Tin Tile Fireplace Surround Ideas
A tin tile fireplace surround adds pattern, shine, and a little history to your home. Tin tiles can frame a firebox, cover a full wall, or dress up a decorative fireplace that never gets lit. Below are ideas, sizing tips, and what to know about heat.
Nail-up and backsplash tin tiles are the styles made for walls. Order samples first so you can see a finish next to your brick, stone, or paint in your own light.
Metal tile frame
A little goes a long way. Such is the case with dramatic, yet elegant tin tile. Use tin tile to create a frame around the fireplace, then supplement your tin tile fireplace surround with other materials. It's a look that requires little but has a big impact.
Silver tin tile frame Customer photo
Although the use of white tin tile on the fireplace is classic, you may want to reconsider if you will actually be building a fire (as opposed to a gas or electric fireplace). Building a fire can be dirty work and white may not be the best option.
Black tin tile inside an oak mantel Courtesy of Mark Bond
However, brushed nickel adds some shine and draws attention without showing every speck of dirt on your new tin tile fireplace. This metallic tile will reflect the light from the fire and amplify the effect.
Patchwork effect
A patchwork quilt uses many different colors and patterns of material to create a unique quilt that sets a style standard all its own. It has moved beyond quilts and has become a favorite motif in interior design.
You can achieve the patchwork effect on your fireplace by selecting different tin tiles to create a custom tin tile fireplace surround. You can choose different patterns and stick to the same color, different colors in the same pattern, or mix and match both color and pattern.
Choosing a pattern size for your fireplace
Every tin tile is a 24" x 24" panel. What changes is the size of the pattern inside it: 6", 12", or 24".
A fireplace surround is a narrow space, so smaller patterns usually look best there. A 6" or 12" pattern repeats enough to read as a design, even on a thin strip beside the firebox. Save 24" patterns for a full fireplace wall, where the motif has room to show.
If the space above or beside your firebox is very short, a simple filler pattern or a run of tin molding can finish it cleanly.
Copper-look fireplace surrounds
Copper and firelight are a natural pair. A copper-look finish picks up the glow of the flames and warms the room even when the fireplace is off.
Copper-look tin behind a wood stove Courtesy of Elene Drakonakis
Finishes in this family range from bright Copper Penny to Copper Penny Vein and the softer Artisan Copper Patina. They're all powder-coated, so you get the color of copper without the darkening real copper picks up as it oxidizes.
Design tip: Set a copper-look surround against a dark or neutral wall so the metal stays the focal point.
For more ways to use these finishes, see 12 copper-look tin ceiling ideas.
Floor-to-ceiling tin fireplace walls
Running tin tile from the mantel or floor all the way to the ceiling turns the fireplace into a feature wall. It works especially well with modern wall-mounted fireplaces that have no mantel.
Silver tin fireplace wall Floor to ceiling, with a stone mantel
This more streamlined tin tile fireplace can turn the whole wall into a feature. Cover the entire wall with tin tile of any color or pattern for a modern fireplace that acts as a centerpiece, with tin tile as the elegant backdrop.
On a wall this size, a 12" or 24" pattern keeps the design from looking busy.
Black tin on a see-through fireplace Customer photo
No-fire fireplaces
If you have a fireplace in your home but never intend to use it as a fireplace, tin tile can help you turn it into an eye-catching vignette.
The fireplace as an architectural feature is perfectly acceptable. Use tin tile to line the firebox and the surround for a stunning look that speaks for itself. Or use tin tile as a backdrop for additional decor.
Tin tile behind a wood stove
The wall behind a wood stove is on display every time you light it. Tin tile gives that wall a patterned, metallic finish, and a copper-look tile echoes the classic copper heat shield.
Start with your stove's installation manual. It lists the clearance your stove needs from the wall and any heat shield it calls for. Those requirements, along with your local building code, come first. Tin tile is a decorative finish for the wall around that zone and doesn't replace either one.
Silver tin behind a wood stove Courtesy of Clinton Van Gemert
Tin tile corner behind a wood stove Customer photo
ATC tin tiles are tin-plated steel and achieved an ASTM E 84-03b approval rating. In fire testing the tile didn't burn, but wood behind it began to singe, so the backing matters as much as the tile. Ask your installer or local building official what backing your code allows near a stove.
See it in a real home
Jen Lindsley's fireplace makeover Matte black tin tile, Madison, Wisconsin
Jen Lindsley covered the fireplace in her Madison, Wisconsin, condo with matte black tin tile in a 6" pattern, then added a wood mantel. She shared eight lessons from the project, from installing the mantel first to hiding a seam with molding. Read her DIY tin tile fireplace tips.
Tin tile and heat: what to know
ATC tin tiles are T1-grade steel plated in tin, and they achieved an ASTM E 84-03b approval rating in testing. Read more about fire protection.
In fire testing, the tin tile didn't burn, but the wood under it did start to singe. A flammable backing isn't safe behind the tile, even though the tile resists fire. Follow your fireplace's construction guidelines, and check with your contractor and local building code for approved fireplace materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put tin tile on a fireplace surround?
Yes. Nail-up and backsplash tin tiles are both made for walls, while Snap Lock and drop-in tiles are meant for ceilings. Close to the firebox, follow your fireplace maker's clearance guidelines and local code.
Are tin tiles heat resistant?
ATC tin tiles are tin-plated steel with an ASTM E 84-03b approval rating. The backing matters too. In testing, wood under the tile began to singe, so ask your contractor which materials your code allows near a fireplace.
Can you install tin tile over existing fireplace tile or a metal surround?
Backsplash tin tiles go up with construction adhesive, so a flat, sound surface may work as the base. Nail-up tiles need plywood or furring strips to nail into. Near the firebox opening or on a metal surround, check your fireplace manual and local code first.
What size tin tile pattern works best on a fireplace?
A 6" or 12" pattern usually suits a surround, since the space is narrow. A 24" pattern works well on a full fireplace wall. Every panel is 24" x 24", so only the pattern size changes.
Can you use tin tile behind a wood stove?
Tin tile can be a decorative finish on the wall around a wood stove. Your stove's installation manual sets the clearance and any heat shield it needs, and those requirements, along with local code, come first.
Find your finish
The best way to choose a finish is to see it next to your fireplace, in your own light.
