You are right to be concerned about putting something combustible too close to the firebox. That would be a fire hazard. You can use brick, tile, metal (black cast iron is a good idea because it goes with so many styles.)

I would Google fireplace surround or mantel. You'll get a whole lot of websites and interesting ideas.

At some point,it might be a good idea to have a chimney expert look at your project to make sure you have planned the right clearances between the firebox and combustible surfaces. If you haven't had your chimney cleaned, I would hire a chimney sweep who can give you that kind of advice.

The fireplace has not been used so it has not been cleaned. I have most of the equipment for it but havenÂt hard the time and it is not a priority. This is mostly a cosmetic change but one that I don't want to cause problems in the future. We have to redo almost the entire house on a limited budget so I can't hire a contractor for everything.

I am in the process of pulling the brick off the fireplace. I would like to put tile around the firebox but should it adhere to? I would expect particle board, plywood or drywall to be bad choices which is why I asked.