A few things I learned

LARGE TILE CARRIES AN EXTRA COST

I chose Sofia Charcoal porcelain tile for its texture and consistent color, which made the seams almost disappear. I needed to cover about 60 sq. ft., but with large tile there’s a lot of waste. I had to buy 90 sq. ft. at $9.20 per sq. ft., or just over $60 a tile.

TILE COSTS VARY A LOT

The total materials bill for my project was about $1,200. Tile was by far the biggest cost ($900), but you can find good-looking tile for less than half that price.

RENT A TILE SAW

For the 31-in. x 31-in. tiles I chose, I had to rent a large-capacity saw ($75 per day).

DIVE INTO SOMETHING NEW

In removing the hearth, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting into. I’m usually not a fan of exploratory

demolition, but one of the best ways to learn how to build something is to first take it apart.

CHOOSE REINFORCED THIN-SET

I used a modified thin-set ($60 per bag) that’s reinforced with fiber. It allowed the tile to stay put

on the wall without sagging and provided an extended working time, so I didn’t have to rush.

WIDE-NOTCH TROWEL

Larger tile tends to be slightly cupped. To make sure the tile adhered well, I had to fill it with thin-set to compensate. I used a 3/4-in. round-notch trowel to be sure there was enough thin-set to adhere the tile.

MIND THE EDGES

I opted to install the tiles tight together instead of leaving gaps for grout. To get these tiles to match up perfectly, I placed the factory edges of the tiles together and kept the cut edges on the outside.

BEWARE OF PAINTED BRICK

If you tile over a painted fireplace, you’ll be rolling the dice. If the paint peels, so will the tile. The safe approach is to remove most of the paint before tiling.