A marble fireplace surround in Fort Pierce is a small stone job with a big effect on the room, and we cut and install them, along with granite and quartz surrounds and stone hearths, from full slabs or remnants sized to your firebox.
Fireplace work belongs with our countertop installation in Fort Pierce service because the steps are the same: measure, template, fabricate and set. In Florida, many living-room fireplaces are gas or electric units lit a few evenings a year, and a dated tile face is often the easiest thing in the room to update.
If you are redoing the kitchen too, a piece from the same slab used for your kitchen countertops can tie the rooms together, and leftover stone from the job can go to small spaces such as laundry room countertops.
Part of our countertop installation in Fort Pierce services.
What's Included
A surround job starts by identifying the fireplace. Wood-burning, vented gas, vent-free gas and electric units each warm the face differently, and the unit's manual lists the clearances any facing has to respect, so we read it before suggesting a stone. Then we measure the opening, the wall face, the hearth and any mantel shelf. If the old face is tile, brick veneer or stone, it comes off with the floor and furniture covered, and the wall behind is flattened so the new pieces sit true. The legs, header and hearth are templated to frame the opening evenly, and the pieces are cut in our shop with veining matched across them and every visible edge finished. On site, the stone is set with adhesive suited to the heat it will see, joints are filled and the dust goes with us. Gas or electrical changes stay with the licensed trades.
- Measurement of the firebox opening, wall face, hearth and any mantel shelf
- Advice on which stones suit the heat your fireplace gives off, checked against the unit's clearance guidance
- Removal of old tile, brick veneer or stone facing where needed
- Templating of the legs, header and hearth so the pieces frame the opening evenly
- Fabrication with honed or polished edges and matched veining across the pieces
- Setting of the surround and hearth, with joints filled and dust cleaned up
Is Your Fireplace Face Ready for New Stone?
In a Florida living room the fireplace may be lit only a few evenings a year, so a dated face often outlasts its looks. These are the usual reasons owners decide to resurface:
- Builder tile from the 1980s or 1990s, often beige squares with a brass trim around the opening
- Cracked tiles or open grout lines along the hearth where the concrete slab under the house has settled over the decades
- A wood-burning box converted to a gas or electric insert, leaving an uneven face around the new unit
- Painted brick veneer that has chipped or yellowed and no longer suits the room
- A new kitchen in a stone the owner wants to repeat across an open plan, so both rooms read as one
- A chipped hearth edge from years of fireplace tools and logs
Marble, Granite or Quartz: Which Stone Belongs Around Your Firebox?
The answer depends on how hot the face gets. A wood-burning or vented gas fireplace warms the stone near the opening; an electric insert barely heats it at all.
| Material | Near heat | Look | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marble | Handles heat well | Classic veining, honed or polished | Etching rarely matters on a wall |
| Granite | Handles heat well | Speckled or bold patterns | Very durable as a hearth |
| Quartzite | Handles heat well | Marble-like veins on a harder stone | Higher fabrication cost |
| Quartz | Resin can discolor under sustained heat | Even color, modern feel | Fine around electric units; check maker limits near flame |
| Porcelain | Very heat-tolerant | Large faces with no grout lines | Thin; mitered edges add depth |
Marble is the traditional pick because its main drawback in a kitchen, etching from acidic food, hardly ever comes up on a wall. Our marble countertops page covers finishes and care in more depth.
Can a Fireplace Remodel Keep the Existing Firebox?
Usually. A stone fireplace remodel normally leaves the firebox and the gas or electric unit exactly as they are and replaces only the face around them. We take off the old tile or veneer, check that the wall behind is flat and solid, and fit new pieces to the opening.
- Measure the opening and note the clearances listed in the unit's installation manual
- Strip old tile, mortar or veneer and flatten the substrate
- Set the legs and header around the opening, then the hearth at floor level
- Fit a stone mantel shelf if wanted, carried on hidden brackets or framing
Running a new gas line, moving the unit or altering a chimney is licensed, permitted work. If your plan goes beyond resurfacing, we will say so at the estimate so that part is handled by the right trade.
Stone Hearths, Mantels and Remnant-Sized Surrounds
A stone fireplace hearth protects the floor in front of the opening and gives the surround a base. Granite is a natural fit there because it shrugs off scrapes from fireplace tools and logs. A stone mantel shelf adds a ledge for decor, but it needs firm support behind it, since stone is heavy.
Surround pieces are narrow, so they often come from remnants, the pieces left over after larger slabs are cut. That can lower the cost and opens up stones that would be too expensive for a whole kitchen. A full slab still makes sense for a floor-to-ceiling face or when the veining needs to flow across every piece.
Talk to the shop before you buy a slab.
Free in-home estimates · Mon–Fri 7:00–4:30 · weekend estimates by appointment
How the Job Runs, Step by Step
- Call. Send a photo of the fireplace and describe the look you have in mind.
- Site visit. We measure the opening, wall and hearth and confirm the unit's type and clearances.
- Estimate. A written estimate covers removal, stone, fabrication and setting.
- Template. Legs, header and hearth are templated so the opening is framed evenly.
- Fabricate and set. The pieces are cut and finished in our shop, then installed, with joints filled and dust cleaned up.
Questions about fireplace surrounds? Call the shop.
Free in-home estimates · Mon–Fri 7:00–4:30 · weekend estimates by appointment
What Affects the Price
Fireplace surrounds are quoted in writing after we see the fireplace and measure the face, since no two are alike. The main cost factors:
- A remnant versus a full slab, and the stone you choose
- Removal of old tile, brick veneer or mortar, plus wall prep
- The size of the face: a simple frame around the opening or floor-to-ceiling cladding
- Hearth size and thickness
- Mitered edges, bookmatched veining or a stone mantel shelf
- Wall condition once the old face is off: a flat, sound substrate costs less to prepare than one that needs patching
- The fireplace type, since a hotter wood or vented gas unit narrows the stone choice and the adhesive used
- Matching an existing kitchen slab, which may mean waiting for a remnant of the same stone or buying a new piece
- Furniture moving and floor protection in a finished living room
Fireplace Clearances, Gas Lines and Who Signs Off
Stone, quartzite and porcelain are noncombustible, which is why they can frame a firebox at all. The Florida Building Code, Residential, follows the model residential code here: combustible trim such as a wood mantel keeps a set distance from a masonry fireplace opening (R1001.11), and factory-built and gas units are installed to their listing and the maker's instructions (R1004), so the manual governs any facing.
Resurfacing the face needs no Florida license under DBPR guidance. Running or moving a gas line, or adding a circuit for an electric insert, is licensed and permitted work.
Why VD Quality Design for Fireplace Surrounds
- Marble is part of our name and our everyday work, and it is right at home on a fireplace face or hearth
- Remnants can make a surround far more affordable than cutting into a new slab, and they open up pricier stones
- Victor measures and talks through heat and clearance questions, with the unit's manual in hand, before you choose a stone
- Customers describe neat, clean work, which counts in a finished living room
- 4.9 stars from 31 Google reviews, an A+ BBB rating and free in-home estimates, with payment by cash, check, Zelle or card
Reviews From Fireplace Surrounds Customers
V.D Quality Design Granite & Marble holds a 4.9-star average from 31 Google reviews (checked November 2026).
“We did a whole house remodel for my parents and spoke with several cabinet and granite installers. We decided to go with Victor and his company because he seemed the most knowledgeable and fairly priced. The end result is beautiful and we couldn’t be happier.”
“Great craftsmanship. The team was very professional and victor is very attentive, expedient and affordable!”
“Excellent service and excellent neat clean work. Victor is very friendly help you with every way he can. And he does extra stuff for you when he sees it’s needed without asking. His daughter is very very helpful. Great family”
Where We Install Fireplace Surrounds
We fit surrounds and hearths in older custom homes in St. Lucie Village, estate houses in Vero Beach, and established neighborhoods in Lakewood Park and River Park, all an easy drive from Fort Pierce North.
- St. Lucie Village: Older custom homes along Indian River Drive often have original brick or tile fireplace faces.
- Vero Beach: Island estate living rooms suit full-height marble faces with bookmatched veining.
- Lakewood Park: Established homes here commonly carry 1980s builder tile around a gas insert.
- River Park: 1960s–70s ranch homes on the North Fork sometimes keep a wood-burning box worth reframing in granite.
- Vero Beach South: 1970s–90s neighborhoods have dated tile surrounds that a remnant can replace cheaply.
- Palm City: Larger custom family rooms across the river call for a stone mantel shelf with hidden support.
- Sewall's Point: Waterfront estates on the peninsula pair marble surrounds with matching kitchen stone.
- Indian River Shores: Oceanfront custom homes often want a honed surround that suits a relaxed coastal room.
- Jupiter Island: Estate rooms where marble is standard make the fireplace a natural place for a full slab.
Fireplace Surrounds FAQs
Can quartz be used around a fireplace?
Sometimes. Quartz is fine around an electric fireplace and on a surround set well back from a gas flame, but its resin can discolor or crack with sustained heat close to the opening. Check the fireplace maker's clearance guidance and the quartz maker's heat limits. When in doubt, marble, granite, quartzite or porcelain take the heat without that worry.
Do you remove the old tile surround?
Yes. Taking off the old tile, mortar or veneer is part of the job and appears on your estimate. We protect the floor and nearby furniture, bring the face back to a flat, solid substrate and haul the debris away. If damage turns up behind the tile, we show you before the new stone goes up.
Can a remnant cover a fireplace surround?
Often, yes. A typical surround is two legs, a header and perhaps a hearth, all narrow pieces that fit within a remnant. The limits are length and pattern: a tall surround, or veining that must flow across every piece, may need a full slab. Bring the opening and wall measurements, and we can check remnants at the estimate.
Should a marble surround be honed or polished?
Either works, because a surround is rarely touched or wiped like a counter. Polished marble reflects firelight and shows the veining strongly; honed marble has a soft, matte look that suits a relaxed Florida living room. A honed hearth hides small scratches better. Every visible edge is finished to match the face you pick.
How long does a fireplace surround installation take?
For a standard surround, tear-out and setting can often happen in a single visit, while larger faces or a new hearth may take longer. Fabrication falls between the template and the install, and its length depends on the stone and the shop schedule. Your written estimate gives a date, and we tell you if the adhesive needs time before you light the fireplace.
Related Services
Countertop Installation
Countertop installation in Fort Pierce: granite, quartz, marble and quartzite measured, fabricated and installed by our own team.
Learn more →
Laundry Room Countertops
Laundry room countertops in Fort Pierce: folding counters over front-load machines and utility sink tops, often from remnant slabs.
Learn more →
Kitchen Countertops
Kitchen countertops in Fort Pierce cut from granite, quartz, marble or quartzite slabs, with seams placed where you won't notice them.
Learn more →