Fireplace Tile Ideas: Materials, Styles and Layouts

If you want one safe answer: porcelain is the best tile for a fireplace surround in most homes. It's dense, hard to stain, easy to wipe and comes in nearly every look. Natural stone is the other strong choice when you want real texture and variation.

This post is about tile, but many of you arrive with an existing brick fireplace. Good news: brick and tile get along, and you don't have to pick one. Below you'll find materials, styles, layouts and the safety checks that matter before anything goes on the wall.

Save

What is the best tile for a fireplace surround?

Look for tile that handles heat without cracking and that you can clean. Three materials cover most projects.

Porcelain

A porcelain tile fireplace surround is the practical default. Porcelain is fired at high temperatures, absorbs very little water and resists soot staining. It can mimic marble, concrete, wood or brick, so you get the look without the upkeep of the real thing.

Ceramic

Ceramic is lighter and usually cheaper, and glazed versions come in a huge range of colors. It's softer than porcelain, so it chips more easily at the hearth edge where logs and tools get dragged. It suits a decorative surround better than a hard-working hearth.

Natural stone

A natural stone fireplace surround in slate, granite, limestone or marble handles heat well and brings real variation from piece to piece. Porous stones like limestone and marble need sealing, and soot will show on pale surfaces. Slate and granite are more forgiving.

How do you know a tile is heat resistant?

Heat resistant fireplace tile isn't one product. What matters is the type of fireplace. A gas or electric unit usually runs cooler than a wood-burning firebox, and the manufacturer's manual states the required clearances and which materials may sit next to the opening. Read it before you shop.

• Keep tile outside the firebox itself unless it's specifically rated for that use.
• Follow the clearance rules for mantels and combustible trim.
• Use the setting materials the tile maker recommends, not just any adhesive.

For wood-burning units, I recommend asking a licensed installer or chimney professional to confirm the setup. A beautiful surround isn't worth a fire hazard.

Fireplace surround tile options and styles

Zellige and handmade-look tile

Zellige has uneven edges and glazes that shift in the light. It's wonderful on a surround because the surface looks different at noon and at night. Expect irregular grout lines and plan for them.

Subway tile

Subway tile is the easy classic. Stacked vertically it adds height to a low fireplace, laid in a herringbone pattern it feels livelier, and in a matte finish it stays calm. A glossy finish bounces light and shows every fingerprint and speck of soot.

Mosaic and patterned tile

Small tiles and cement-look patterns work best when the rest of the wall is quiet. Use them on a narrow surround or a hearth face, not on a surface with a busy mantel too.

Large-format slabs

Big porcelain panels have very few grout lines, so the fireplace reads as one clean plane. That's the usual route for modern tile fireplace designs, and it also makes cleaning easier.

Save

Full wall tile fireplace designs

A full wall tile fireplace, running from floor to ceiling, turns the chimney breast into the main feature of the room. It works best when the ceiling is tall enough that the tile doesn't feel heavy, and when the rest of the room stays simple.

• Choose a tile with soft variation rather than a flat, uniform color, which can look like a big sheet of plastic.
• Align the tile layout with the mantel and any built-in shelves before you start, so cuts fall in sensible places.
• If a TV will hang there, plan the wiring and heat before tiling. Our post on TV above fireplace ideas covers the placement questions.

Save

Fireplace hearth tile ideas

The hearth takes the most abuse, so pick tile for durability first. Porcelain with a slightly textured finish hides scuffs and gives traction. Slate and honed granite also hold up well.

Size matters too. Large tiles mean fewer grout joints to collect ash. If you have a dog, a flush or slightly raised hearth in a hard, wipeable material is easier to live with than soft or porous stone, and pets tend to nap on the warm floor in front of a fire. Use a screen, and check with your vet about any concerns around heat or fumes.

Save

Can you combine tile with a brick fireplace?

Yes, and it often looks better than either one alone. Brick brings texture and a bit of age, while tile adds color or a cleaner finish. A few pairings that work:

• Keep the brick chimney breast and tile only the hearth.
• Tile the surround and let the brick show above the mantel.
• Whitewash the brick and add a patterned tile hearth for contrast.

As an architect, I'd keep to two materials at the fireplace and let the third element, usually wood on the mantel, stay quiet. If you're working with brick, these posts on brick wall living room ideas and modern rustic style show how it sits in a room.

Save

Choosing tile for your style

Match the tile to the room's character and to how you use the fireplace.

• Rustic or farmhouse: slate, tumbled stone, handmade-look tile in warm tones.
• Modern: large-format porcelain in matte concrete or stone looks.
• Traditional: marble-look or classic stone with a simple mantel.
• Eclectic: zellige or patterned tile on a small surround. A boho room can take it.

Before you commit, take a sample home and look at it in morning light and under your evening lamps. Tile color shifts a lot, and a sample costs far less than a redo.

Frequently asked questions