How to make a do-it-yourself electric fireplace

Each landlord tries in many ways to make their home comfortable and cozy. Many decide to use a fireplace for this. It serves not only as a decorative element, but also as additional warmth on frosty days. In addition, you can always make it yourself on your own project.

The device and principle of operation of the electric fireplace

Electric fireplace consists of two main parts:

• hearth - directly the heart of the fireplace, which is an electronic device that broadcasts the combustion process;
• portal - frame for the hearth.

If you wish, you can make both parts of the electric fireplace yourself, however it’s better to buy a firebox already ready in a specialized store.

The fireplace can be not only an element of decor, but also a heater in the winter cold

The hearth performs several functions at once. This is an imitation of burning fire and heat transfer. Each manufacturer brings its own technological solutions, which, incidentally, directly affect the cost of the final result. Some of them can be used in your own electric home fireplace:

1. Red matter acts as fire. At the bottom of the portal is a fan that lifts strips of fabric attached to one side. As a rule, silk is used for this purpose.
2. Use of reflector. It is installed under the so-called firewood. The essence of the work of such a fireplace is as follows: the reflector rotates slowly, due to which glare is projected alternately onto the imitation of firewood. These glare create a flame effect. Another reflective screen can be placed on top, and then flames will appear on top.
   

   By using reflectors in different parts of the hearth, you can achieve the most natural fire

3. The use of water vapor, the glare of which is projected onto the cloud, and the brightness of the fire is ensured by means of LED bulbs.
   

   Electric fireplaces will never cause smoke in a room

4. Since the electric fireplace is not always used exclusively for decorative purposes, tena and other heating elements can be used. They are usually located in the lower part of the furnace. Heat enters the room as a result of the fan. It also serves to prevent overheating of the portal.

Any of these types of electric fireplace can be made with your own hands. Its advantages are obvious:

• no noise;
• does not require the installation of a chimney, since there is no smoke either;
• consumes a minimum of electricity;
• space heating is gradual, which means that heat is distributed evenly;
• the efficiency is always 100%.

It is worth remembering that with excessive heating, such a fireplace begins to consume a large amount of oxygen, so when installing this device, you need to take care of natural ventilation in advance.

Necessary materials and tools

There are many options for building an electric fireplace. However, in most cases, they differ in the shape of the portal and the exterior. In any case, before manufacturing it is necessary to stock up on materials and tools.

Materials:

• metal profile for the frame;
• drywall;
• asbestos;
• liquid putty;
• primer;
• mesh for seams;
• insulation;
• self-tapping screws;
• metal corners;
• ceramic tile;
• Chipboard;
• glue.

You must have a set of the following tools with you:

• spatula, it is better to take a small one;
• screwdriver;
• stationery knife;
• fine sand paper;
• scissors for metal.

You may also need a hammer, a building level.

Preparatory work before assembling the electric fireplace

Before proceeding with the direct installation of the device, you need to decide on its location. Here you should observe some rules:

• you can not install an electric fireplace in front of other light sources, since they can cause a decrease in the efficiency (efficiency) of the device;
• if the room is large, then its center is suitable for the fireplace, and next to it you can put poufs and armchairs;
• in a small room, an electric fireplace will look good in the corner.

In small rooms, it is better to put an electric fireplace in the corner

Special preparatory work for the installation of an electric fireplace is not required. It is enough to choose a place, prepare the necessary materials, calculate their quantity and develop a project.

Photo Gallery: Drawing of an Electric Fireplace

DIY electric fireplace - step by step instructions

The process of creating an electric fireplace with your own hands consists of several successive stages. If you strictly follow them, then no difficulties in installation will arise.

Frame mounting

Most often, drywall is used to make an electric fireplace. This material has many advantages: it is resistant to temperature extremes, environmentally friendly, easy to use. It is mounted on a frame made of metal profile. To make such a frame, it is necessary to prepare a profile of two sizes:

• rack-mount - 50 * 50 mm;
• guide - 50 * 40 mm.

Having prepared all the necessary materials, you can begin to manufacture a frame for a wall-mounted electric fireplace:

1. Cover the entire surface of the wall where the fireplace will be located with heat-resistant material. Ideal for this asbestos sheet.
2. According to the drawing, mark on the wall.
3. Fasten the guide metal profile to the indicated marking using dowels and nails. The result of these actions is the box.
4. Connect all the components of the frame with special elements, the so-called bugs. This is necessary so that the walls do not part.
   

   The crossbars for the frame must be fixed clearly according to the marking

5. Strengthen the structure with a rack-mount metal profile. It must be inserted across the walls of the frame at a distance of about 20 cm from each other.
6. Run the inside of the frame, which will serve as the basis for the furnace. At the same time, it must be taken into account that the hearth and internal lining will be located there with heat-resistant material.

During the execution of this work, it is recommended to check each step with a building level. At the stage of installation of the frame, irregularities can be invisible, but when plating, they can cause inconsistencies.

If desired, you can build a frame for the chimney. In this case, he will play an exclusively decorative role. For this purpose, it is recommended to choose a metal profile of 100 * 50 mm for the crossbeams.

Eyeliner communications

At this stage, all wires must be brought to the future fireplace. For this electrical device, it is recommended to use wires with a cross section of 2 * 2.5 mm or 2 * 4 mm, depending on the installed wiring in the apartment. You need to start them in a specialized metal sleeve, which will isolate the effects of heat on the sheath of the wires.

If the apartment has grounding, then for an electric fireplace it is necessary to use a triple wire. Additionally, you should purchase a special outlet with grounding. Her body should be ceramic.

It is recommended that an additional switch be installed on the outlet. This is necessary so that you can remotely turn the focus on and off, and not remove it every time from the portal.

Electric fireplace trim

For sheathing, sheets of drywall are used, which must be cut according to the compiled drawing. You can use a regular stationery knife or any other similar device for this. The sheets themselves can be fastened with metal screws (they differ in black), their size should be 3.5 * 25 mm.

For plasterboard need to be cut in advance

Carefully putty all joints between sheets using a special mesh and galvanized corners. After sealing joints and corners, the entire surface of the portal must be primed and puttyed.

We must not forget about the ventilation inside the furnace. To do this, make several holes in front of the eyes.

To seal corners, it is recommended to use special chrome corners

Decoration (design and cladding) of an electric fireplace

If at the previous stages special imagination was not required, then in the process of decoration the appearance of the electric fireplace is formed directly. For decoration, you can choose any design and use your favorite finishing material:

• fake diamond;
• textured plaster;
• water-based paint.

For cladding, you can use any heat-resistant finishing material

Artificial stone is often used to decorate electric fireplaces.

Video: decorating an electric fireplace

DIY firewood

There should be firewood in any fireplace. But if the electric fire is not real, then the firewood will have to be done independently. For this you will need:

• cardboard;
• paint;
• glue;
• duct tape.

Next, you need to perform a few simple steps:

1. Cut a blank for fake firewood from cardboard.
   

   The size of firewood can be any

2. Glue them in such a way that they resemble logs.
   

   For bonding firewood, you can use glue or tape

3. Paint the “logs” with white or brown paint.
   

   For painting, you need to use white to simulate birch firewood

4. Everything, firewood is ready. They need to be laid in the hearth in an arbitrary order so that they lie as naturally as possible.
   

   The amount of firewood in the hearth depends on its size

DIY hearth

For an electric fireplace, it is advisable to purchase a ready-made hearth.If you want to make your device as decorative as possible, and the function of the heat source is not important to you, then you can do it yourself:

1. Hearth of candles. You can use an unlimited number of decorative candles of different sizes. They should be placed at different heights. However, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the fire here will be real, which means that smoke and soot will certainly appear.
   

   Such a hearth will smoke

2. Hearth of LEDs. Lay out the hearth of firewood and install a red LED lamp in the middle. Fix a wire consisting of 4 parts in the form of a slide over the light bulb, hang light fabric on top of it.
   

   Additionally, you can decorate the LED light with a cloth

3. Hearth from the garland. The principle of operation is almost the same as in the previous case, only a garland is used instead of the LED lamp.
   

   The focus may be bright

If you have never dealt with electricity, as well as with complex devices, it is better not to take risks. Even if you find detailed instructions for an electric fireplace with the effect of a live fire using water vapor, but you do not have the necessary skills, that is, the risk of ruining all your undertakings.

Creating a fake fireplace with your own hands is not a big deal. It is only necessary to determine the goals of this decor, as well as the details of the project.