Leonard & Sons | Revitalizing Fireplace Refacing & Changeouts in Barrington, IL

When the fireplace in your Barrington home no longer reflects the style you love or the character your living space deserves, fireplace refacing and changeouts offer a way to completely transform its appearance without tearing everything down and starting from scratch. At Leonard & Sons, we’ve been serving Northwest suburban homeowners since 1966, and we know how much a fireplace means to a home’s overall feel. Whether your surround looks dated, the materials have cracked or worn over the years, or you simply want a fresh look, our team is here to help you get there. As a third-generation, family-owned company with CSIA-certified technicians and membership in the National Chimney Sweep Guild, we treat every project like it belongs to our own family.

What Exactly Is Fireplace Refacing, and How Is It Different From a Full Replacement?

Fireplace refacing refers to the process of updating or replacing the visible surround of a fireplace, which includes the facing materials like tile, stone, brick, or manufactured panels, without necessarily removing the firebox or the internal components. A changeout typically goes a step further and involves swapping out a fireplace insert, facing, or unit for a different style or type.

Think of refacing the way you’d think of updating the cabinetry faces in a kitchen. The underlying structure stays mostly intact, but the visible, touchable portion of the fireplace gets a complete transformation. This makes it a far more practical option for homeowners who are happy with how their fireplace performs but frustrated with how it looks.

Some common reasons homeowners in Barrington come to us for a refacing or changeout include:

Outdated brick surrounds that clash with updated home interiors
Cracked or stained tile that can’t be cleaned or repaired
A builder-grade surround that never quite fit the style of the home
A desire to shift from a traditional look to something more contemporary
Damaged facing materials that have become an eyesore over time

Our team walks every homeowner through what’s possible given their existing fireplace structure and helps them understand what materials and styles will work best for the space.

Barrington, IL: A Community Worth Coming Home To

Barrington is one of those Northwest suburban communities that draws people in and tends to keep them. Situated in both Lake and Cook counties, the village carries a small-town feel with access to the conveniences of greater Chicagoland nearby. Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve offers peaceful trails and open prairie, and Crabtree Nature Center is a favorite for families looking to get outside. Downtown Barrington has its own charm, with independently owned shops, restaurants, and a Metra station that makes the area especially desirable for commuters.

Homes here tend to have real character, and many include fireplaces that serve as true centerpieces of their living rooms and family spaces. It’s no surprise that so many Barrington homeowners want those fireplaces to reflect the care and investment they’ve put into the rest of their home.

Will Refacing My Fireplace Actually Improve How It Looks, or Will It Still Feel Like a Mismatch?

This is one of the most common concerns we hear, and it’s a fair one. Homeowners sometimes worry that updating the facing will look patched together rather than intentional. When done well, though, a fireplace reface can become the most polished focal point in the room.

A lot depends on the material selection and how well the new facing is integrated into the surrounding wall. We work with homeowners to make sure the new facing doesn’t just cover the old one but actually complements the flooring, wall color, mantel, and furniture in the space. Some of the most popular material choices we work with include:

Natural stone veneer, which adds texture and warmth without the weight of full-thickness stone
Porcelain and ceramic tile in a wide variety of formats, from subway to large-format slabs
Manufactured stone that mimics the look of fieldstone or limestone at a more accessible price point
Smooth plaster or stucco finishes for a cleaner, more modern aesthetic
Painted or limewashed brick for homeowners who want to refresh rather than fully replace

The goal is always a result that looks like it was always meant to be there, not like something added after the fact.

Can a Fireplace Changeout Affect More Than Just Appearance?

A changeout, depending on its scope, can affect several aspects of how a fireplace behaves in a home. If the existing facing or surround was poorly installed, damaged, or made from materials that have deteriorated, replacing it can reduce drafting issues caused by gaps or uneven surfaces around the firebox opening. It can also improve how heat radiates into the room if the new configuration is designed with that in mind.

That said, we want to be straightforward with homeowners: a refacing alone isn’t going to fix a malfunctioning firebox or a compromised flue. It’s a cosmetic and structural surface-level update. When we come out to assess a fireplace before starting a refacing project, part of what we look for is whether there are underlying issues that should be addressed first. If there are, we’ll tell you. We’d rather give you an honest picture upfront than have you invest in a beautiful new facing only to find out there’s a deeper problem that wasn’t caught.

Key things a changeout might improve include:

Reducing air leakage around a poorly sealed facing
Updating a damaged or deteriorating firebox opening
Improving the visual proportion of the fireplace to the room
Replacing components that have become a maintenance burden

How Long Does a Fireplace Refacing Project Usually Take?

Project timelines vary based on the scope of work and the materials selected, but most residential fireplace refacing projects we complete in the Barrington area are finished within a day or two of active work. More involved changeouts, especially those that require tile work or stone installation that needs time to cure, may take a bit longer.

Here’s a general breakdown of what the process looks like:

Initial consultation and assessment of the existing fireplace and facing
Material selection and ordering, which may add lead time depending on availability
Removal of the old facing materials
Surface preparation of the underlying structure
Installation of new facing materials
Grouting, sealing, and finishing as required by the material type
Final walkthrough with the homeowner to make sure everything meets expectations

We do our best to keep the work area clean and contained throughout the project, and we don’t consider the job done until you’re satisfied with what you see.

Does the Age of a Fireplace Matter When It Comes to Refacing?

Older fireplaces in Barrington homes, especially those built in the 1960s through 1980s, are among the most common candidates for refacing. The materials and styles that were popular back then often feel out of place in updated interiors, and the original brick or tile may have worn, stained, or cracked over decades of use.

Age itself isn’t a barrier to refacing, but it does mean we look more carefully at the underlying condition of the firebox and surrounding masonry before committing to a facing installation. If the substrate behind an old tile surround is crumbling or if there are signs of moisture infiltration, those issues need to be addressed before new materials go up. Some things we check on older fireplaces include:

The condition of the firebox lintel and the area immediately surrounding the opening
Whether the existing facing is bonded properly or pulling away from the wall
Any signs of past water damage behind the facing materials
The integrity of the hearth extension

A fireplace that’s been around for 40 or 50 years can absolutely support a beautiful new look. It just takes a careful eye before the work begins, which is exactly the approach our team takes on every job.

Schedule Your Fireplace Refacing or Changeout With Leonard & Sons Today

If your Barrington fireplace is due for a transformation, our team at Leonard & Sons is ready to help you figure out where to start. We’ve been part of the Northwest suburban community since 1966, and our CSIA-certified technicians bring that same standard of care to every fireplace refacing and changeout project we take on. Give us a call or reach out through our website to schedule a consultation. We’d love to help bring your fireplace back to life.