprises. If we are building new around an insert, we coordinate with your HVAC or fireplace appliance installer so the unit and venting are in place before we close anything in with brick.
1. Demolition and prep: We protect your floors, cover nearby furniture, and set up dust control. Old tile, stone, or cracked brick around the opening is removed, and any weak or charred framing is cut back and replaced. In some older Greensboro houses we find previous DIY “repairs” made with interior grout or plaster, which must be taken out so real masonry materials can bond correctly.
2. Firebox and chimney work (if wood burning): If you are keeping or adding a wood burning setup, we work with or refer a chimney professional as needed to verify the flue size, smoke chamber condition, and damper. A brick fireplace is only as good as its draft. Many 1960s and 1970s Greensboro homes have flues that are slightly undersized for the openings people want, so we may adjust the firebox dimensions, narrow the opening slightly, or recommend a stainless liner for better draft and safety.
3. Structure and support: Before laying a single face brick, we confirm load paths. A full height brick fireplace face is heavy. We check the subfloor and joist direction to decide if we need additional blocking, a concrete hearth base, or steel angle support at the opening. For two story homes in Greensboro with fireplaces on the first floor, we pay close attention to the weight over crawl spaces.
4. Masonry layout and installation: We snap reference lines on the wall and floor, then dry lay the first few courses so you can see joint thickness and pattern. After your approval, we mix masonry cement suited to the season (slightly adjusted water content and additives when we are working during cooler, damp Piedmont winters). We lay brick from the firebox opening outward, continually checking level, plumb, and symmetry so the fireplace looks centered and the joints line up cleanly around mantels, TV niches, or built in shelves.
5. Finishing and cleanup: Once brickwork is complete, we strike or tool the joints to the profile you selected, clean the face with masonry cleaner that will not bleach or streak, and leave the area ready for your painter, trim carpenter, or TV installer.
Brick, Patterns, And Design Choices That Work In Greensboro Homes
Brick fireplaces are not one style fits all. Legendary Masonry Greensboro helps you choose materials and patterns that fit both your taste and the house you are in. The red brick used on many Greensboro exteriors is often still produced, or close matches are available, which lets us tie an indoor fireplace to the outside of the house if you like a cohesive look.
We walk you through choices like:
• Brick type and color: Classic red with some distressing fits older neighborhoods like Sunset Hills and Lindley Park. More uniform wire cut brick in muted tones works better in newer developments around Northwest Greensboro. For homeowners who want a lighter, “updated” look without painted brick maintenance, we often use a buff or light gray brick with light gray mortar for a softer contrast.
• Patterns and accents: A simple running bond pattern is clean and cost effective, but we can add soldier courses (bricks standing vertical) above the firebox opening, herringbone panels inside the firebox back wall, or a rowlock course (bricks on edge) at the hearth front. One design many Greensboro clients like is a slightly recessed panel of herringbone above the opening framed by standard running bond. It adds interest without overwhelming the room.
• Joints and surface finish: Tighter joints with concave tooling give a traditional, classic fireplace. Slightly raked joints cast more shadow and work well with painted finishes. For homeowners planning to whitewash or limewash the brick later, we choose brick with some texture so the wash has something to grab and does not look flat.
• Mantels and surrounds: We frequently coordinate with local carpenters to integrate wood mantels, built in bookcases, or shiplap above the brick. That requires careful planning of clearances from combustible trim to the firebox opening. We make sure the brick is set to the right depth so a mantel can be added without violating code or looking like it is barely hanging on the surface.
Costs, Timing, And What A Greensboro Homeowner Should Expect
The cost of a brick fireplace in Greensboro varies based on scope, but there are predictable factors that drive the price. Legendary Masonry Greensboro breaks this down openly so you can budget with fewer surprises.
• Scope of work: A simple refacing of an existing fireplace with new brick, no chimney changes, and a standard wood or gas opening is the least expensive route. Full tear out of old masonry, rebuilding portions of the firebox, or addressing structural problems under the hearth adds labor and material.
• Material choices: Standard local brick and basic running bond patterns are more economical. Specialty brick, complex patterns like full height herringbone, or custom arches over the opening take more time and require more cutting, which increases labor.
• Access and conditions: Working in a tight townhouse living room or on a second floor bonus room is slower than working on a wide open first floor. In older Greensboro homes with plaster walls, we spend extra time on dust control and careful demolition, which affects cost but protects the rest of your house.
Regarding timing, most brick fireplace refacing projects run 3 to 5 working days once we start, not counting any separate chimney or appliance work. More extensive rebuilds can run 1 to 2 weeks. In the Piedmont climate we have to watch temperature and humidity. Mortar needs time above freezing to gain strength. In winter we often schedule interior fireplace work for the middle of the day, when interior temperatures are higher, and we may use slightly warmer mix water and slow drying to avoid premature cracking. In the hot, humid Greensboro summer we manage airflow so the face does not dry too quickly, which can also cause surface cracking.
Before we quote, we encourage you to think about how far you want the project to go. Some homeowners only want the firebox and face updated. Others use the fireplace upgrade as a chance to rework lighting, TV placement, and surrounding built ins. We can coordinate our work so your electrician and carpenter are not stepping on fresh masonry or cutting into newly laid brick.
Common Brick Fireplace Problems We Fix In Greensboro
Many of our projects are not brand new fireplaces, but repairs or updates to existing ones that have nagging issues. Legendary Masonry Greensboro has seen the same patterns across many neighborhoods and knows how to correct them without overbuilding.
Draft and smoke problems are common in older Greensboro homes. Sometimes the opening is too large for the flue, sometimes the smoke chamber above the firebox is rough or improperly shaped, or the previous homeowner removed a damper. We solve this by evaluating the full path from firebox to chimney top. Possible fixes include resizing the firebox opening with a brick “throat” to improve the ratio, reshaping the smoke chamber with new masonry, or recommending a top sealing damper or stainless liner installed by a chimney specialist we trust.
Cracked or spalling brick on the face usually comes from years of heat stress, moisture intrusion, or the use of the wrong mortar during past repairs. We cut out damaged units, match replacement brick as closely as possible, and use mortar that is compatible with both the brick and the age of the structure. Using mortar that is too hard can cause more damage in the long run, especially in older fireplaces that move slightly as the house settles.
Hearths that are too small or flush with the floor are another issue we see in Greensboro. Current code requires a certain hearth depth and thickness in front of a wood burning fireplace. We can extend the hearth with matching or complementary brick and build it up to the proper height on a solid base, which not only makes it safer but also gives you a more defined seating or decor area in front of the fire.
Cosmetic updates are also common. Many homeowners are tired of dark, heavily smoked brick. We can clean and re point joints, add a new brick surround over outdated stone or tile, or rebuild just the area above the opening to create a cleaner, more balanced look that works better with today’s furnishings and TV sizes. If you are thinking about painting or limewashing after the masonry is done, we help you understand how joint profiles and brick texture will affect the final look so you are not disappointed when the paint goes on.
