Guide · East Sussex · BN3
Hand-installed Microcement fireplace surrounds across Hove
Refurb briefs in Hove for microcement fireplace surrounds typically arrive at the point the client has already ruled out tile. The reason is almost always the same — one of basement gym conversions in the adelaide crescent/palmeira square streets are our steadiest hove work, a continuous basement gym conversions in the adelaide crescent/palmeira square streets are our steadiest hove work — and microcement fireplace surrounds is the finish that answers it. The Hove catchment we work across covers BN3 — reached via the A259 Kingsway, 3 min from our workshop along the a259 seafront. Nearby coverage includes Brighton (2 mi), Portslade (2 mi), Shoreham-by-Sea (5 mi). Site conditions matter here: salt-laden onshore wind — sealer specification matters. That shapes the primer and sealer specification below, not just the visible finish.
The spec sheet
What the finish sits on
A microcement fireplace surround is a mineral finish over cement board or existing stone/render — never over MDF, softwood or standard plasterboard. The heat gradient near a live firebox creates a stress zone; the substrate needs to be non-combustible and dimensionally stable.
How to make it read as designed, not applied
A microcement fireplace surround reads as sculpted stone at a fraction of the cost of solid stone. Continue the finish onto the hearth in a slightly deeper tone; return the surround at the reveals to avoid a picture-frame outline.
What's specific about Hove for this brief
How the install actually runs
- Fireplace prepDay 1
Firebox exclusion zone confirmed. Cement board fixed and taped.
- Base coatDay 2
Mesh-reinforced base coat over the surround and hearth.
- Colour + sealerDay 3–4
Two 0.8 mm colour coats + 2 coats matt polyurethane.
Common install-time pitfalls
- ✕MDF surround under microcement — moisture and heat delaminates within a year.
- ✕Standard plasterboard inside the 500 mm firebox exclusion — fire-regulation failure.
- ✕Satin sealer near a live flame — the surface dulls unevenly.
- ✕Sharp internal corner not detailed with a bead — hairline cracks at cure.
Common questions from Hove clients
Other guides for Hove
Microcement fireplace surrounds — other Sussex towns
Related products & services
The short version
The short answer for Hove: fireplace surrounds is a designed alternative to tile-and-grout, priced at £1,200–£3,500 per installation, installed in about 3–5 working days, and carries a 10-year materials-and-workmanship warranty when we install it ourselves.