Installing Stone Tile on Metal Firebox Surround

What type of adhesive do you use to adhere flat stone tiles to the metal firebox surround? We have pulled off the marble slabs and they appear to have been attached with some type of liquid nails, caulk, etc. I am afraid that the thin set will not do the trick. Any advise will be appreciated. Thanks!

[Davy]

I normally screw wire lath to it and mud it but someone said you could screw CBU to it and tile over that. The only adhesive I might would use is epoxy but I'd be afraid of it letting go of the paint.

Davy, thanks for the reply. But you aren't dealing with one of the guys here! Can I buy wire lath at my home improvement store? Do you mean to mud over it, let it dry and then apply the thin set ? Or do you mud over the wire with the thin set as you are ready to install the tile? After you pick yourself up off the floor from laughing , would you be so kind as to answer.
Thanks, Jennie

[Mike2]

Jennie:

Maybe some more of us could you help with ideas, options, etc. so tell us some more about this firebox.

Is this a fireplace? Gas, propane, or the real thing (wood). Built in or free standing?

Anyway you could post a picture of it? I just can't quite image what this might look like. How much of an area is the metal part to be covered? Just a small 1" or 2" wide trim piece? How about the marble slab...how big is this? Apparently it was up there before and for some reason you took it down? Or did it fall down?

Mike,
This is a pre-fab propane fireplace built into my living room wall. We replaced our carpet and the gray marble no longer matched the room. So being the decorating diva that I am, I said to my husband " Let's replace the fireplace surround". The metal trim around the outside of the firebox opening is 2" on the sides and 6" along the top and bottom. The builder had installed 6" marble slabs around this opening and the wooden surround butted up to it. I will be replacing this marble with flat stone tiles that resemble brick but in a tan/ivory shade. Any suggestions are appreciated as I have to have my ducks in a row for my husband.
Oh by the way, this will be our first tile project! I must be crazy!!

Thanks, Jennie

[Mike2]

Good job Jennie. I got the picture now.

Tell me, is there a little lip or ridge on the upper (horizontal) metal surround part that will partially support the tile? I know on my built-in propane fireplace, on the upper metal trim piece (surround) there is a lip, maybe 1/4" to 1/2" that the tile (marble piece) would rest on. Again in my case the manufacturer of my unit suggested using High Temp. RTV Silicone adhesive, tile to metal. The High-Temp adhesive was even sold by the fireplace dealer, or is also available at any auto parts store.

If you do not have this "lip" to partially support the tile, I really don't know if the RTV alone would do the job.

[Rd Tile]

Davy, if heat is an issue here around that fireplace, epoxy won't work, heat will soften it up.

[John Bridge]

Hi Jennie,

So much of the tile is going to be over sheetrock or something. It won't all be on the metal, right? I do them sometimes where the tile just hangs over the metal an inch or so. Caulking usually works there. You can thin set to the sheetrock.

The metal will be completely covered with the tile. I'm not worried about the tile going on the sheetrock. Just the tile that will be adhered to the metal surround. I was told by a guy at the home improvement store that he always uses liquid nails when he has to put tile on the metal surround. He says he has never had a problem with an installation of this nature. Since the metal surround was covered by the previous marble slabs, I have no choice but to cover it again. When we pulled the marble off, it also took off the black paint on the metal.

[Mike2]

Hi again Jennie.

The metal surround is 6" wide on the top, 2" wide on the sides. How wide will the tiles be, top and sides?

[Davy]

Rd, you just might be right about the epoxy, never done it but have heard of it done this way.

Like John said, it should be fine if 4 of the 6 inches is stuck to the sheetrock.

[Mike2]

Yea, I'm thinking the same thing too Davy except the old marble tile being replaced was only 6" wide (100% of it was on the metal surround). We don't know yet how wide this new stuff is going to be.

Have you ever heard of using Liquid Nails on hot metal for tile Davy? I sure haven't.

[Davy]

No I haven't, some folks don't use the fireplaces so heat wouldn't be a problem on these. Mine doesn't have a metal box so I'm not sure how hot they get.

[Mike2]

Davy, when faced with somewhat similar questions last fall putting in and tiling a new propane fireplace, I fired up the unit and measured the temperature of the metal surround. Mine fluctuated between 140F and 180F.

[Davy]

Dang, hotter than I thought. Don't want any young kids hanging around it.