Construction of a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands, general principles

Such a spectacular interior decoration as an electric fireplace is becoming increasingly popular today.

Since the aesthetic advantages of this product are much more important than functionality, many users would like to see not a standard version that everyone has, but something completely unique.

There is only one way to achieve this - to make a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands, especially since it is not at all difficult.

At the same time, the user has the opportunity to acquire decoration that is not only exclusive, but also one that best suits the chosen interior style.

Material for the portal

The list of materials from which you can build an electric fireplace portal is quite extensive.
Structures made of stone or decorative brick look very noble.

Using glass, you can make a portal in high-tech style.

Also suitable materials are metal panels painted with powder paint, and a budget option - plastic.

But most often, a homemade portal is made of plasterboard.

This material is affordable, lightweight, easy to work with, and yet allows for a variety of very attractive finishes. Therefore, in this instruction we will talk specifically about the plasterboard portal.

Special mention should be made of solid boards, plywood and chipboards. It is better not to use such materials: firstly, they are not very suitable from a fire safety point of view. Secondly, wood will dry out very soon from contact with hot air, and plywood and chipboard, which contain glue and phenol-formaldehyde resins, will also emit toxic volatile substances.

Required materials

The base for the portal can be made from anything: drywall, plywood, brick, stone, chipboard, real wood and other available materials. And then decorate and stylize everything in a suitable way, using facing tiles, artificial stone, wood, polystyrene foam, furniture boards, pebbles, shells and other decorative materials.

A portal for an electric fireplace made of plasterboard is the best option in terms of quality and cost, so in this article we will look at it. In this case, guides made of metal profiles or wood, fastened together with metal corners and screws, can serve as a frame for attaching drywall. In addition, to make a portal from plasterboard with your own hands, you will need:

• putty;
• primer;
• mesh for seams;
• special glue;
• facing material.

As you can see, all materials are quite accessible and quite easy to work with if you have the necessary tools.

Tabletop

The tabletop is a lid that covers the portal. Factory-made products from artificial stone look the most impressive - they are commercially available. But if you wish, you can use an alternative option, for example:

1. Order a tabletop made of MDF with plastic cladding.
2. Make this element from a solid board, which can then be colored or brushed and varnished.

Tabletop above the fireplace

You can use plywood by gluing several sheets together, or using one thick one. This countertop is decorated with ceramic tile cladding.

Many people make portals for fireplaces with their own hands. This allows you to save a lot on decor and give the fireplace a unique look.

Recommendations for making burners for a biofireplace with your own hands can be found at the link.

You will find instructions for making a portal for a fireplace from plasterboard here:. Portal drawing and decoration tips.

We create a fireplace for an electric fireplace ourselves

How to make an electric fireplace with your own hands, step-by-step instructions for which include dividing into several blocks? Let's look into this issue. After the portal and logs have been created, you should think about making the heart of the electric fireplace - the hearth.

You can make a fireplace for an electric fireplace with your own hands, both ordinary and with the effect of a live fire. You can make ordinary hearths with your own hands from scrap materials. For example, candles, fabric, wire, tree branches.

We recommend that you study the material on how to decorate a fireplace for the New Year with your own hands and find answers to your questions.

Hearth of many candles

Lots of candles will create the illusion of a burning flame. Candles are located at different heights and distances from each other. The disadvantage of this imitation is that the candles smoke.

The hearth is located in the fireplace portal. Fire is simulated by many candles

An original hearth made of tree branches, fabric and LED bulbs

• You can buy an LED lamp socket that shimmers with red and yellow colors in a chaotic manner.
• Lay out the base from tree branches in the shape of a well and glue it with construction glue.
• Push the lampshade through from below and fix it on the top of the resulting well.
• Take a strong wire and cut it into 4 pieces, 25 centimeters each. Then fix some ends on the branches, and twist the other ends together at the top.
• Fasten a light fabric over the wire. For example, chiffon, organza.

About

Portal shape for electric fireplace

The most important stage is the construction of the portal. Its shape will depend on the following factors:

Installation location

There are two options:

• wall portal: the base will be rectangular;
• corner - with a triangular base.

Electric corner fireplace in the interior

The first option is considered classic, the second is suitable for small spaces.

The corner is usually the least used area, so a fireplace installed here, even with the smallest room size, will not create cramping.

Execution

The fireplace can be:

• floor;
• hinged.

The first option is again considered classic, but it is suitable for spacious rooms, since it requires some free space in front of the fireplace. Wall-mounted models do not need this, which allows them to be placed in small rooms.

Hanging fireplace in the bedroom

Hearth type

In the case of a floor-standing option, you should first of all decide on the installation level of the electric fireplace (hearth) itself. It is usually located at floor level. But you can deviate from this rule if the chosen model has a significant width - such fireplaces look harmonious both on the floor and at some distance from it.

If the hearth has a frame, the walls of the portal should not block it.

If one or another style is clearly expressed in the frame of the electric fireplace, then the portal will have to be finished and decorated accordingly. If you do not want to depend on the design of the hearth, choose a model with a neutral frame or without it at all - the so-called insert hearth.

Hearth-insert

Do the dimensions of the portal depend on the size of the hearth? Of course, a certain proportionality must be observed. Portals in which the hearth occupies 2/3 of the height and ½ of the width look most harmonious.

If you have never done anything like this before, start with the most primitive design. The simplicity of the forms can be compensated with the help of a variety of decor.

Important functional elements of the portal are openings for air circulation. If they are not provided, the fireplace may overheat. Also at the design stage it is necessary to consider the placement of electrical wires in the product.

We carry out the design

In order to construct a corner portal or any other, you will need to determine at the first stage the quantity and type of all the necessary materials and fittings cladding.

A corner fireplace, or rather its initial design, should consist of the following points:

1. Height, width and depth of the portal;
2. Dimensions of the podium, if any;
3. Where will the mechanisms and panels with the firebox buttons be located if you plan to install it?
4. If an electric fireplace is installed, there should be an outlet near the portal;
5. Even for an electric fireplace you will need to build an air outlet. This will allow the structure not to overheat;
6. You may need to use heat-resistant and fire-resistant materials and linings if the firebox has a heating function.

If you want to get the perfect option, pay attention not only to your specific wishes regarding the false fireplace, but also to the general interior and style of the room. If you cannot decide on the choice of color and design on your own, it is recommended to seek help from a designer who, if necessary, will not only give professional advice, but also create a fireplace portal project.

Next, we select the room and the specific place in which the false fireplace will be installed. We make the markings and proceed to further work.

Blueprints

Having decided in general terms on the shape and design of the portal for the electric fireplace, which you will make with your own hands, you should begin to draw it in detail, respecting the scale. You need to do this even if this product seems extremely simple to you. As you complete the drawing, you will probably discover several errors and inconsistencies that you could not “see” during abstract design.

In addition, with the help of a graphic image it will be easier to calculate the amount of materials needed.

Dimensions of the wall portal for an electric fireplace

It is better to start working on the drawing after the electric fireplace has been purchased and delivered, even if you have an image of it with exact dimensions. Without having the product at hand, it is very easy to lose sight of some small detail, for example, the position of the holes for air exchange and the power cord, the presence of protrusions, etc.

When planning to purchase everything you need to make a portal, take the drawing with you: today stores often provide a service for cutting sheet material.

Do-it-yourself corner fireplace, step-by-step instructions

Before starting laying, the bricks are soaked in water for several minutes.

This process is required before starting work; they absorb water and take less moisture from the solution. After drying, the structure will become solid and strong.

Experienced professionals recommend:

• Print photocopies of the main drawing to verify the stages of chimney construction.
• After completing the laid rows, on a copy of the drawing, you can highlight or cross out the completed work.

This method will allow you not to lose count and save your time.

Assembling a portal for an electric fireplace from plasterboard with your own hands

You can make a portal from plasterboard in any convenient place - its low weight makes it easy to carry. The manufacturing process looks like this:

1. A frame is assembled from special metal profiles for mounting plasterboard structures. First, the base (for a wall model it will be rectangular, for a corner model it will be triangular), then the racks and top trim are attached to it.
2. Next, the frame is covered with plasterboard. The screws should be screwed in so that their heads are recessed by approximately 1 mm. Securing the sheets with one or two screws, perform a test installation of the electric fireplace. Only after such a check should all fasteners be screwed in.
3. Now the portal can be installed in place and screwed to the wall using dowels.
4. The tabletop is laid on top and fixed. It should be wrapped in plastic film or newspapers, otherwise it may get dirty during finishing work.
5. Seams, cracks and recesses from self-tapping screws on the surface of the drywall must be puttied.
6. After this, you can begin cladding the portal. Most often, ceramic tiles or gypsum plaster are used for this purpose. Using the latter, if you make the composition thick enough, you can imitate modeling, brickwork or artificial stone cladding. To make the plaster coating durable, it is coated with paint or varnish.
7. The last step is to install the fireplace.

It is best to decorate the portal using artificial stone elements. This material is inexpensive, but at the same time it looks very impressive, as it is very similar to stones of natural origin. It is light in weight, so it can be attached to drywall with glue.

Plasterboard fireplace

A variety of accessories can be an excellent addition to the portal: poker, fireplace grate, scoop, screen, firewood rack, etc. The size of the firewood box can be purely symbolic, but you definitely need to put several real logs in it. Please note that firewood logs can be either forged or stamped. The former are more expensive, but they also have a much more noble appearance.

Screens can also be forged - they are decorated with curls and other elements. Of course, in this case there is no need to shell out money for a product with fireproof glass. Portals in which the screen is made in the form of a brocade screen look good.

Accessories such as a scoop for removing ash, a poker, tongs, a peak, a broom, etc. should be placed on the side wall, but in the case of a plasterboard portal, it is better to hang them on a special rack.

If you really like a fireplace from an interior point of view, but you cannot afford such an expensive accessory, you can make a decorative fireplace with your own hands from plasterboard. It will cost several times less, but will provide no less aesthetic pleasure than real pleasure.

You will learn how to choose the right fireplace stove with a water circuit by reading this information.

Corner wall structure made of plasterboard and profile

In addition to a fairly budget-friendly option made from bars and plywood, you can use a more expensive and high-quality option, which is ideal for the subsequent installation of an electric fireplace.

To do this we will need the following tools and materials:

• Plasterboard sheets of medium thickness and maximum strength;
• Metal profiles of high rigidity and self-tapping screws on a long leg;
• Decorative panel made of any material;
• Construction level and metal scissors;
• Stationery scissors and marker.

Chimney

To complete the illusion, a box should be installed on the portal up to the ceiling, which will imitate a chimney.
It can be a separate element, but it would be more correct to fasten its frame to the frame of the portal.

The depth of the box should be about 10 cm - this will be enough for the desired visual effect.

Most often, the lining of the chimney and portal is done in the same style, however, this rule is not mandatory: the finishing of the chimney can be made different from the main part, provided that both options are harmoniously combined.

Necessary material and tools to create a portal

The choice of the necessary material and tools directly depends on the type of fireplace. So, for example, if you plan to make a portal for an electric heat source, then in this case the material for it is limited only by your imagination.

Diagram of an English fireplace with a straight chimney.

To create the appearance and fit into the interior of the fireplace room, it should be treated with a decorative coating. For this purpose, you can use polyurethane stucco, artificial stone, self-adhesive films, and heat-resistant water-based acrylic paints. It should be noted that the type of external finishing directly depends on the materials used in the manufacture of the frame. To make a high-quality portal for a fireplace, you need to use only good material.

If you plan to build a wood-burning fireplace, then in this case you will need a supply of ordinary, facing and heat-resistant bricks, a special building mixture (cement mortar), small floor slabs and a fireplace door.

In any case, to build a fireplace you need to stock up on tools that will be useful for the job.

So, for a wood-burning fireplace you will need an angle grinder with a diamond wheel, a hammer drill, a rubber hammer, a level, a corner, a trowel and a tape measure. To prepare the cement mortar, you will need a special container for mixing it and a mixer.

If you plan to install an electric fireplace, then a grinder, a hacksaw, a hammer drill and a drill will be useful for building a portal. To fasten the parts of the frame you will need a screwdriver and a screwdriver. For facing the outside, various spatulas, brushes, a construction stapler and a knife are suitable. Note that for each type of structure you will need separate tools.

Parquet board portal

Parquet board portal

A beautiful decorative frame for a fireplace can be made from scraps of parquet boards. Depending on your personal preferences and the characteristics of the interior of the room, the portal can be assembled from multi-colored scraps of boards, or you can paint the elements with stain or other suitable composition.

Attach a frame made of wooden beams to the wall.

Second step

We cut the parquet or floor board to the required size, cover the ends with stain in contrasting shades

Sequentially glue the pieces of parquet board to the frame. Additionally, all elements need to be glued together. Press the trim elements to the frame using spacers. After the glue has dried (the required time is indicated in the instructions), remove the spacers.

Glue the painted board to the frame

Portal shape and style

Before decorating a fireplace niche, determine its size and style. It is preferable to buy an electric fireplace in advance, and then design a portal for it. This will avoid unpleasant moments during the final assembly of the fireplace.

USEFUL INFORMATION: Electrical wiring under drywall: laying wires in the wall, duct and ceiling

Of course, most people want to install a purchased fireplace in their home as quickly as possible. This leads to the temptation to assemble the portal in advance by selecting the device you like from the catalog. But it’s one thing to see the design of a fireplace in a photo, and quite another to design a niche for it, based only on the indicated dimensions. To successfully fit the portal, you need to know many little things: the size and location of air exchangers, fastening elements, features of the electrical supply.

Choosing the right style is not easy: in addition to personal preferences, you will have to focus on the overall design of the room and the features of the purchased device. It may already contain some decorative elements that determine the style of the entire portal. There are many options here, so just a few recommendations are worth mentioning:

• At the base of the fireplace, it is necessary to arrange a small elevation - a pedestal. It should be 30 centimeters wider than the portal and have a minimum of 20 cm from the floor level.
• Corner portals are ideal for small spaces to save space.
• The functionality of the design can be increased by placing additional shelves for storing various small items. They are decorated in a variety of ways, for example, by decorating them as firewood.
• A good solution is to combine a decorative fireplace and a TV shelf.

Frame making

A stage is approaching that will determine the appearance and shape of the future portal. Before you start making the frame, you need to make a drawing on a sheet of paper. You will not need any special skills as an architect, but throughout the entire work you must clearly understand what you want to get.

When making a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands, they choose the simplest form of construction - a rectangular parallelepiped with a podium. The best option for the frame would be a metal profile. It is easy to process and has strength and resistance to deformation.

• Making a podium begins with determining the dimensions. Usually the width of the portal is twice the width of the hearth. The podium should protrude beyond the portal in length and width.
• Next, the outer contour is prepared according to the specified dimensions. The vertical posts of the rear wall are attached to the wall. To do this, it is convenient to use self-tapping screws and dowels. The resulting structure can be strengthened with longitudinal jumpers. All connections are made with self-tapping screws.
• Having gained experience in making frames, we proceed to the framing itself. Making a portal follows the same principle: first, the outer box is assembled and attached to the wall, and then it is reinforced. It is important to remember that the electrical hearth will be inserted inside, so there should not be a reinforcing profile at the installation site, but it would be useful to make a border from the profile around the perimeter of the firebox.

The metal profile allows you to create a variety of shapes

When making a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands, you must use all methods that increase the realism of the picture. So, many people install a chimney made of the same material as the portal. Although there is no smoke from the electric fireplace, the design will look very much like a real wood-burning fireplace.

• Before making a chimney, you need to make sure that it will not make structural changes to other systems or block access to important components and ventilation shafts.
• The chimney body is made by analogy with the portal. It may have parallel walls or conical ones. It is important to correctly calculate the load on the load-bearing elements. The bottom bars will get the most. Provide force with vertical posts where necessary. After the frame is completely assembled, check its stability and strength.

Good to know: Installing an electric fireplace, how different types of electric fireplaces are installed

The final stage will be the installation of electrical wiring. It is necessary to power the heating elements and the hearth flame imitation system. But since the supply wires lying next to the fireplace will not add aesthetics to the appearance, you will have to hide them in the portal body, and now this is the easiest way to do it. The electrical circuit for connecting the power supply is quite simple and will not be considered by us.

Portal with plaster finish

Decorative plaster allows you to turn a wide variety of design ideas into reality. With its help, the surface of the fireplace portal can be finished to resemble wood, brick and other materials.

First step

Assemble the base of the structure. The technology is extremely simple - first a support beam is installed, after which it is sheathed with chipboards.

Chipboard sheets attached to the frame

Second step

Prepare the slabs for finishing and decorate them.

It is best to finish the slabs before installing them, so that all elements can dry properly while lying on a horizontal surface. During drying, the parts must be covered with polyethylene.

Before finishing, carefully sand the slabs, putty them and cover them with parquet varnish in several layers.

For additional decoration, apply neat grooves to the walls to imitate brickwork.

Applying plaster

Third step

Complete the decoration of the fireplace portal at your discretion. To do this, use decorative plaster. You can simply cover the surfaces of the portal with it, or you can perform an unusual finish using special decorative elements, modeling, imitation masonry, etc.

Prepare the mixture based on the manufacturer's recommendations, but with minor changes so that the finished mixture is slightly thicker than the manufacturer advises.

The use of decorative plaster in finishing a fireplace

The consistency of the mixture should resemble plastic pottery clay. Using pre-prepared forms, you can make a wide variety of shapes from such plaster and decorate your fireplace with them.

The result will be a very original and elegant design with only one drawback - the plaster decor is quite fragile, so you need to handle such a fireplace portal with extreme caution. This is only a small part of the existing design options for fireplace portals

If you wish, you can make your own changes to the proposed instructions or even create original author’s designs - the flight of fancy in the case of fireplace portals is practically unlimited

This is only a small part of the existing design options for fireplace portals. If you wish, you can make your own changes to the proposed instructions or even create original author’s designs - the flight of imagination in the case of fireplace portals is practically unlimited.

Good luck!