In apartments where it is impossible to install an ordinary fireplace heated with wood, it is possible to build an electric fireplace with an imitation of a flame. These devices have become very popular recently. An electrically powered fireplace built into a portal or wall can become not only a decoration for a room, but also an additional source of heat. The most popular solution in this case is to build a plasterboard fireplace portal, an inexpensive and beautiful design that can make the interior chic.
Drywall is a simply processed material that has become popular lately. FROM with gypsum plasterboard plates, you can build a straight or curly structure by building it in numerous tiers or decor. In addition, such a drywall portal weighs a little, which is a definite plus when constructing it in an apartment, where it is undesirable to create additional loads on the base, there is no need to pour the foundation under it. As for the design of this structure, you can do anything: from a pendant or classic to a corner fireplace.
Portal construction
As we wrote earlier, the portal can be of any form, and completely arbitrary in design, but for this you need to comply with certain requirements:
- The portal must correspond to the area of the room in which it is being built. It is also worth considering the area of the electric fireplace itself.
- You can build a portal only after you select a fireplace model, or after purchasing it. This must be done because the electrical device needs ventilation, which must be provided for in a drywall structure. In addition, it is worth determining where the electrical outlet will be located for connection.
- If you want to put a fireplace to the corner, then build a corner portal. This system will look proportionally in the room, and, moreover, it will occupy a corner that is useless in the interior.
- The portal should be designed in the same way as the entire interior of the apartment. If the room is decorated in a retro style, then a high-tech portal will look inorganic.
- You need to decide in advance on the facing material. If you want to decorate the fireplace with stone or ceramic granite, then the skeleton of the structure must be additionally reinforced, for example, apply two layers of drywall, or reinforce the profiles with wooden bars.
- Before starting the assembly, draw your future fireplace, then draw up a detailed drawing with all dimensions and marks. Then draw your design on the floor, this will help you avoid making mistakes with the choice of size.
After all the preparations, you can go for the material for the portal and prepare the toolkit.
Required materials and tools
So, in order to build a structure for an electric fireplace you need:
- GKL based on the design of 8 or 12 mm;
- profile, both rack-mount and guide;
- fasteners for gypsum board and profile;
- serpyanka, putty, corners, spatulas;
- finishing material;
- electrical equipment;
- knife and scissors for iron;
- roulette;
- level;
- puncher;
- screwdriver;
- knife;
- pliers.
Once all the preparations are made, the installation can begin. Consider the most common and most complex drywall portal.
What is required to make a false fireplace
For the quick and accurate implementation of the tasks, you will need certain materials and tools:
- GKL plates. For work, ordinary sheets with a thickness of 9.5 to 12.5 mm are used. If the placement of an electrical appliance is intended, then it is better to choose fire-resistant options that provide ultimate protection.
- Metallic profile.Since the frame assumes the presence of a large number of elements, the entire system can be made exclusively from UD (PNP) or CD (PP) profiles and their combination.
- A set of self-tapping screws. You will need products for fixing galvanized parts and drywall directly.
- Elastic putty. For joints and further processing.
- Reinforcement tape and perforated corner.
For the construction of an imitation of a fireplace, you can use ordinary drywall (GKL), but if you plan to insert an electric fireplace into a niche, then it is better to take fire-resistant sheets (GKLO)
- Electric jigsaw or GKL saw.
- Scissors for metal.
- Screwdriver and drill, a set of drills and nozzles.
- Rack or laser level.
- Ruler, tape measure and corner.
Professionals use a lot of specialized tools, but a minimum set is enough for a home craftsman to build a small fireplace box.
Finishing materials are also being prepared. It can be artificial stone, brick, various types of overlays and stucco moldings. Depending on the cladding product, appropriate tools and compounds for finishing and fasteners will be required.
Corner portal for fireplace
This structure is irreplaceable in a room with a small area. The corner portal for a fireplace with your own hands from drywall takes up little space, in addition, it takes up a minimum of usable space, occupying a dead zone in the room. You can place it in any corner. They construct a structure according to a sketch prepared in advance, while it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions of the manufacturer of the electric fireplace, in which the parameters of the ventilation hole are written.
Corner portal made of plasterboard
The work is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Mark the profiles according to the sketch and cut them to the desired size, for this you can use a hacksaw for metal or scissors.
- All structural elements must be connected together with small self-tapping screws. This is easy to do, insert the wall profile into the guide and tighten the fasteners with a screwdriver.
- If you chose a heavy material as a finish, then the entire structure should be fixed to the wall or a special base should be made for it, which should be 30 cm larger than the structure itself.This approach to the structure allows you to build an imitation of a woodpile of firewood at the base.
- During the assembly of the frame, it is worth constantly checking the parameters; for this, an electric fireplace is applied to a niche. This will help you not to make a mistake and make the correct electrical wiring to connect the device.
- As soon as the frame is completely ready, you should supply electricity to it so that it is convenient for you to turn on the fireplace.
- Drywall should be cut immediately according to the sketch, so it will be more convenient to work.
- The frame is sheathed with plasterboard using black self-tapping screws and a screwdriver. To make it easier to finish the structure, the screw heads are slightly sunk into the material, but make sure that the fasteners do not break through the cardboard layer.
- GKL seams are embroidered and sealed, be sure to reinforce them with reinforcing tape. At the corners of the structure, a perforated corner is fixed to the plaster.
- The surface of the false fireplace must be putty with a base layer of putty, left to dry.
- The second layer will be the finishing layer and, after drying, sand it well.
The plasterboard fireplace portal is ready for the final cladding. What type of finishing material can be selected for your fireplace, we will tell you below.
Views
Depending on the type of hearth, fireplace portals are divided into:
- Portals with an open wood-burning hearth;
- Portals with a closed wood-burning firebox;
- Portals for electric fireplaces;
- False fireplace portals.
If you decide to build a portal yourself, then you need to be very careful about the choice of material from which you plan to design it. Its choice depends on the type of fireplace for which it is intended. So remember:
- For electric and decorative fireplaces when building a portal, you can use drywall, plastic, polyurethane, wood;
- For wood-burning fireplaces, marble, sandstone, granite, brick, natural and artificial stone are used. Drywall and wood can also be used, but additional thermal protection must be installed.
The simplest and cheapest option for making a portal for a fireplace with your own hands is drywall. However, when designing it, the following nuance must be taken into account - this structure is created at the stage of planning the premises, further movements and adjustments are not allowed. Therefore, careful coordination of dimensions and other necessary attributes is necessary, for example, the presence of ventilation holes and space for electrical wiring. The advantage of drywall is its plasticity, with its help the fireplace portal can be given any shape.
Portal finishing - options
The entire design of the building will depend on the style. For final finishing, you can choose the following options:
- Paint the structure with any water-based paint.
- Portals for an electric fireplace, decorated with decorative stone or tiles, look great, they are almost impossible to distinguish from real ones.
- The mosaic will give the building a chic look.
- You can make a fireplace from stucco molding, which is glued to ordinary plaster for interior use.
- The mantelpiece will add completeness and beauty to the portal. It can be made from any material, but in some cases, to save money, it is built from simple drywall.
- Any fireplace can be decorated with stucco elements, they are inexpensive, but the design becomes especially beautiful.
- If the fireplace is being built in a country house, then decorating the portal with a wooden shelf and finishing with decorative stone, like a brick, will not hurt. In this case, it is worth putting several natural logs in front of the false fireplace. This building looks very realistic and can become a decoration of the house.
- In the office, it is better to decorate the fireplace with decorative plaster, which will not differ in tone from the walls. In this version, there should be no bright and pretentious elements, just a few frames with photographs installed on the mantelpiece.
- Stucco molding with gilding can decorate a room in a Romanesque style. It is almost impossible to make stucco on our own, so we go to a special store and buy. The stucco molding is glued to any assembly glue, after which it can be gilded or painted in a tone contrasting with the portal.
It is worth noting that it is better not to overdo it with the decoration, since the pretentious decoration can overshadow the main decoration of any fireplace - the flame that sways beautifully in the electric fireplace.
How to make
- In the chosen location of the fireplace, transfer a drawing of its main elements to the walls and floor;
- Build a frame from a metal profile (it is recommended to use a guide and a rack profile), attach it to the wall;
- Next, build a so-called "podium" from the profile - the bottom of the portal, after which you can form the frame of the portal itself with a firebox. The frame must be reinforced, for this, every 15-20 cm over its entire area, we fix the transverse beams from the rack-mount profile;
- We insert an electric fireplace into the prepared box. Such a preliminary "fitting" is very important, because at this stage of construction there is still an opportunity to correct possible flaws, for example, if the fireplace comes in tightly, then you need to increase the size of the firebox - unscrew the profile, move it to the desired distance and screw it again;
- Before sheathing the frame with sheets of drywall, you yourself have to make holes in them from the inside of the portal opposite the exhaust ducts in the body of the electric fireplace;
- The next stage is the sheathing of the box with drywall sheets. Use self-tapping screws, no more than 2.5 cm long and fine threads, preferably black.It can be sheathed in either one or two layers - it depends on the choice of materials for decoration. A simple decor can be made with a single-layer cladding, while a complex one (for example, decorating a portal with artificial stone, gypsum stucco molding) will require a double layer;
- We take a deep penetration primer and thoroughly saturate the entire surface of drywall;
- Before applying decorative elements, the surface of the portal must be covered with a layer of putty; to protect the corners, choose a perforated corner profile;
- Your further actions depend on the chosen decoration method. If you are going to paint your portal, sand the surface to achieve perfect smoothness, then paint it. If your goal is to cover the portal with tiles or other decorative elements, then simply glue them to the prepared surface using special glue;
- On top of the portal, a so-called mantel is being built from a double layer of drywall - it is on it that you will put your frames with photographs and other trinkets. Since a certain load will fall on it, it is necessary to strengthen it with an additional profile and attach it to the wall. Visually, the shelf should look like one piece with the overall structure of the portal;
- For a more spectacular look, you can complement the portal structure with sidewalls and a foot, which are made using plaster, stone or other decoration materials.
The above plan for the step-by-step installation of a drywall portal for an electric fireplace is also suitable for making a false fireplace, but it will require additional decoration in the form of a mirror on the back wall, imitation of fire, firewood beautifully laid in the hearth, etc. Your imagination will be the best assistant at this stage of finishing.
