http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=staining+brick

That is an ADORABLE fireplace! Why do you want to stain the bricks red in the first place? It seems like that would result in a very, VERY obvious "HEY THERE'S A FIREPLACE OVER HERE" look. Have you thought about scraping off most of the paint on the back bricks (leaving them "distressed" looking" and then painting the bricks on the floor instead? I think it would look charming with the light yellow brick with a little bit of white paint here and there, and perhaps paint the floor bricks white, or go crazy and stain them a deep color.

One person's "adorable" is another person's eyesore. I say, scrape the existing paint off the bricks and then repaint an interesting color so you can regain the full texture of the bricks. Try a color that complements the existing decor. If you love the red brick, keep it.

For crying out loud, AT... what's with deleting comments, particularly if they're not profane or inappropriate. Grow up!

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=staining+brick

If one's curious about how to stain brick- go look online, read the EXPERT'S recommendations... While getting opinions on AT is nice, there may be real issues that present themselves that commenters may know nothing about. You may be dealing with chemicals that have adverse side effects etc... So while receiving comments and suggestions from commenters, you really need to do your proper homework.

Here AT, want a comment to delete:

http://community.apartmenttherapy.com/users/166871

I will preface this with saying that I've never done this on a large scale.

After removing all of the paint, I would clean it with a muriatic acid solution and neutralize accordingly. I would then probably use a paint brush to stain the surround and use 1-2 other colors (using a rag to apply) on the surround and the hearth to get them to match each other because whatever color you choose for the surround is probably going to be distractingly off next to the current color of the hearth.

I also echo Julian's suggestion to do a little bit of research.

For what it's worth, and I certainly don't intend to condemn Greige as the comment was pretty spot on, but, muriatic acid is a highly corrosive solution that can not only do serious damage to your brick wood, and other materials, it can also do significant damage to you such that if used improperly you'll end up in the hospital.

So while commenters suggestions are nice, seriously, talk to a professional or at least visit a home store and talk to them.

Also- you'll likely never achieve the same red through staining or painting so don't go into it with that goal.

I'm an architecture conservator and I'll offer you a bit of (free) advice. Be careful using paint strippers as some of them can stain and discolor your brick and the mortar joints. There are a few out there that advertise themselves as "green" and can be good for interior work (soygel is one of my favorites, but citristrip can also be a good option). Test in a small area first, preferably someplace it won't be too obvious in the event something goes wrong. Use plastic trowels to scrape the paint off when it bubbles up so they won't scratch the brick. But if you decide to repaint after stripping you need to make sure that the surface pH is neutral because if there's any chemical left on the brick, the new paint or coating is going to peel. And of course wear a dust mask to protect yourself from any lead in the old paint.

As for tinting the brick to match, there are quite a few brick tinting materials out there, but I can't say that I've ever used them and have no idea how reliable they are.

I agree with Julian. Please don't use muriatic acid on your brick. It can cause further damage to the brick and the mortar joints, and also can leave residue on the brick's surface.

The National Park Service has a great Preservation Brief on how to clean and remove paint from historic brick:

http://www.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief01.htm

It is long, so scroll down to the part about "Chemical Cleaners to Remove Paint and Other Coatings, Stains and Graffiti"

I hope that helps! :)

Just cover the brick up with tile.

I agree with Comicgeek -- I'd resurface with something new, maybe granite tile. If that's out of the question, I'd paint. I think the pale brick is gross, and it could even be firebrick, which I imagine would be hard to stain.

Good luck!

Dear lord - no granite tile please, please, please. Thanks for the educational comments from the conservators and others above who know a lot about chemicals and this process.

I've used this tile wax http://www.tableauproducts.com/categories/tile-polish/13 on a bathroom floor which was a mx of concrete and Victorian terracotta earthernware tiles. It gave a pretty even terracotta colour despite the very different starting colours and was easy to apply. I think it's only available in the UK but you might be able to persuade someone to ship it.

I would imagine you'd need to get all the paint off first though to get a bare brick surface and would agree that's going to be a difficult job.

Tile over the whole thing.

Katie here--thanks so much for all of the suggestions. I definitely plan on doing some homework regarding paint removal/tinting and/or tiling. I really appreciate everyone's input--what I really needed was a solid starting point. I'm a total novice when it comes to DIY home renovations, so I was just getting overwhelmed trying to figure out what to do. I'll start with the NPS preservation website and go from there. Thanks so much!!

All white? But I live with a hideous "rose rock fireplace" that I can't touch so I may not be the best person to ask.

Paint it all white.

As someone who works for a large manufacturer of cement/concrete products, staining the bricks might not work out all too well. It could leave you with a blotchy look. Removing paint from brick is a pain and usually results in the brick becoming damaged. My best recommendation would be to re-paint the bricks in a more appealing color. Or leave the paint, fasten a metal lath to wall, and place some brick veneer over the fireplace with mortar, if you want a brick look.

I dislike painted fireplaces, and have one, so I've been there.

It looks like you're having an easier time removing the paint than I had with mine.

You could strip the paint then face the bricks with backer board (or not, if it's flat enough) and tile it. The result could be incredibly cool, and is not that difficult or expensive. If you choose this route you should still strip the paint first because mortar will not adhere well to paint. See Clay Squared for inspiration.

Otherwise, I think there's nothing magical about stain. What you really want is to paint the bricks but you want your paint to be very thin and a variety of colors. You just want to put a bit of pigment on the surface.

I did a faux brick job on my painted fireplace using a combination of paint store paint and a variety of artist's acrylics, thinned with water and applied with bits of sponge. It was easy, but took some time to get right. I did it because there was no way to remove the paint without ruining the bricks. I tried everything, believe me. I left no stone unturned.

For faux brick info, I looked everywhere until I found instructions from somebody who I actually believed had done this, and done it well, more than once. I just can't remember... it was in a book. Beware of "DIY faux brick" stuff on the web; there's probably something good out there, but many of the instructions you find will give you bricks that look like a cartoon. Try looking in the library. With a little patience you can use paint and get a result that can fool anybody, if you're willing.

By the way, your hearth looks like quarry tile (quarry brick?), popular for hearths and commercial kitchens because it is very strong and heat resistant. I've never seen it used for the actual facing of a fireplace though.