Important tips before you get started
In order for the finished structure to fit well into the interior of the room, study the following recommendations and follow them in the process of working.
Style Combination
DIY fireplace portal
The fireplace should go well with the portal in style. The hearth is best installed at the level of the floor line. If you want to place the hearth higher, choose a wide model. A wide fireplace will look good when installed at any distance from the floor.
Do not hide the frame of the fireplace behind the portal
Fireplace Portal
The main function of the portal is to emphasize the design of the fireplace. The framing of the hearth is recommended to be placed on the same level with the surface of the fireplace portal.
If you're planning on creating a completely unique design and don't want to take into account the design of the fireplace, purchase a special option known as an inset hearth. Such models do not have their own design, so the design of the finished structure will depend solely on the preferences of the owner.
The ratio of the proportions of structural elements
Decorative fireplace looks like a real one
Choose the optimal dimensions of the fireplace. For example, a floor model needs some free space in front of it. If there is a shortage of space, choose a beautiful wall model of the hearth. Such a fireplace does not require free space in front of you and fits perfectly into any interior.
It is important that the dimensions of the fireplace correlate well with the dimensions of the portal. Traditionally, the dimensions of the structures are selected so that the fireplace occupies about 75% of the height and about 50% of the width of the decorative portal.
In the case of using wide models of fireplaces, they can take up more space.
Buy a fireplace before the portal is built
False fireplace in a city apartment
As a rule, the main overall dimensions of the foci are given in catalogs or are reported by the manufacturer. That is, you can look for a fireplace model that suits you, make a portal, buy a hearth model that you like and install it in a ready-made decorative frame. But it's better not to do that.
Even knowing the exact dimensions of the fireplace, you can forget about some important points, for example, such as the placement of the cord for connecting to the mains, the presence of protruding fasteners, holes for air exchange, etc.
In order not to waste time in the future on changing the design of the finished portal, start equipping it only after you buy a fireplace and deliver it home. In such a situation, you can "adjust" the dimensions of the decorative structure in accordance with the dimensions of the fireplace directly during operation. This will allow you to fully coordinate the configuration and dimensions of the structural elements, eliminating the risk of blocking access to the necessary elements.
Necessary tools and materials
In order to perform the necessary operations, we will need all the same materials and tools that are indicated in the article "Installation of a suspended plasterboard ceiling with our own hands."
The only difference is drywall. In this case, we need a wall plasterboard with a thickness of 12.5 mm.
In order to make a fireplace with our own hands, using photos and videos, we need to complete a series of installation steps.
The first stage is planning. At this stage, it is determined what size the portal will be, its placement and shape. That is, a design project is being drawn up. Then the necessary communications are brought to the installation site (electric wire for the socket and switch, ventilation if necessary).
The second stage is the installation of the frame. At this stage, using the guide profile UD and the ceiling profile CD, a frame is created.Keep in mind that even an electric fireplace heats up, so you need to protect drywall by considering thermal protection from thermal insulation materials.
The technology is quite simple, which allows you to make a fireplace quite easily using drywall. We need a UD guide profile, from which the support frame is assembled (see photo). The usual configuration of the base frame is a rectangle. Check the horizontal and vertical plane with a regular bubble level. Just in case, right angles can be checked with a square. The guide profile, from which the support frame is formed, is interconnected with the help of "bugs".
Then we make a structure from UD guide profiles, similar to the design of the support frame. After that, we need to connect the two frames using the CD ceiling profile and bedbugs. We cut the fragments along the length corresponding to the thickness that the portal (fireplace) has. We connect two frames in the corners and along the perimeter with a step of 300-500 mm.
Just keep in mind that in order to establish a place for the firebox, we need a pedestal. To do this, the design project provides for a certain height of the furnace. At the height specified by the project, we connect the CD profile of the frame from the UD profile, and then on the fragments of the CD profile we lay two guides from the CD profile with the shirt up in length equal to the length of the support frame. In this way, the frame of the pedestal is created. Do a similar operation on the firebox. As a result, you will get the frame shown in the photo.
In the next step, screw the guide profile of the support frame to the wall and the bottom to the floor, the second frame is attached to the floor only. As a result, you will get a parallelepiped. If the design project suggests that the fireplace has a false chimney, then make a frame from a CD and UD profile, preferably up to the ceiling. The technology for mounting the frame is similar to that indicated above.
sheathing
We take drywall and sheathe the frame. To do this is not easy, but very simple. It is necessary to cut off a fragment of the plasterboard of the required shape using a mounting knife, and then screw the drywall to the frame with self-tapping screws in increments of 25 millimeters. As a result, we get a drywall portal. The same operation is repeated and during installation chimney. That is, we take drywall and sheathe the chimney frame to the ceiling.
Next, we need to putty the portal using starting or finishing putty.
Installation of decorative elements
The simplest option is painting, more complex options are finishing with polyurethane stucco, decorative elements made of wood, natural or artificial stone, and other materials.
Thus, you get a portal with excellent decorative properties, into which an electric firebox is inserted.
We create a hearth for an electric fireplace on our own
How to make an electric fireplace with your own hands, the step-by-step instructions of which include division into several blocks? Let's look into this issue. After the portal and logs have been created, you should think about making the heart of the electric fireplace - the hearth.
A hearth for an electric fireplace with your own hands can be made both ordinary and with the effect of live fire. Ordinary foci with your own hands can be made from improvised materials. For example, candles, fabrics, wire, tree branches.
We recommend that you study the material on how to decorate a fireplace for the New Year with your own hands and find answers to your questions.
A hearth of many candles
Many candles will create the illusion of a burning flame. Candles are located at different heights and distances from each other. The disadvantage of such an imitation is that the candles are smoked.
Hearth located in the fireplace portal. The fire is imitated by many candles
Original hearth made of tree branches, fabric and LED bulbs
- You can buy an LED lamp socket that shimmers in red and yellow colors in a chaotic manner.
- Lay out the base from tree branches in the form of a well and glue it with building glue.
- Insert the cover from below and fix it on the top of the resulting well.
- Take a strong wire, cut into 4 pieces of 25 centimeters each. Then fix one ends on the branches, and twist the second at the top among themselves.
- Fasten a light fabric over the wire. For example, chiffon, organza.
Read also about installing an electric fireplace with a 3D hearth effect on our portal.
An original and beautiful hearth for a false fireplace. Red and yellow LEDs look very impressive.
Hearth made of garlands, stones and logs of lace
- You need to initially prepare the logs: tree branches are taken and wrapped in foil, and then lace is glued.
- After the structure dries, the branches are removed.
- Stones in the form of a circle are laid at the bottom of the fireplace portal, after which a garland is inserted inside the circle;
- After that, you need to install the logs and fix them on top with a drop of glue.
A hearth for a fireplace that is simple to make and looks spectacular. The light from the garland penetrates through the transparent lace and creates the illusion of burning.
Hearth from an aquarium, LED strip, shells, yellow and red pebbles
- An LED strip is laid out at the bottom of the aquarium along the edges.
- The field is filled with shells and pebbles of two colors.
Hearth for a fireplace from an aquarium. At the bottom of the shell and pebbles are yellow and red. LED strip around the perimeter
Live fire in an electric fireplace with your own hands can be created in several ways.
Flames of white silk
This method was used in theatrical productions.
A hearth for an electric fireplace with a flame effect achieved by swaying pieces of fabric from the air flow and illuminated by LEDs
A small fan should be installed in a cardboard box.
- Three diodes should be installed in one line above the fan, one of each color: red, yellow and blue.
- Pieces of mirrors should be placed under the diodes, which will reflect the light and thereby create the effect of flame glare.
- Shreds are cut out of white silk. They should be of different sizes and shapes. They are attached to the box near the fan. Their role is the flames.
- The box should be decorated and placed in the fireplace portal.
Fire created with water vapor
It is quite difficult to create it, and knowledge of an electrician is required.
Scheme for creating a hearth for an electric fireplace in order to achieve a realistic live fire
We need a fan, ultrasonic fog generators in the amount of three pieces, an LED lamp. Coordination of the program for fixtures is carried out by a DMX converter. Distilled water, a box, and a DMX controller that transmits data from the luminaire to the equipment are needed to create this complex design.
Materials necessary to create a hearth of live fire for an electric fireplace due to water vapor
Installation:
- at the bottom of the box you need to fix the fog generators. They will evaporate water;
- a fan is necessary in order to drive steam flows upward;
- lights need to be installed. Their role is to highlight the steam.
The final version of the created effect of live fire, which is achieved due to water vapor
Live fire reproduced by a TV or monitor
The easiest way to create a simulated live flame is to install a TV with a video of a burning fire or a monitor connected to a computer.
Equipment is installed in the created portal to fit the size of the TV or monitor.
Video: instructions on how to make a drywall electric fireplace
Finishing and decoration methods
There comes a creative process, finishing a plasterboard fireplace, in which all ideas and fantasies come true. Consider several finishing options:
- The most budgetary is pasting drywall with wallpaper with a pattern of burnt and smoky bricks or natural stone;
- An artificial drywall fireplace with this decoration looks modern and original;
- Decorative plaster. There are many varieties of plaster on the market with different compositions and different colors. It will require a figured roller, with which a plaster solution is applied;
- If the fireplace has a heating function, then it is better to overlay it with refractory tiles. It withstands temperatures of 100 degrees and does not burst. Facing the fireplace with plasterboard tiles is done with the help of special crosses and thermomix (glue withstands temperature extremes, its structure does not collapse);
- Decorative stone is suitable for a large fireplace in a large room. Each person can make part of the room the decor of a castle with a fireplace. Design works with stone are shown in the photo.
Tiles on drywall and stone are glued to a special refractory adhesive (somewhat reminiscent of cement mortar). In the course of work, make sure that the glue does not get on the material. If this happens, it should be removed immediately, because after that it is impossible to do this.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=CZHK44EKiss
Video of creating a portal for a fireplace with your own hands
Nice thermal theme! Quickly warm and reliable! There are also thermal panels made of ceramic concrete that made the office just cool.
I built a house of aerated concrete and am going to sheathe it from the outside with thermal panels. Who already installed them? How are the results? Or it may be easier and cheaper to make a wet facade, although it is not.
Thanks for the detailed instructions! I have an old washing machine lying around in my dacha. It will be necessary to use a motor from it to create an emery machine. Unit
This style reminded me very much of the film The Great Gatsby, in which the interiors of houses and apartments in the 1930s were decorated very luxuriously and pompously. Of course, it was a prerogative.
Necessary material and tools for creating a portal
The choice of the necessary material and tools directly depends on the type of fireplace. So, for example, if it is planned to make a portal for an electric heat source, then in this case the material for it is limited only by imagination.
Diagram of an English fireplace with a direct chimney.
To create an appearance and fit into the interior of the fireplace room, it should be treated with a decorative coating. For this purpose, you can use polyurethane moldings, artificial stone, self-adhesive films, water-based heat-resistant acrylic paints. It should be noted that the type of exterior finish directly depends on the materials used in the manufacture of the frame. To make a portal for a fireplace with high quality, you need to use only good material.
If it is planned to build a wood-burning fireplace, then in this case a supply of ordinary, facing and heat-resistant bricks, a special building mixture (cement mortar), small floor slabs and a fireplace door will be required.
In any case, to build a fireplace, you need to stock up on tools that will be useful for the job.
So, for a wood-burning fireplace, you will need a grinder with a diamond wheel, a puncher, a rubber mallet, a level, a corner, a trowel and a tape measure. To prepare the cement mortar, you will need a special container for mixing it and a mixer.
If you plan to install an electric fireplace, then a grinder, a hacksaw, a puncher and a drill will come in handy for the construction of the portal. To fasten the parts of the frame, you will need a screwdriver and a screwdriver. For facing the outside, various spatulas, brushes, a construction fastening stapler and a knife are suitable. Note that for each type of construction you will need separate tools.
Design in the interior
The dimensions of the fireplace in the apartment must correspond to the total space of the room in which it is located.Large fireplaces are suitable for a large room, small designs will look appropriate in a small room. A false fireplace is often installed in the hall, in the living room, kitchen, bedroom and even the bathroom. It is sometimes used as a TV stand. The fireplace, depending on the interior in the room, can be decorated in a classic style, modern, rustic, English, high-tech.
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Photo
If you want the design to match the style of an apartment or house, pay special attention when decorating the portal, chimney, pre-furnace area. If the fireplace is made in a classic style, it is decorated with marble, natural wood
Shelves are an indispensable decorative element for such a design. With shelves, the fireplace looks beautiful, it becomes functional. They can put figurines, candlesticks, vases.
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Photo
The plasterboard fireplace portal is made using glass, an electric fireplace. The portal with an aquarium looks original and stylish. It can also be placed on a wide shelf. An electric fireplace made in the wall looks unusual and completely merges with the surface. Designers advise decorating an empty portal with a wrought iron grate, a firewood rack, candles, original vases, a picture, a mirror.
Portal with plaster finish
Decorative plaster allows you to translate into reality a wide variety of design ideas. With its help, the surface of the fireplace portal can be finished to look like wood, brick and other materials.
First step
Assemble the base of the structure. The technology is extremely simple - first a support beam is installed, after which it is sheathed with chipboard boards.
Chipboard sheets attached to the frame
Second step
Prepare the plates for finishing and decorate them.
It is best to finish the slabs before they are installed, so that all elements can dry well, lying on a horizontal surface. During drying, the parts must be covered with polyethylene.
Before finishing, carefully sand the slabs, putty them and cover them with parquet varnish in several layers.
For additional decoration, apply neat grooves to the walls to imitate brickwork.
Third step
Finish decorating the fireplace portal at your discretion. To do this, use decorative plaster. You can simply cover the surfaces of the portal with it, or you can perform an unusual finish using special decorative elements, modeling, masonry imitation, etc.
Prepare the composition, focusing on the manufacturer's recommendations, but with slight changes so that the finished mixture is slightly thicker than the manufacturer advises.
The use of decorative plaster in the decoration of the fireplace
The consistency of the mixture should resemble plastic pottery clay. With the help of pre-prepared forms, you can make a wide variety of shapes from such plaster and decorate your fireplace with them.
The result will be a very original and elegant design with only one drawback - the stucco decor is quite fragile, so it is necessary to handle such a fireplace portal with extreme care. This is only a small part of the existing design options for fireplace portals.
If you wish, you can make your own changes to the proposed instructions or even create original author's designs - the flight of fancy in the case of fireplace portals is practically unlimited
This is only a small part of the existing design options for fireplace portals. If you wish, you can make your own changes to the proposed instructions or even create original author's designs - the flight of fancy in the case of fireplace portals is practically unlimited.
Parquet board portal
Parquet board portal
A beautiful decorative frame for a fireplace can be made from parquet board scraps.Depending on your personal preferences and interior features of the room, the portal can be assembled from multi-colored board scraps, or you can paint the elements with a stain or other suitable composition.
Attach a wooden frame to the wall.
Second step
We cut the parquet or floorboard to the desired size, cover the ends with a stain of contrasting shades
Consistently glue pieces of parquet board to the frame. Additionally, all elements must be glued to each other. Press the trim elements to the frame with spacers. After the glue has dried (the required time is indicated in the instructions), remove the spacers.
Glue the painted board to the frame
Third step
Perform the finishing decoration of the portal at your discretion. For example, decorative candles go very well with a parquet board portal.
Parquet board portal
