Once upon a time, you imagined yourself sitting by a cozy fireplace with a cup of coffee, Christmas is approaching, you are planning how to decorate the mantelpiece for the winter holidays and... you realize that you do not have a fireplace. This is no good. An apartment in a high-rise building and lack of finances are not an excuse. To make a false fireplace with your own hands all you need is desire. Believe it or not, faux fireplaces are actually quite simple and often very inexpensive. Check out these 30 amazing ideas on how to make DIY false fireplace with step-by-step photos, descriptions and links to instructions that you will want to install in your home today! Each fireplace has its own personality and unique charm. There are a lot false fireplace ideas which can be done relatively quickly and inexpensively. Although this is a small selection, we hope that these ideas will inspire you in some way. Right now is the perfect time to do such a project, you still have time to do it false fireplace for the New Year and Merry Christmas! Here you will find the simplest examples false fireplaces from boxes, usually these are interesting projects for children for the winter holidays. There are also models homemade fireplaces made of plasterboard, wood, plywood, chipboard, papier-mâché and other materials.
How to make a drawing and choose the right parameters
Simple design drawing
The drawing makes it easier to cut materials and helps to keep the dimensions correctly. It is best to find a ready-made drawing on the Internet and, after making your measurements, adjust it as required.
- First of all, decide on the location of the stove
- Select material for production
- Confirm the size of the portal and niche for the firebox
- Draw a detailed diagram, all figured components are transferred to paper in expanded form
- Don’t forget that for a bio-fireplace you need to leave space inside the niche for the fuel tank, and for an electric fireplace or 3D frame, provide an outlet
If you plan to purchase a bio or electric fireplace, the portal parameters are adjusted to the device.
Design and decor for a false fireplace
When decorating stationary structures, it is better to adhere to the general style of the room. Neutral tones are more suitable for attached options. Otherwise, their advantage in mobility is lost. For example, the design that you created for the living room will not fit into the bedroom or hallway.
It is important to study decor ideas at the sketch development stage. In construction stores you can purchase many ready-made elements: baguettes and moldings made of polyurethane, stucco moldings made of plaster, etc. But in order for them to look organic, you need to calculate their dimensions in advance at the sketch stage.
A win-win option for decorating a hearth is a combination of mirrors and fire. The inner surface of the firebox is made mirror-like. To simulate a flame, use candles or electric lighting. Reflections of flames enhance realism and make the interior warmer and more comfortable.
We looked at the most popular options for how to make a decorative fireplace with your own hands. All you have to do is choose the appropriate model and assemble it in your apartment.
Plasterboard construction
The metal frame is covered with plasterboard
Let's try to make a fireplace from plasterboard. Buy a moisture-resistant one, as it is considered more durable. You will also need rack and guide profiles for the frame.
To attach the parts and the entire structure to the wall, prepare self-tapping screws and dowel nails. Buy everything you need for finishing: wallpaper, tiles, film, shaped elements. The tools you will need are a screwdriver, an electric drill, a level, a tape measure, a knife, and a hacksaw.
1First make a drawing
2Transfer the markings from it to the wall in the selected location
3Attach the frame guide profiles to the wall
4Attach them to the posts using self-tapping screws
5First, assemble the frame for the external portal. Then install the firebox frame inside
6Mark the sheets of drywall and cut out the parts. Carefully cut out all the elements
7 Cover the portal with plasterboard using screwdrivers. Do not press on the sheets as they are very fragile
8All seams, fastening points and ends are carefully puttied
9Next, finishing is carried out
10The firebox can be decorated as desired
The wall at the installation site must be perfectly flat. Before starting work, check this parameter using a level. If necessary, level the area with putty or choose another location.
Installation of a polyurethane product
Polyurethane hearth
We offer step-by-step instructions for creating a pseudo-focus from polyurethane:
1In a store that sells finishing materials, you need to buy a ready-made portal made of polyurethane. Choose an example with stucco, patterns or any other in accordance with the chosen style
2Prepare contact glue, putty, finishing materials
3Build a rectangular firebox from plywood, chipboard or plasterboard (its dimensions must match the niche in the frame)
4Choose a location for the fireplace. Apply glue to the inside surface of the frame and press it firmly against the wall
5Insert a firebox or pre-purchased electric fireplace inside
6The gaps between the frame and the firebox are carefully filled and covered with putty
7Perform finishing
If desired, you can install a mantelpiece made of wood or plastic, stylized as natural stone, on top
A fireplace decorated with decorative stone-like tiles, which can be glued with universal ceramic adhesive, looks cozy.
Initial preparation stage and size selection
To make a false fireplace with your own hands, you do not need to have any special design or construction skills. It is enough to clearly imagine the desired image of the future fireplace and choose the material with which it will be easiest and fastest for you to work. Any work must begin with a sketch and drawing. Yes, these are two completely different things. After all, the sketch reflects only the appearance with all kinds of decor. And the drawing already specifies the dimensions, based on which you can calculate the required amount of material. In order to draw a working drawing, you need to decide on the dimensions of the composition. Be careful at this stage.
The dimensions of the false fireplace should be proportional to the room in which it will be located. that is too large in a small room will look cumbersome and take away the space even more. But a small fireplace in a spacious room will simply be lost from sight. Also, it should not interfere with free movement around the room. The optimal width should not exceed 1/3 of the wall to which the structure will be attached.
Imitation of fire for a false fireplace
If you approach your work with passion, even a decorative hearth will look realistic. But the key difference is the absence of fire. The easiest way to bring the look closer to the real thing is to put a few logs of firewood in the firebox. There are more realistic options:
- Built-in bio-fireplace. It works on the principle of an alcohol burner. After ignition, a real flame appears in front of you. Alcohol produces virtually no smoke or odor, making it great for indoor use. To integrate into the portal, you need to choose models that are closed on all sides. They prevent fire.
- Digital photo frame. Gadgets with support for GIF animation and background sound imitate the movement of flames and the characteristic crackling of coals. But large format frames are expensive, and standard seven-inch screens are only suitable for mini-fireplaces.
- LED Strip Light. Bright orange or red lighting is installed in the podium or along the lower contour of the combustion niche. An improvised fire comes to life if you place a transparent container filled with water and glass balls inside. Light is refracted in glass beads. The water sways at the slightest vibration and creates the effect of movement.
Photo: Instagram @camin36
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Photo: Instagram @ ideiipodelkidliadachi
Types of decorative stone
There are many varieties of artificial stone that closely imitate natural material. Among them, the most widely used are the following options:
Terracotta
These are not glazed matte tiles with a rough surface. The material is often used when it is necessary to replace natural stone with its most successful imitation.
Porcelain tiles
These are tiles based on clay, quartz sand, marble and granite chips. It is used less often for finishing fireplaces, but this cladding looks elegant. Actually, porcelain stoneware can be called a decorative stone, derived from natural stone.
Clinker
A special type of decorative stone, which is made on the basis of clay and fireclay powder. To produce this type of decorative stone, various additives are used, which results in a wide variety of shades. Clinker is successfully used for finishing fireplaces. But due to the high coefficient of expansion under the influence of temperatures, this material does not interact very well with brick.
Cardboard version
Recently, false fireplaces made from cardboard, in particular from suitable cardboard boxes, have become very popular. It’s very convenient to make yourself a decorative New Year’s fireplace from boxes, which will support the festive mood, and then will be disassembled.
The best material for creativity is considered to be large boxes, for example, from under a TV, furniture, refrigerator or other large household appliances. Making a corner version is a little more difficult than a simple rectangular one, because here you have to rack your brains a little, developing the technology for cutting and gluing the box.
As always, the Internet will be a great help, where you can find relevant pictures or watch a suitable video. If we briefly consider the technology for constructing such a structure, it does not differ much from that described above.
Instructions for creating a cardboard corner fireplace
- At the first stage, we prepare a suitable box, cut it in the right places, bend it and secure it with tape or masking tape.
- Next, we paint it in the desired color or wrap it in paper to give the structure a monochromatic look.
- Decoration can be done again using paper; it is permissible to use polystyrene foam and plastic elements. If you have the ability to draw, then it is quite possible to apply suitable graphics to the outer part of the fireplace.
- By placing appropriate decorative elements inside and around the false fireplace, we get a finished look.
To recreate the flickering of a fire, you can put a garland inside an improvised firebox. Artificial firewood, which can be made from the same cardboard by rolling it into a tube, will help hide it. For greater realism, glue cardboard knots to the firewood. You can hide a bright garland using natural decorative materials, for example, by placing fir branches and cones in the firebox, and additionally placing candles.
As a last resort, you can simply draw a fire on paper and put this drawing in the firebox. It won’t be entirely elegant, but this idea will help support the overall concept of comfort.
Where is the best place to install the fireplace?
Before starting work, you need to decide on the type of structure. She may be:
- Stationary. A frame made of wooden blocks or metal profiles is attached to the wall. This allows you to make narrow and tall elements. They take up minimal space, but the process of moving products to a new location is very labor-intensive.
- Attached. Requires a broader, fundamental basis. At the same time, he can move freely to any point in the apartment. And if necessary, it can easily be transported to another house.
The location of the portal for a decorative fireplace is chosen based on aesthetic preferences and practical benefits.
- On a free wall. An improvised hearth can serve as an independent decoration. Visually complements the interior if placed under the mirror. The upper part serves as a shelf for hygiene items. Stationary models are used instead of a TV stand.
- In the corner. Most often, with this arrangement, heating risers are closed. The structure is made up to the ceiling, and for stability it is permanently attached to the wall. It is important to leave access to threaded pipe connections that require regular maintenance.
- In front of the radiator. It is very difficult to decorate a radiator on a blank end wall with furniture. It's easier to decorate it. In this case, the hearth must be attached. To maintain the circulation of warm air, a convection grill is inserted into the improvised firebox or lid.
Variety of fireplaces
Traditional wood-burning fireplaces are widespread throughout the world. Specialists are involved in construction, because the chimney device is directly responsible for removing soot from the home.
In addition to wood-burning fireplaces, there are electric and gas fireplaces, and there is also a category of bio-fireplaces. The gas option will also require a chimney. An electric fireplace is convenient and practical in urban environments; it operates from the mains.
A biofireplace is a device that runs on bioethanol or alcohol fuel. Electric and biomodels are suitable for owners of city apartments, where placement of a traditional combustion source is not allowed.
