Travertine Fireplace Surround

Granite is the most popular choice for a stone fireplace surround. It is one of the most durable and long-lasting types of stone you can buy. Granite is extremely durable with its scratch-resistant surface. Granite is also very unlikely to crack or chip, and it has a good level of heat tolerance.

There are four types of fireplaces according to the burning material: Wood-burning, gas-burning, electric and ethanol-burning fireplace.

There are two types of fireplaces that result in different chimneys: masonry fireplaces and prefabricated fireplaces. Masonry fireplaces are the traditional fireplace that you may envision made up of bricks, blocks or stone.

A stone fireplace costs anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000 or more. Most range from $3,000 to $7,500 but a custom, real stone design built by a mason is pricier. Outdoor fireplaces cost $3,000 on average (though again, custom work will raise the price)

Even the mass-produced cast stone variety costs more than brick, although it is less expensive than natural stone. An average brick fireplace will cost $3,500 to $5,000 while an average stone fireplace will cost $4,550 to $7,500.

The most popular types of fireplace stone include limestone, granite, marble, slate and travertine, and stone veneer.