Not so long ago, a fireplace performed only one function - it heated rooms. Today, this part of the interior has become a full-fledged decoration, but not every house or apartment has the opportunity to install such a heating device. With it, you can create the feeling that you are in a chic mansion, and not a simple city apartment.
The fireplace is able to create a unique atmosphere in the house, bringing a certain zest to the interior. Having visited shops, you can get a ready-made electric fireplace. However, if you complete the design yourself, it will cost much less, and it will be quite simple to carry out the work. Such a product will not heat the room, but will create a unique design and aura of comfort.
You can use ordinary drywall for this, with which it will be possible to create an almost complete imitation of a wood fireplace. This decision is sometimes dictated by the practical component. This is due to the fact that after repair quite often there are pieces of a metal profile and drywall that can be put into action.
Tool preparation
If you decide to make a false fireplace from drywall with your own hands, then first you need to decide on the design of the structure, its parameters and location. Sometimes home craftsmen resort to making a corner fireplace, which fits perfectly into small rooms.
Having drawn up the project, you can calculate the amount of material to make the structure yourself. For work, you will need tools and materials:
- drywall;
- wood screws;
- putty;
- Bulgarian;
- roulette;
- pencil;
- metallic profile;
- drywall screws;
- screwdriver;
- scissors for metal;
- building level.
Preparation before installation
Do-it-yourself fake plasterboard fireplace is quite simple to build. To do this, at the first stage, a sketch is prepared, according to the dimensions of which you need to put marks on the wall, and they will be installed on them. When assembling the corner fireplace, the markup is in the corresponding corner. First, the back of the frame is assembled, which is attached to the wall, this will help to understand how the fireplace will look.
Frame assembly
When a false fireplace is done from drywall with your own hands, you need to mount the frame first. These works involve three stages. At the first, the pieces of the profile are measured and marked. The next step will be their cutting and joining in a single design. The profile can be fixed with metal screws using a screwdriver.
In order to make the design look more original, a small arch is made in the upper part. On one side of the profile you need to make cuts, the elements are knocked together in the form of an arc and fixed to the frame. If you decide to make a false fireplace from drywall with your own hands, then remember that you should give the system rigidity, jumpers are used for this.
The maximum possible step between the profiles should be a limit of 30 to 40 cm. If you plan that an imitation of the hearth will be brought to the fireplace, then you need to bring in electric cables to connect the backlight.
Frame cladding
A decorative drywall fireplace can be trimmed after it has been possible to complete the installation of metal profiles. At the first stage, the frame must be measured by marking the parameters on a drywall with a pencil. Blanks can be cut with a knife. Drywall to the frame is fixed with screws, the distance between which will be the limit of 8 to 10 cm. Drywall can be any, for example, waterproof or ordinary. It is better to use the one that is intended for installation on the wall. Ceiling is also sometimes used, but it has a smaller thickness.
Methodology
When a decorative fireplace is made of drywall, the frame is recommended to be done separately, and then proceed to fasten it to the surface. If the structure on one side will be located quite close to the wall or abut against it, then you need to attach drywall and only after fixing the structure to the main wall.
If you neglect this recommendation, then subsequently there will not be enough space to fit a screwdriver. Drywall in this case can be strengthened with a screwdriver, which is quite difficult. In order to rationally use the sheets of drywall, jumpers are installed on the frame, corresponding in size to pieces of finishing material.
Workpiece bending
Decorative fireplaces for an apartment may suggest a bend. To begin with, you should follow its template. Then a strip of the required dimensions is cut out of the canvas, which can be laid on the inside of the future bend. Many 5 mm holes are made on this part. Punctures can be made with a needle roller. Holes are needed to damage the cardboard layer.
The workpiece is wetted with water, and after softening the core, it can be fixed on the template and left until dry. Water must not penetrate into a solid layer of cardboard, otherwise the product may break. Bending a metal profile is quite simple, for this you need to make incisions on the sides, the distance between which will be 1 cm.
Fireplace decoration
If you are thinking about how to finish a false fireplace from drywall, you can use the method of puttying joints and joints. In this case, you need to stock up with putty tape. If the surface will not be painted or glued with a film, this is not necessary. The ends of the sheets should be well aligned, as well as intersecting planes.
The lining should not be continuous, because the devices installed inside will need heat removal. If you plan to place a heater inside, it is important to ensure the presence of ventilation holes, which should be located in the upper part of the structure. A false plasterboard fireplace in the interior will look great if you decorate it. For this, ready-made panels or tiles are often used. You can apply the method of painting under lime or surface finish under the metal.
As practice shows, one layer of putty will not be enough to achieve a smooth surface, so the base must be primed, dried and again covered with putty. If you are satisfied with the result, then you can start grinding the surface. For this, fine-grained sandpaper is used. At the final stage, an artificial stone or facing brick can be used. Effectively in the interior will look gypsum stucco, the elements of which can be glued to the surface. After that, the design is painted in a suitable shade.
Finishing Tips
For decoration, you can use a mirror, wallpaper or paints and varnishes. It is necessary to finish the furnace, and you can use ceramic tiles for this. It can be glazed, and its shade, shape and texture can be very different. To cut the tile to fit it in size, you can use a grinder or tile cutter. In this case, a do-it-yourself fireplace, the step-by-step instructions for the manufacture of which is described in the article, can be decorated only with tiles laid on a previously primed base.
Next, a cement-based elastic adhesive is kneaded. The mixture is applied with a spatula to the tile, alignment can be done with a notched blade. The layer thickness should be 5 mm or less. It is necessary to start work from any of the lower corners. Between the rows you need to insert crosses to achieve the same thickness of the seams.
The correct placement of the material must be checked using the building level, while excluding the ingress of the mixture on the front surface of the finish. When a false fireplace is done with your own hands, a step-by-step instruction for the manufacture of which should help you avoid mistakes, after drying the composition, which will take several days, you can start grouting the joints. The protruding areas of glue are cut with a knife, the seams are cleaned with a soft sponge.
Grout should be applied from a confectionery syringe or with a thin brush. You can get rid of excess with a dense sponge. The same technology is also suitable for finishing firewood. Instead of tile glue, you can use liquid nails, this will speed up the process.
Portal decoration
The fireplace, the drawing of which is presented in the article, may include a tiled firebox and a portal of a smooth-painted surface or artificial gypsum stones. The portal frame is made of wood, but ceramic tiles are also suitable for this. The pre-primed drywall base is painted with water-based emulsion solutions. The first layer is applied with a brush, all subsequent ones with a roller. Between the layers, it is necessary to wait until the surface has completely dried. It will look great in any lighting matte paint in bright colors.
Making a corner fireplace
The size of the dry fireplace made of drywall, if it is installed in the corner, will be determined by your preferences. For the frame base, you will need a metal profile, in addition to this, it is necessary to prepare rack profiles with dimensions of 60x27 mm. Guide profiles must have dimensions equal to 28x27 mm.
The screws will have a length ranging from 14 to 16 mm. To connect the drywall and the frame, self-tapping screws with a countersunk head will be needed. Many craftsmen recommend using a circular hand saw for cutting drywall, the depth of cut of which varies from 16 to 24 mm. However, if there is no such tool in the arsenal, you can do with a kitchen knife.
If you decide to make such a fireplace, it is recommended to prepare the drawing in advance. On it, you can specify the height of the structure, which will be 898 mm. As for the width, it will be equal to 1041 mm. Each side will be 737 mm. As for fire, in this case, you can use the electronic photo frame. Its use will be safe.
Using a screwdriver and self-tapping screws, the UD profile must be strengthened to the floor surface. The distance between the fasteners should be 30 cm. The plank will be parallel to the wall, it should be installed first. The side elements must be fixed so that they do not extend beyond the first profile. On the base wall, according to the marking, you need to strengthen the wall profiles. UD profiles are installed on the finished fasteners, then those that will be parallel to the floor surface.
Conclusion
Corner false fireplace made of drywall can be finished using self-made stones from gypsum. To do this, prepare a silicone mold, the inner surface of which is lubricated with petroleum jelly. Gypsum diluted to the consistency of sour cream is poured into it, and the surface can be leveled with a spatula.
The material will be ready in 20 minutes. Decorative fireplaces intended for an apartment are often decorated with gypsum stones, which are made using pigments. If there were none at hand, the surface of the stone can be varnished after solidification.