The fire, its raging tongues, as if dancing only one dance known to them, from time immemorial have been carrying their message to everyone who lives. Living flame gives a person warmth, which means life. And at the same time, it is able to destroy everything around itself. It has long been believed that fire is a symbol of home comfort. But if in past times the hearth was a mandatory functional building heating the dwelling, today it is rather a decorative detail, an imitation of a fireplace in the interior. Photo, presented to your attention, will give a certain idea of how the artificial symbol of the hearth should look. Not every country house has the opportunity to install a real fireplace, it’s not worth talking about modern apartments. But this does not mean that you need to completely abandon such a tempting idea.
Artificial fireplaces - a dream or reality?
The hearth with lively dancing flames is the dream of many modern people. But what to do when there is no way to build it on your existing living space? A great option will be an imitation of a fireplace.
Remember the tale of Pinocchio with fire painted on a piece of canvas? Of course, we don’t offer you to paint the walls, but to build a do-it-yourself kamela everyone can do.
Imitation of a fireplace in an apartment or a country house is possible even with a minimum of funds, skills. There are quite a few varieties of decorative designs for the hearth. For their construction using a variety of techniques and materials.
Varieties of decorative fireplaces
False fireplaces can be divided into two types - interior and electric. The first serve as decoration of the room, and due to their smokeless design, based on the burning of ethyl alcohol and the release of a certain amount of steam during this process, moisturize the air. One of the indisputable advantages in the construction of such models is that it is not necessary to use refractory materials, you can use wood or drywall. Imitation of fire in a fireplace It is created by laying artificial firewood made from heat-resistant ceramics around a gas burner. This whole structure is quite lightweight, easy to operate, does not overload the space of the room in which it is installed, and most importantly, does not require the presence of chimneys.
Electric types of fireplaces are not only an item of interior decoration, they are also an additional source of heat. Very powerful and at the same time economical in energy consumption, modern models do not require any special difficulties in operation and maintenance. Artificial fire in them looks more than natural.
Materials suitable for creating a fireplace
Let us consider in more detail how and from what to make an artificial furnace. The first thing that comes to mind is an imitation of a brick or drywall fireplace, but they are by no means the only ones. A small overview of the materials possible for the construction will help you make the choice. So:
- Metal. Ideal for high-tech interiors. Having the skills of working with steel, you can build a false center that will decorate any home.
- Imitation of a fireplace in an apartment from plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF) or particle board (chipboard) is possible in any interior, whether modern, rustic or any other. All these materials coated with a special protective film can be easily found in all construction markets.
- For the construction of the portal are perfectly suitable wooden planks. In order to emphasize all the beauty of wood, it can be covered with a special stain suitable in color to the main interior of your apartment, or with acrylic varnish.
- One of the most popular materials for creating an artificial hearth, of course, is brick. The only drawback of which can be called the fact that it is rather difficult to avoid the heaviness of the structure, and this, in turn, creates some difficulties in integrating it into the overall interior.
- Drywall - lightweight, pleasant to use material. The imitation of the fireplace from the CCP is ideal for small rooms. With the help of metal profiles, you can build absolutely any shape and height structure of a false center.
- Artificial stone - non-toxic, non-combustible material, great for creating a portal.
General principles for building a raised brick fireplace
- Before starting the main work, it is necessary to calculate the height and width of the future product, and also to determine the place where this whole rather heavy construction will be located.
- In order for the imitation of the fireplace with your own hands to turn out to be of high quality, you must definitely draw up a detailed diagram-drawing of what you want to get in the end.
- For the construction of a false portal, in principle, any brick is suitable: silicate, facing or decorative. Before starting the masonry, dampen it with plenty of water to remove excess air. A correctly made brick has a smooth smooth structure.
- From the corner, according to level, start laying. Try to make the seams the same in width.
- After the mortar fastening the rows of bricks dries well, the inside and bottom of the portal must be laid out with special heat-resistant tiles.
- Now you are ready to install the electric heater. Do not forget about safety measures when working with electricity; clearly follow the instructions that came with the device.
- Decorate the fireplace or leave it as it is, depends entirely on your desire. For facing, you can use wood, artificial stone or any interior ceramic tile.
Materials and tools
You will need:
- brick;
- masonry mortar;
- building level;
- refractory tiles for interior decoration;
- electric, bio or eco-heater;
- Building tools;
- items for decoration.
Brick imitation fireplace will be a real decoration of the room, will contribute to the creation of a warm cozy atmosphere. All this, of course, will please you and your loved ones. Unfortunately, such a heavy construction is not suitable for the design of small rooms, but it is ideal for the living room or hall of a country house.
General principles for the construction of a false fireplace from drywall
The lightweight, pleasant structure of gypsum plasterboard is the best suited for creating a fireplace portal of any shape, width and height. Using profiles and guides, you can make any part of it not only straight, but also smoothly curved. In addition, any backlight is easily integrated into the structure of this material, which gives it additional features and functionality. Imitation drywall fireplace equally well fits into any interior of both large and small living quarters, whether it is a country house or a city apartment.
Preliminary preparation
The construction of such a model of the source is a rather costly and time-consuming process, requiring preliminary preparation.
The first thing to do before starting the main work is to determine the place and type of structure. What it will be, is up to you. Imitation of a fireplace with your own hands from drywall can take the form of a niche built into the wall, be a wall model (i.e. mobile) or angular. There are a lot of design options for the frame, it all depends on your personal preferences and the general interior of your apartment or house.
So, the location is chosen, the type is determined, it is time to start building the drawing scheme. This is necessary so that you clearly imagine the result, as well as the order of work. An existing sketch will definitely help with the calculation of the required materials.
Having prepared everything you need, freeing up enough space, you can proceed with the installation of the structure.
Installation of a false fireplace made of drywall
The process of erecting an artificial hearth from drywall can be divided into several stages:
- frame construction;
- gypsum plasterboard skeleton lining;
- giving the fireplace fire resistance;
- installation of a heating element;
- decoration of the whole structure.
Fabrication and cladding of the frame
The skeleton of the fireplace is made according to the selected parameters from metal profiles, which, in turn, are attached to the wall or make up a stand-alone structure in the case when a mobile, i.e. portable version of the structure is planned. An important point in the construction of a metal profile frame is that the more different jumper parts it has, the more stable and durable the product itself will turn out in the end. The distance between the guides should not exceed 35-40 cm. Usually, difficulties arise during the installation of the so-called arched part of the structure. To give it a smooth bend along the top of the profile, at equal intervals, incisions are made. Then it bends into an arc and fastens to the right place. In this way, you can give the entire structure a few smooth bends. Drywall imitation of a fireplace, the photo of which is presented in our article, is made in this way. After the installation of the base is completed, the refractory tile is laid on the inside, you can proceed with the casing. How to decorate a false fireplace, whether to decorate it with backlight, depends only on you.
Materials and tools
You will need:
- drywall sheets or scraps;
- self-tapping screws, dowels and screws;
- guide metal profiles (you can use corners or wooden battens);
- devices for cutting metal and drywall;
- a tool for precise marking of the surface (building level, tape measure);
- drill and screwdriver;
- putty for coating joints;
- decorative finishes (ceramic tiles, wood, artificial stone, etc.);
- refractory tile;
- heating element;
- backlight.
Decorative false fireplaces are an excellent substitute for a traditional open fire. They are safe, energy efficient, beautiful and functional. Imitation of live fire in such a fireplace allows you to create a truly comfortable atmosphere around you.