The portal for the fireplace is its decorative frame. It can be made from various materials. One of the most popular types is drywall. It is relatively inexpensive and easy to process.
There is a certain technique, how to make a portal for a fireplace from drywall with your own hands. Expert advice should be considered before starting work. This will help to create a beautiful frame for a decorative fireplace.
General recommendations
Portals for drywall fireplaces (photo below) are a special part of the interior. They create a frame for an electric fireplace or can even be used for decoration without it. There are many varieties of design styles for this structure.
Not every owner of private real estate can afford to build a real fireplace at home. This is not even explained by the cost of such work, but by the elementary lack of free space in the room. To be able to decorate the interior with a decorative fireplace, you can build a special niche. An electric device imitating the form of a flame will be installed in it.
You can also create a composition in which such an electric device will not even be installed. Instead, you can place candles in the portal, create a composition of branches, boards, flowers, etc. In this case, the designer’s imagination is unlimited.
Drywall fireplace portal should be in harmony with the overall interior. Its decoration can be either classic, antique or modern. To do this, use a variety of materials. The hearth should be installed at floor level. If you need to raise it higher, it is better to give preference to a large and long fireplace.
It should also be noted that foci that have a certain frame are on sale. They must be combined with the portal. Or you should buy a model of an electrical device that does not have a frame. These are recessed designs.
Material selection
A portal for a drywall fireplace, a photo of which can be considered later, can have a different configuration. In this case, you must adhere to recommendations regarding the choice of proportions. If there is not enough free space in front of the portal, it is better to give preference to a wide model and raise it above the floor. In other cases, floor foci look more harmonious. They can be straight and angular.
Experts recommend purchasing an electric fireplace even before the installation of its frame. This will avoid subsequent restructuring of the portal. While electrical equipment that simulates the kind of flame is not available, a number of errors can be made. For example, when calculating, do not take into account the dimensions of the cord, fasteners, and other items of equipment. Creating first a portal, and then acquiring a fireplace, you can not guess with the dimensions.
The design of the drywall portal can be carried out using different materials. When choosing, you should focus on the general view of the design, your financial capabilities and taste preferences. In this case, special requirements for materials are not put forward. An artificial fireplace practically does not heat up during its operation. Also, this device weighs relatively little. Difficulties in its installation should not arise.
Most often, decorative panels made of wood, stone, glass, ceramics, etc., are purchased for the decoration of the portal. Do not purchase plywood sheets for these purposes. It is quickly destroyed. The smooth surface of drywall allows you to paint the portal in any color, apply textured plaster on it, etc.
Drywall Advantages
Do-it-yourself fireplace portal from drywall (photo below) is quite simple to perform. The presented material has a lot of advantages. First of all, it should be said that working with him is very simple. Drywall boards can be easily cut to meet existing requirements.
Portals for electric fireplaces or simply decorative structures that simulate a hearth can be created using this material even in a small room. Drywall allows you to create almost any shape for this interior. If desired, it can easily be removed or installed again.
Using drywall, you can create a portal with shelves. It will be a functional design. If necessary, it will be possible to install a TV, vases with flowers, candles on it. You can also make side shelves. They can store various things. Shelves may be open. In this case, they can be decorated with old books, figurines, etc.
At the same time, drywall is relatively inexpensive. With the independent creation of a fireplace, the procedure does not require large expenditures of forces, time and financial resources. All work can be done independently. You don’t even need an assistant.
How to make a fireplace portal from drywall, the tips of experienced designers will help you figure it out. It can take any form. This will allow you to harmoniously fit the framing of the hearth into the interior of a large or small room.
Preparatory process
You can create your own portal from a drywall fireplace corner or direct. The construction procedure in both cases will be identical. The difference is only in the appearance of the frame.
Before you begin the process of creating a portal, you need to prepare all the necessary tools and materials. To calculate how much drywall, fasteners and other structural elements will be required during the work, you need to create a detailed drawing. Experts recommend creating a focus at the stage of repair. This greatly facilitates the planning phase.
To do this, you need to draw a detailed diagram of the future portal on a piece of paper. On it you need to specify the correct dimensions. Space should also be provided for the placement of wires, openings for ventilation of electrical equipment. This will avoid overheating of the structure, the appearance of condensate and other troubles.
The plan should also indicate in detail the decor items that are planned to be used for the construction. You can also create a model of the future outbreak. In this case, it will be possible to determine exactly whether errors were made during the construction process.
Tools and layout
After calculating, accurately measuring the dimensions of the portal for the fireplace from drywall, you need to create its layout. Experts say that such an action will avoid errors. This will require foam and the most common glue to work with this material. This does not require large financial costs. But it will avoid the need to redo all the work first.
In accordance with the drawing, all elements of the future frame are cut out of foam. At the same time, the fireplace should already be bought. Some owners instead of special electrical appliances install a monitor from a computer in a niche. The image of the flame is transmitted to it. In this case, you will need to think in advance how the cable outputs for connecting the equipment will be made.
When all parts of the portal will be cut out of polystyrene foam, they need to be glued and placed inside the selected type of equipment. If inaccuracies were made in the measurements, the features of the equipment were not taken into account, this should be indicated on the drawing. Completing the drawing at this stage will be much easier than subsequently rebuilding the drywall design.
It should be said that the do-it-yourself portal of the corner fireplace from gypsum board is created using the same technology. For installation, you will need to prepare the appropriate tools. Need a construction level, tape measure, a screwdriver, putty knife, metal scissors, a construction knife. To make marking on drywall, you need a simple pencil.
Frame
The portal under the fireplace with your own hands from drywall requires the creation of a solid frame. It is made from a standard metal profile. It will require guides and rack-mounted varieties of it. The design of the frame is usually not very complex. Therefore, it will be easy to assemble it.
It is important to pay great attention to the high-quality fastening of the profile to the wall and floor. In this case, the design will be reliable. It will be possible to install quite heavy objects on it.
In the process of assembling the frame, you need to use the building level. This will help create perfectly vertical and horizontal racks. Installation “by eye” may result in the inability to qualitatively sheathe the structure with sheets of drywall. At the same time, the appearance of the interior will be untidy.
The frame is going fast enough. It is necessary to cut segments of the desired length from the profiles (in accordance with the drawing). Then all prepared items are assembled using standard fixtures. You can use the tracker. This will simplify the assembly of the frame. However, it is better to rent it, if subsequently it is not planned to carry out work with a metal profile. With large-scale work, the screener will reduce the cost of acquiring fasteners.
When the frame is assembled and fixed, you can begin to trim. It is important to double-check the profile position after installation using the level.
Drywall Mount
To mount a fireplace portal with your own hands from drywall is easy even for an inexperienced master. It is important to consider a number of expert recommendations. When choosing drywall, you need to pay attention to its varieties. On sale is a regular drywall and sheets that are used to finish the floor. The second option is much stronger. It has a special reinforcing fiber, which allows you to give strength to drywall. The choice of material depends on the features of the subsequent finish.
If the design of the portal is simple, panels of stone, tile and other heavy materials will not be additionally mounted on it; you can purchase ordinary drywall. It is cut in accordance with the drawing and mounted with self-tapping screws to the frame in one layer.
If later it is planned to finish using heavy decorative materials, it is better to give preference to drywall for the floor. If the usual type of material was purchased, it must be installed in two layers in this case.
Particular attention during installation requires a shelf of a portal under a drywall fireplace. Subsequently, various decor items or even heavy equipment (for example, a TV or monitor) are often installed on it. This structural element is also recommended to be created from gypsum board of increased strength.
It is also possible to provide additional profiles in the design of the shelf that will reinforce this element of the portal. If the shelf goes significantly beyond the edges of the walls of the fireplace, this recommendation should not be neglected.
Puttying the surface
The portal under the fireplace with your own hands from drywall must be puttied. Otherwise, the finish can quickly lose its attractive appearance. Experts recommend pre-primed seams. This is necessary, since when cutting sheets at the joints, fine dust appears. The primer allows the putty to perfectly adhere to the surface.
For finishing work, it is recommended to purchase gypsum-based compounds. It is an environmentally friendly, safe material. It will not release harmful components into the air. In this case, with increasing temperature, gypsum putty releases droplets of moisture. This makes the material non-combustible.
When creating a layer of putty, a reinforcing mesh, perforated corners are used. First, the first layer of gypsum composition is applied. Then, a reinforcing mesh of artificial material is laid on it. Also mount metal corners.
After that, apply another layer of putty. Using special tools, the layer is leveled to perfect condition. Using special plaster, you can create decorative elements on the surface. The dry mixture is diluted with water. At the same time, it should remain thick. Then they make an imitation of stone from it, create floral ornaments. Before applying such plaster, you need to practice on an unnecessary sheet of drywall.
Varieties of finishes
Do-it-yourself portal for a fireplace made of drywall can be decorated in different ways. It is necessary to take into account the features of the interior. Finishing can imitate natural stone or brickwork. The first option will fit into almost any interior style. Brickwork will complement the loft style design.
You can finish the glass mosaic. It can be a bright, unusual fireplace. This type of decoration is suitable for an extraordinary, creative interior. Original painting is hand-painted. If the master does not possess artistic talent, he can always use special stencils.
Drawings for design can be found in various sources. By enlarging them and printing them on paper, you can transfer your favorite decor to the surface of the fireplace. Stencils can also be made independently. In this case, the fireplace will look original and stylish.
Accents
Do-it-yourself portal for a drywall fireplace can be supplemented with different flower arrangements, flower vases, books, decorations made from natural materials. Do not force the hearth shelf too much. It is better to give preference to several statuettes or books.
Having considered the features of creating a portal for a drywall fireplace, anyone can create such an element of decor with their own hands.