A fireplace is the main element of any home. For a long time, apartment owners could only sigh while looking at photos in glossy magazines. But now it's in the past.
Electric Fireplaces
It's no secret that now the heating of apartments is due to modern heating equipment. Here, fireplaces do not withstand any competition. However, the aesthetic aspect plays an almost decisive role in choosing an additional heating device.
Almost always, the fireplace dominates the interior, regardless of whether it is full-fledged or electric, or just a portal for candles. Accordingly, the design should be different thoroughness, fundamental.
Modern fireplaces are a means to create comfort in the room. They form an atmosphere of relaxation and are conducive to leisurely family conversations. Today, the consumer is presented with a huge selection of electric fireplaces. You can also choose the design for them. Moreover, you can make a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands. And it does not take much time and money. Finishing is possible in any style, suitable for interior design.
These types of heaters are most in demand today. They consist of an electric furnace of a converter or radiating type with a capacity of not more than two kilowatts and a portal. For electric fireplaces do not need a chimney device, and they can serve as a decoration for any home where there is electricity.
Portal Production
First you need to decide on its location - in the corner or near the wall. Based on this, they select a configuration and acquire materials from which a portal for an electric fireplace will be mounted with their own hands. It is acceptable to use drywall with guides, wood, MDF boards (chipboard), plywood, parquet boards, even unnecessary pieces of furniture. Materials can be combined as you like - it all depends on the capabilities and imagination of the master.
The portal and the electric fireplace should match in style and organically fit into the overall design of the room. You should also take into account the size of the room - a large structure in a small living room will look ridiculous, and a small structure will be lost in large mansions.
It is necessary to start work after the electric fireplace itself is already acquired. Although manufacturers indicate the exact dimensions of the device, there are also technological holes that require free access to air. In addition, it is impossible to predict which part of the decoration will become an obstacle during operation. If everything is foreseen in advance, then the portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands can be made without tripping over every little thing. When you decide on the sizes and materials, you should begin to work.
Corner fireplace
Heaters of this form are more suitable for urban apartments. They have several advantages. The corner portal for an electric fireplace is visible from anywhere in the room. It is not necessary to place all the furniture taking into account the main landmark (fireplace), as is the case with the wall option. It is enough to place two chairs near it - and the cozy zone for confidential communication and contemplation is ready.
The corner portal for an electric fireplace can be made of brick, wood or drywall and profile.
Drywall Portal
This is the most popular option. First, a sketch is drawn on the wall. Before you make a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands, on the drawing outline the base and mounting points of the frame. The base in the designated area is made of timber or profile. Guide racks are attached to it, their number inside the frame is dictated by the shape of the heater.
The portal for the drywall from the drywall must be equipped with electrical wiring, if it is far from the outlet. At the stage of manufacturing a complex frame, the main thing is to put a heater in it in time. When using a simple parallelepiped-shaped structure, the base can be assembled on the floor and then attached to the wall with self-tapping screws. Rigid fixation can protect the portal from possible mechanical influences.
When the base and frame are ready, they are sheathed with drywall. Details are cut out on paper so that they fit exactly onto the frame. After assembling the structure, fill the joints with putty, primer, paint and glue the decorative moldings. It is advisable to strengthen the corners of the fireplace with perforated corners for plaster. If necessary, heat-resistant sheets should be fixed on the inner surfaces of the furnace. Before the finish, the caps of the screws are putty.
You can trim the portal under an electric fireplace with your own hands and in other ways. There are enough options.
Budget decoration
Portals for electric fireplaces can be simply painted. This is the most economical way. To do this, the surface of the drywall after putty is carefully ground with fine-grained sandpaper to achieve maximum alignment. Then stained.
An economical solution is also pasting the portal with a self-adhesive film. It is glued to a leveled primer. The film can be imitation of wood, natural stone or tiles.
Traditional fireplace decoration
Facing gypsum plasterboard made of artificial stone looks impressive and solid. It is fixed with an adhesive mixture, having previously drawn up a styling scheme.
Decorative plasters, such as Venetian, imitate natural stone and are sold dry. Finishing this type is best entrusted to a professional if there is no personal experience in its application.
They are faced with fireplaces and ceramic tiles of different colors and patterns that repeat natural materials - wood, stone. When gluing it on drywall, a reinforcing mesh is used for plaster and primer.
The decoration also uses stucco made of polyurethane, which is easily fixed with mounting glue, and then painted in the desired color - white, silver, bronze, etc.
Expensive veneer
Antique tiles are considered the most noble finish. But for drywall, they can be heavy. Therefore, you can use the lightweight version - tiles in a similar style, for example, Gzhel painting or malachite with gold.
Finishing and noble looks and decoration with tapestry fabric.
Wooden portal for electric fireplace
It is somewhat more difficult to make portals for electric fireplaces from wood. But they will look more impressive. To enhance the effect using wood of noble species, for example, oak or cedar.
When constructing a wooden portal, one should not forget about the combustibility of the material and observe the distance between the heater and structural elements. The tree should be coated with acrylic heat-resistant varnish in order to protect it from external factors.
To avoid deformation and drying out, you need to use carpentry glue made synthetically without adding water. If moisture enters the wooden structure, cracks and deformation of parts may occur. In addition, the wood must be of the same species and well dried.
Making portals for electric fireplaces will be easier from MDF, particleboard and plywood. The frame is made of a wooden bar, the podium is lined with plywood for the lining (for example, with stone on liquid nails), the tabletop can be made of solid pine.
Wood portal decoration should be done elegant and concise, using metal and glass elements for this.
Mantelpiece
Any home-made portal for an electric fireplace should be crowned with a mantelpiece. It houses books, figurines, candlesticks, shells, flower vases. You can use the shelf to showcase small collections.
In the New Year and Christmas holidays, it will serve as an additional decoration of the house. With hanging socks with gifts, balls and garlands, the portal will delight both the owners and guests.
Optional accessories
If a fireplace has already been built, even if it’s not real, then the surroundings should be in full. For example, the floor in front of the podium can be laid out with artificial stone. Do not ignore the fireplace grate or screen, woodcutter, poker and scoop.
The woodcutter is designed to store firewood next to the fireplace. Since fuel is not needed for an electric fireplace, a large firewood is not needed either. A portable version with a handle for several logs will be quite enough. But they really have to be real. Although, if the size of the room allows, you can also purchase a stationary woodcutter. They are forged and stamped, respectively, and differ in price.
Any fireplace will decorate the screen. The electric fireplace does not scatter sparks, therefore, refractory glass is not considered. The screen can be forged with beautiful patterns and curls in the modern or classic style. Instead of such a lattice, a screen-screen made of brocade or fabric embroidered with rhinestones for precious stones, metal or other material can be used.
The usual fireplace set also includes a poker, whisk, peak, tongs and a dustpan. They are hung on the side wall of the portal or on a special rack-server, which is more acceptable for a portal made of drywall. Such sets will emphasize the style of the interior and add chic to its design.