How to make an electric fireplace with your own hands - detailed instructions

Fireplaces were invented hundreds of years ago for heating rooms with burning wood. However, wood-burning fireplaces can now not be installed in every room. Therefore, a decorative electric fireplace was presented to the public, which has become a worthy analogue of wood-burning structures.

Device and principle of operation

The structure consists of two main parts: a portal and a hearth. The portal is the outer frame of the structure, and the hearth is the place for the firebox.

The hearth can be removable or built-in. The latter are most often made according to a special project, so installation difficulties are rare. Replaceable has different sizes, so the portal is selected for it in a specific case.

The portal serves only a decorative function. The hearth must perform two main tasks - lighting and heating. The indisputable advantage of the device is the possibility of using it in the summer. To do this, turn off the heating and leave the lighting.

Principle of operation

There are several ways to create the effect of burning wood. The most popular and spectacular among them:

• The horizontal electric fireplace is additionally equipped with built-in speakers that emit crackling sounds of burning wood.
• In the center of the hearth, firewood is depicted, which is made from painted plastic bars. They are fastened with strips of red fabric (most often natural silk is used), an incandescent lamp and a fan are mounted below. When the lamp heats up, it begins to illuminate the plastic firewood, the fan accelerates the air, blowing the matter. This method is the most budgetary, but high-quality implementation creates a good picture.
• In more expensive configurations, a similar scheme is used, but slightly supplemented. A rotating reflector is placed under the plastic bars. The light gives glare to the wood and creates the illusion of dancing flames.
• In the most modern fireplaces, electromagnetism of the fire is achieved by projection of glare onto a cloud of steam, and multi-colored LEDs can also be used.

The device copes with the heating function with dignity, since it is equipped with built-in spirals and a heating element. They can be installed both above and at the bottom of the hearth. The fan, which the device is equipped with, drives heat out of the fireplace and also helps to cool it.

Most modern electric fireplaces include electronic controls, so the device works almost independently. It is enough for a person to perform only two actions:

1. Connect the device to the power supply.
2. Set the desired temperature in the room.

As soon as the set temperature is reached, the fireplace switches off automatically. When the room cools down, it starts up again.

Types of modern electric fireplaces

Depending on the technical characteristics and design features, electric fireplaces are divided by power, style, technologies used and type of hearth.

Electric hearths are divided into two types:

• 3D fireplaces equipped with three-dimensional imitation of live fire.
• 2D - a two-dimensional projection of the image of the flames is used.

In the latter case, the owners will contemplate a flat fire, only wood is given volume. In general, the picture is attractive and looks vivid. The advantage of the structures is simplicity of operation and maintenance, reasonable cost. The disadvantages are repetitive animation and two-dimensional images.

3D has a higher cost and needs regular maintenance, but their advantage is a more realistic combustion picture. Sound and light effects, steam generators that simulate smoke, as well as the smell of burning wood are used.

By power, devices are divided into the following types:

• Low power - 1 kW. Installed for heating small rooms.
• Average power - 2 kW. Designed for heating rooms with an area of ​​no more than 20 sq.
• High power - more than 2 kW. Such electric fireplaces can heat a small country house or studio apartment.

Based on the needs, a decorative electric fireplace of the required power and configuration is selected.

Materials and tools

When making a fireplace yourself, first of all, you need to design it. As a rule, the hearth is purchased ready-made in the store.

The portal for the electric fireplace is an integral part, it is a box with decorative lining. The structure will not be exposed to high temperatures, so any material can be used, even sheet:

• parquet or massive multilayer board;
• drywall;
• plywood;
• plastic;
• fiber boards and / or chipboard;
• aluminum panels;
• glass;
• sheets of steel, painted with powder paint or polymer sheath.

Also, the portal can be built from piece materials, for example, stone or brick, but due to the high cost and large size, this method did not become in demand. Most often, the frame is made of drywall. It is a tough material that retains its shape.

Before starting work, you need to prepare the tools. To make a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands, you will need:

• screwdrivers and screwdrivers;
• building level and plumb line for mounting distortions;
• sandpaper;
• grinder with a thin cutting disc or metal scissors;
• stationery knife.

If all the working equipment and consumables are prepared, you can start designing the fireplace.

Preparatory stage

First of all, you need to think over the power supply and the place where the false fireplace will be installed.

The shape of the portal will depend on the location chosen. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the following options:

• The built-in design allows you to significantly save space.
• A hinged structure is an unconventional approach, but it will look spectacular, provided that the space around it is not cluttered with various interior items.
• If the room is small, the most preferable installation option is a corner. As a rule, this is the least demanded area, so installing a homemade fireplace will not affect the availability of free space. The base of the corner portal is triangular.
• A back-to-wall arrangement is the most common option because it looks the most believable. But installation is possible only in one case - the room must be spacious. The shape of the portal is rectangular.

If the room is so small that none of the above options are suitable, you can consider embedding the structure in furniture or a partition.

At the design stage, it is also important to take care of the power supply of the hearth. It is recommended to mount a socket next to the place where the fireplace is installed. You should not install it in such a way that it is inside the portal, despite the fact that this option is considered the most preferable from the point of view of aesthetics.A fireplace, like any other electrical appliance, is a potential threat, so it is important to take care of your personal safety.

Design and calculation of parameters

During the design phase, it is important to pay attention to the following details:

• Design features. The main element of the portal is the air vents, which are necessary for the unhindered circulation of fresh air. Otherwise, when equipping the system with heating elements, the electric hearth will greatly overheat.
• The dimensions of the combustion hole. The edges of the hole must not obstruct the bezel. It is imperative to adhere to this rule, regardless of whether the framing is neutral or made in any style.
• Sizes of electric fireplaces. The dimensions of the portal should appear in proportion to the size of the lesion used. As a rule, the body is 2 times wider than the focus and 1.5 times higher.

Hooks or shelves are also important to securely hold the power cord.

Making a decorative electric fireplace with your own hands

Making a pedestal

As a pedestal, a tabletop is most often used, which is laid on a metal frame with a height of approximately 50 mm. It is made from various materials:

• chipboard;
• several thin plywood sheets or thick plywood glued together;
• a shield knocked down from several planks or solid wood.

The most attractive look are the countertops that were made of laminated MDF. You can find them in any hardware store.

In size, it should be slightly larger than the size of the portal. Around the pedestal for the construction of the side walls, a plinth of the same color as the table top is used.

Assembling the frame

The frame is recommended to be built from a metal profile, which is specially designed for the installation of plasterboard structures. Assembly technology:

1. The section of the wall, closed by the portal, is sheathed with a special fire-resistant screen. In this case, it is best to use a tin sheet with basalt cardboard, a less suitable alternative is an asbestos sheet.
2. The layout of the drawing is transferred to the wall and countertop, the horizontal and vertical lines must be controlled by the level or plumb line.
3. A guide profile is attached to the wall using dowels and self-tapping screws. Its most suitable dimensions are 50 * 40 mm.
4. With the help of self-tapping seeds, a rack profile is attached to the guide profile in such a way that the result is a parallelepiped shape.

The resulting frame is reinforced with the same rack-mount profiles.

Plasterboard sheathing

Cutting a drywall sheet is carried out using an ordinary clerical knife. The dimensions of the parts should be such that the seams between them fall on the frame. Plasterboard is fixed using metal screws with dimensions 2.5 * 3.5 mm, color black.

The screw is screwed in so that the upper edge of its cap goes 1 mm into the skin. Next, they proceed to puttying and decorating the fireplace.

Decoration of the structure

You can decorate an electric fireplace in different ways, using different materials. The most common decorative element is stones.

The design of electric fireplaces is not limited to the decoration of portals and the hearths themselves. A single and unique image can be created with the help of additional accessories. Photos, clocks, various candlesticks and figurines are often placed on the mantelpiece.

The English style is considered a universal way of decorating a fireplace. Its characteristic feature is the great depth of the hearth. The portals of such types of heating devices are framed with cherries, walnuts and / or oak. An alternative classic version is the French style, which can be easily recognized by the fireboxes made of bricks.