Drywall Fireplace

A drywall fireplace is an original, eco-friendly solution for a modern interior. It can be made and installed independently, at no extra cost. This fireplace looks stylish, neat and, in contrast, from the brick, does not require special care. It fits perfectly into the space of a city apartment and a country house. Despite the artificiality, the fireplace from plasterboard creates a cozy atmosphere.

Homemade fireplace made of plasterboard not only serves a decorative function, but also has many advantages. With it, you can close the battery, give the room the atmosphere, comfort, intimacy. The peculiarity is that you can build a fireplace with your own hands in the apartment, and at the same time do not collect allowing documents for its construction. A false fireplace can be of any shape, size, configuration, and this allows it to fit into any interior.

For the construction of the fireplace will require simple materials that are sold in hardware stores.Experts can show how to build a fireplace correctly, as well as decide on the right tools. Gypsum plasterboard fireplaces are safe, as the design does not allow the use of an open flame. The cost of artificial fireplaces is low, and you can install them with your own hands without outside help.

The dimensions of the fireplace in the apartment should correspond to the total space of the room in which it is located. Large fireplaces are suitable for a large room, small constructions will look appropriate in a small one. False fireplace is often installed in the hall, in the living room, kitchen, bedroom and even a bathroom. It is sometimes used as a TV stand. Fireplace, depending on the interior of the room, can be decorated in a classic style, modern, rustic, English, hi-tech.

If you want the design to match the style of the apartment or house, pay special attention when applying for a portal, chimney, or a pre-furnace platform.If the fireplace is made in classical style, it is decorated with marble, natural wood. Shelves - a mandatory decorative element for this design. With shelves, the fireplace looks beautiful, it becomes functional. On them you can put figurines, candlesticks, vases.

The portal of the fireplace is made of plasterboard using glass, electric fireplace. The portal with an aquarium looks original and stylish. It can also be placed on a wide shelf. An electric fireplace, made in the wall, looks unusual and completely merges with the surface. Designers recommend decorating an empty portal with a wrought-iron grille, wood burning stove, candles, original vases, paintings, mirrors.

A fake fireplace is different from the present inability to light a fire inside the portal. Plasterboard flash fireplaces are not designed for open fire, even if finished with refractory materials! Their portal is made by imitating a flame, which is turned on and off when the host needs it. The model of such a fireplace can be ordered from the master or made independently on the basis of existing ones.

• Authentic A reliable artificial fireplace looks like it is real. The fireplace has all the elements inherent in the present construction: a fireplace insert, chimney, shelf, grate. Framing a cast-iron, brick chimney is a complex painstaking process, as is the creation of a reliable design. Stitching a pipe with durable materials often does not do without the advice of professionals and outside help. Embed an electric or biofireplace in the portal of this design. This will create an atmosphere of comfort and warmth.

• Conditional. Artificial conditional fireplace - the simplest false construction. It is easy to make it yourself, it will perfectly fit into the modern interior and will become the central place of the room. Installation of a biofireplace - simple process which is easy for doing independently. Electrofireplace looks elegant and does not require special installation rules.

• Symbolic. Fireplaces symbolic also easy to manufacture. You can even buy a pseudo portal in a store and install it yourself at home. Lzhekamin looks beautiful if it has an original design. The artificiality of the symbolic design is inherent, therefore the main role that it plays only decorative. Dummy, snag stands in the room as a decoration.The white fireplace from plasterboard looks beautiful against the white brick wall.

Plasterboard designs are the most popular today. This material is most often used for frame plating. It goes well with any finishing finish and is easy to assemble. It is easy to make a spatial form of any complexity out of drywall. The price of the material is low.

For the construction of an artificial fireplace will require tools. It is necessary to purchase: U-shaped metal profile, plasterboard sheets, slats, self-tapping screws (14-15 mm), special self-tapping screws with countersunk head, tape measure, dowel, screwdriver, grinder, perforator, plumb, construction level, silicone, putty, aqueous emulsion paint, elements for decor. The amount of materials depends on the calculations made and the size of the structure.

The frame of the fireplace from drywall is built from a standard profile. Usually for these purposes a metal rack or guide profile is used. Created frame box for drawing or layout. It should be fixed to the wall and floor with special glue, if the fireplace is small - with self-tapping screws.From above the box should have a solid base for further finishing (if you are going to make a shelf).

Sheath frame should be drywall. This is a lightweight material that lends itself well to cutting. It is easy to work with him. The technical characteristics of the material are such that it is used not only for decorative purposes, but also for the erection of non-bearing partitions, suspended ceilings, wall cladding, in creating columns, arches and other structures. High-quality drywall sheets, made according to GOST, durable and withstand additional weight.

After making the frame, it should be sheathed plasterboard. For these purposes it will be necessary to cut the sheets by hand grinder. Joints must be secured with an additional profile (consider this when purchasing materials). The seams of the casing are fixed with screws and puttied. Often the plasterboard material does not require finishing processing, so after some time the portal lining can be changed without disassembling the device.

Before you build a fireplace, decide on the place of construction. The design should be located near the wall and not interfere with the free passage.For the fireplace should not cling, touch it with your hands and feet. Incorrectly chosen place for the fireplace can spoil the impression of the space and the structure itself. When you decide on the location of the false fireplace, you will need sketches.

Give it a design time, because the fireplace will become the dominant object in the interior of the room. Make a few sketches yourself or ask the designer for this. A sketch is made drawing, which displays the actual dimensions of the structure. When developing it, use ready-made drawings or sketches. You can draw a rough design on a large sheet of drawing paper and attach it to the wall. If you are satisfied, start prototyping.

The layout is made according to the drawing, taking into account the size of the future fireplace. With it, make up calculations and expenses for materials. Make mock-ups of foam or cardboard. When creating a layout, it is not necessary to adhere to accurate calculations. It is needed in order to have a visual idea of ​​the structure to be done. The layout can indicate errors, it is easy to move around the apartment and experiment (choose a color, decor).

The next stage after prototyping is construction.

• The fireplace is built on the frame, using a metal U-shaped profile. For the construction of used wooden slats, shtaketniki, materials that can be found at home after construction. The frame is assembled on the screws. First of all, a support frame should be attached to the wall and the rest of the frame should be assembled on it.
• The construction level will be needed to check the horizontal and vertical parts of the frame. Rectangular mounting areas are measured with a tape measure.
• The frame is sheathed with plasterboard sheets using self-tapping screws. If the decor will go on drywall, the cross member and the side parts are covered in 2 layers.
• The portal is one of the most important parts of the fireplace. Today you can find on sale polyurethane, natural stone, wooden decorative portals. The design and style of the portal should fit the main interior, and the size exactly fits the fireplace. Remember that the purchase portal is mounted only once.

If you do not want to spend money on the portal, make it out of drywall yourself.

• Glue some plasterboard with glue to get the desired thickness.Cut along the contour with a saw, then using an abrasive mesh, select hollows and grooves, make roundings, if necessary.
• When the outer shape of the portal is ready, seal the gap with a putty, and put the outer surface with an abrasive mesh to create an even white layer.
• The final stage is the impregnation of PVA putty. Externally and in texture, it looks like a liquid glue. It is necessary to soak several layers and wait for complete drying. The surface should turn out matte, similar to marble. Such drywall fireplaces look natural.

Another phased method of erection of a false fireplace. To build it, you will need drywall, guiding rack profiles (for the frame), self-tapping screws with concealed head (fixing sheets), ordinary self-tapping screws (1.4 to 1.6 cm), dowel-nails (fastening profiles to the wall and floor), primer , putty, glue, grout.

Stage 1. On the floor, the walls should be marked. You will need it to install profiles. Need to work in full accordance with the drawing.

Step 2. Fasten the guides along the lines according to the surface structure.

Step 3. In the guides you need to install the rack, fasten all the screws.The frame of the fireplace is assembled separately, taking into account the portal.

Stage 4. The framework is revetted with gypsum plasterboard.

Stage 5. Finishing and decoration, taking into account the interior and features of the room.

Portal decoration is one of the most creative and enjoyable stages of erection of a false fireplace. Beautiful decor is easy to make, if you use different samples, examples of finished designs. For finishing the fireplace, made by yourself, various materials are used, such as wallpaper, decorative brick, artificial stone, tile.

• Brick. Finishing brick, real or artificial looks luxurious and soundly. If the fireplace is made qualitatively, it is difficult to distinguish it from the present. The hue of the brick is supported by the interior of the room. If the room is made in bright colors, the brick should be milky, white, beige. Brown, red brick is better to use for a rustic style or loft.

• Ceramic tile. Covering ceramic tiles - one of the most popular ways. Ceramic tile has a high thermal conductivity, does not require special care, it is easy to lay.Large selection of shades, textures allows you to experiment with the design of the fireplace. For laying such tiles should use a special heat-resistant adhesive.

• Adhesive tape. Decorating with a self-adhesive film is a simple and inexpensive method. It is better to use the film if the surface of the structure is perfectly flat. The huge choice of shades, drawings of a film creates special accent. Such material for decoration is better to use if the fireplace is small in size.

• Tree. Facing a natural tree looks beautiful and natural. This eco-friendly material will perfectly fit into the rustic interior and even into a modern apartment, if you choose the right shade.

• Natural or artificial stone. You can decorate the fireplace with natural or artificial stone yourself. It looks beautiful and aesthetically pleasing in a city apartment. This is the most popular and common facing, which allows you to create a realistic portal with a chic embossed surface. The stone is attached with a special tile adhesive. Color finish is chosen in accordance with the style of the room.

• Marble. If you go to decorate the fireplace with a beautiful, durable and refractory material, marble is perfect for this purpose. This material is best used for finishing large portals. It looks beautiful in the room, made in the same style.

• Decorative plaster. Decorating a fireplace with decorative plaster looks elegant and modern. White, milky, beige or bright plaster of cold shades looks beautiful on the portal. You can apply it yourself or hire a master. The cost of finishing plaster is low.

• Paint. Special quick-drying paint for the home is perfect for making the fireplace in a classic style. The portal is painted with white paint and decorated with additional stucco. The table top for the mantel is best made of marble. In this case, the fireplace will look expensive and stylish.

• Styrofoam. Stucco molding foam looks easy and elegant. The peculiarity of this material is that it is lightweight, lends itself well to cutting, it is easy to paint and decorate it. Polyfoam perfectly fastens to a design by means of glue.

• Polyurethane. Sheathing a fireplace with polyurethane is a modern solution.This material is often used as it is fire-resistant, retains an attractive appearance for a long time, it is easy to attach, it has a low weight, and polyurethane does not crack with time. Many elements of decoration allows you to choose the most suitable option for a particular design. Polyurethane finish is fixed with glue or mechanically.

Despite the external fragility of drywall, it is quite strong and durable material. It is able to withstand the weight of artificial stones, bricks, marble, tiles, decor. The material is well amenable to painting, putty. Decorative brick, marble is attached to the plasterboard surface with a special construction adhesive. There is one condition: if the finish is heavy, the plasterboard plating should be carried out in several layers, and a primer is recommended to be put on top. The frame must also be made of strong profile.

If an electric fireplace is to be installed in the fireplace, the inside should be sheathed with sheets of magnesite, and a foil should be applied over it. Such a protective layer does not allow the fireplace to heat up and prevent fire.Big minus drywall - it quickly ignites. If you want to add exclusivity to your fireplace, order a wrought-iron grill in the workshop. It will give the composition a finished, maximum realistic look.