Fireplaces are an opportunity to create a really nice focal point in the room that draws people in. Let’s give this poor fireplace a makeover by building a new fireplace surround.

I love fireplaces. They’re warm and inviting–what’s not to love? And then I laid eyes on this poor, poor fireplace and my heart just sank. It was an obvious afterthought that had been long neglected. It wasn’t even given a proper fireplace surround: no brick, no tile, no anything. Just drywall, the minimum.

My first inclination was actually to remove it. It protrudes so much from the wall that it was frankly an eyesore. It wasn’t until I saw someone else react to the fireplace with a bit of disgust that I suddenly needed to rescue this poor fireplace. I never wanted anyone to look at it with such disdain again! From that moment, all I could think about was a fireplace makeover

DIY Board and Batten Fireplace Surround

Initially, my goal was to go for a clean shaker style design. It wasn’t until I completed this project that I realized what we were actually doing was a fireplace board and batten! It makes total sense: add board to achieve a smooth finish, and then add batten to hide the seems and add a textural element. And then we’re done!

Note that local and national building codes may vary, especially for different fireplace types (gas, wood-burning, or electric). Make sure to check with your local codes before proceeding.

Creating a Smooth Surface – Adding Board

The first step was to cut the sheets of hardboard to the size of the sides and front of the fireplace. To make these cuts, I used a circular saw (for the first time ever!).

To accommodate the firebox opening, and since the front face was rather large, I used 3 separate pieces to cover the front. Then just one sheet on each side.

fireplace covered in hardboard — Fireplace covered in hardboard

I attached the boards directly into the drywall using a hammer and nails. This would have been a great time to use a nailer if I had one!

Choosing Hardboard

I used 1/8” hardboard for both the board (covering the entire surface) and the batten (decorative strips on top). You can absolutely choose a thicker hardboard for added drama and dimension. I chose 1/8” because the existing baseboards were rather shallow, and I didn’t want the fireplace surround to protrude over the top of the baseboards.

Covering Seams and Adding Dimension – Adding Batten

The next step was to cut thin strips of board to attach to the now hardboard-covered fireplace. The thin strips hide the seams where the hardboard seams meet while also adding decoration and dimension.

For the strips that meet at the corners, I used my circular saw with the blade set to a 45degree angle. That way the two boards had a mitered seam instead of seeing the butt of one of them.

This step is where you can let your creativity run wild. Once you’ve covered all the seams, you can add decorative strips in any pattern you’d like.

Bonus Pizzaz – Adding Crown Molding and Mantel

Since this fireplace protrudes into the room, it already has a surface for a mantel, so I didn’t have to build an extra shelf. Originally, I’d planned to simply attach a wood board on top of the existing drywall as the mantel. But coincidentally, we are also redoing the countertops in our bathrooms and kitchen–why not add a granite slab to the fireplace mantel?

Crown Molding

To transition from the mantel to the front and sides of the fireplace and give it a little something extra, I opted to add crown mounding beneath the mantel. This is totally optional and dependent on your personal style.

If you decide to do this step, make sure to look up the different angles to cut the crown mounding! I didn’t know a simple 45degree angle wouldn’t work but it definitely does not.

Crown molding corners meeting at the top of the fireplace

Fireplace Makeover Clean Up

The final step before we can paint and prime is covering up those nail holes so that all our fireplace surround is smooth and seamless.

I used a nail punch to sink each of the nail heads farther into the hardboard. Then I patched the holes with wood filler and sanded it down once it dried. Then we were ready for paint!