The fireplace device is one of interesting solutions interior, giving interior decoration dwellings internal warmth, comfort and home appeal. But it is far from always possible to fit a real fireplace into the design. As a rule, this is due to the inability to arrange a chimney, the lack of storage space for firewood and other reasons associated with the use of open fire in the room.
There is nothing difficult to create an imitation of a fireplace without heating in an apartment with your own hands. This will require drywall sheets, materials for exterior finish, fantasy for the project and good mood for work. The fake fireplace is ready and all that is left is to fill it with artificial flames, sit in an armchair and enjoy the play of light and shadow.
The main task of the illusion of live fire in the hearth is to form a spectacular, as realistic as possible sensation of a burning flame. Visualization is the main element of the task, but not the only one. To complete the perception of the picture, not only the visual component is necessary, but also the corresponding crackling and smell of burning panels, as well as the physical sensation of heat flow. To do this, there are modern methods of creating a "cold fire" in a false fireplace.
A bit of history
The first experiments in creating a safe fire and turning household heaters into residential decor elements have been undertaken for a long time. The origins of this direction include an electric fireplace with a heating element and decorative panel. It was carried out in the form of glowing coals with internal illumination by a conventional incandescent lamp. Similar imitators could be found in the middle of the last century.
Somewhat later, the backlight was given dynamism. Electrical appliances were equipped with strips of foil that rose in streams warm air and reflected bizarre reflections on the body of the device, creating the effect of a flickering flame.
The first successful illusion of live fire was the cutting of light fabric, swaying in artificial air jets pumped by a built-in fan. This principle of imitation of open flame tongues formed the basis for the further development of the design direction and still has the right to life.
Cold fire, obtained in this way "in its pure form", has a sufficient level of entertainment, light reflections whimsically and uniquely change their position in space. But the realism of such an imitation is low, since the picture looks like a hand-drawn one. To add volume and “visual vitality”, a built-in system of mirrors and light filters is used, as well as electronic control lighting elements.
In addition to electronic-mechanical methods for creating the effect of live fire, digital and LCD technologies, cold steam generators, 3D holograms with a stereo effect and other achievements of the modern development of science and technology are widely used in our time.
There are several ways to light a safe fire in an apartment fireplace. Let's consider them in more detail.
Method one. Protozoa
If there is no desire or opportunity to engage in the manufacture of a complex electronic-mechanical structure, then you can use the simplest solution to the problem: paste a photographic image of burning firewood into the hearth of the fireplace. To give some semblance of realism, it is necessary to install spotlights with filters of various colors.
The most low-cost, but no less effective, will be the use of an old Christmas tree garland. To do this, mini-plafonds are trimmed with reflective foil from the inside. The controller built into the garland will allow you to simulate the dynamics of light transmission, as from living flames. To give the picture a visual stereo volume, you can choose a holographic 3D image of an open fire of a suitable size.
Method two. Theatrical
As the name implies, this method is borrowed from theatrical props. When, according to the plot of the play, it is necessary to make a safe fire on the stage, the decorators use just such a fire.
To make a theatrical fire in the fireplace, you need to stock up on the following items:
- silent fan of medium power;
- halogen lamps;
- color filters of appropriate shades;
- white silk.
The fan housing is dismantled. Its working part is rigidly attached to the bottom of your fireplace in such a way that the injected air flows perpendicular to the base. The wiring is laid in the cable channels and led outside the fireplace.
Below the working plane of the fan, three halogen lamps are mounted: one along the central axis of the fan, two at an angle of 30 degrees to each side. The direction of light on the future focus should be from the bottom up.
As brackets for lamps, you can use the remains of a bent metal profile for GKL. Light filters are attached at a distance of 1-2 cm in front of each lamp. It is additionally recommended to put a light filter on the central lamp of blue color, this will give the flame more exotic highlights.
The next stage is the imitation of flames. Future tongues of flame are cut from white silk irregular shape and are mounted on the fan grille in an "artistic mess".
The open flame simulator is ready to go. It remains to adjust the fan power, the angle of inclination of the light filters and fill the artificial parts of the hearth with purchased birch charcoal.
Method three. water vapor
All of these devices can be purchased at retail or dismantled from old concert equipment that creates a vapor effect.
Fog generators are installed at the bottom of a sealed container for distilled water. Each generator in its design involves a membrane, which, due to high-frequency vibration, creates a local reduced pressure. In conditions, low pressure, water evaporates at a temperature close to room temperature.
The fan is rigidly mounted in the zone of active evaporation and drives the formed steam up. LED backlighting, controlled by a decoder and controller, creates a very realistic visual sensation of the play of light and shadow of live flames.
In the lower part of the fireplace hearth, the steam is illuminated more strongly and there is a feeling of the presence of an open flame. At the top, the backlight is less intense and the illusion of smoke is created.
To prevent the formation of excess condensate, a diaphragm is installed in the upper part of the hearth.
Method four. The use of a salt ceiling
Salt electric lamp- This is a special electric light. The plafond is made of natural crystal - salt. Under such a ceiling, a conventional incandescent lamp is installed. Passing through the edges of the crystal at different angles, the light flux is refracted and outwardly very realistically resembles the play of living flames.
Using shades of various colors, a realistic imitation of live fire is created. And using lamps with different configurations and sizes, a small fire is easily imitated.
This method has its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages include the simplicity in the manufacture of such an illusion, its realism. In addition, when heated from an incandescent lamp, the salt ceiling saturates the surrounding air with negative ions. This leads to the neutralization of positive ions, which has a positive effect on the health of its owners.
The disadvantages of this method include the very significant price of such devices and their infrequent appearance in free sale.
Method five. TV instead of live fire
Using a flat LCD TV in a fireplace is one of the most technically simple options for solving the problem. But, it should be noted, far from low-cost.
If the choice falls on such a method of “igniting” an artificial flame in a fireplace, then first it makes sense to choose an LCD TV, and only then, based on its size, mount the fireplace body. The TV screen is installed on a recess of 10-12 cm in the hearth of the fireplace. Its plastic frame is hidden by decorative elements.
Through the USB port built into the TV, a recording found on the Internet is played on the screen. Depending on the mood and environment, you can choose one of several recordings: the play of flames, embers or a bright fire. The selected record with repeated repetition will serve as an imitation of live fire in the hearth.
If you place a system of mirrors and light filters along the internal planes, then the picture will visually acquire volume and look very natural.
Decorative firewood for fireplaces
To give a finished look to the fireplace under cold Fire it is necessary to "put" firewood and coals. On the windows of specialized stores there is a huge selection of decorative firewood made of plastic or ceramics. Such dummies exactly repeat the texture of dry or partially burnt wood. Imitation, purchased or made by yourself, will turn the hearth into the center home warmth and comfort.
In order to obtain greater realism, a backlight with red light filters is installed under the wood-burning display. In more expensive versions of decorative firewood, internal lighting with a non-repeating flicker cycle is provided.
To give the integrity of the picture, small gaps between decorative firewood it is recommended to fall asleep with natural charcoal.
This summer I did a renovation in the room. The idea to make an imitation of brickwork pecked my brain for 2 years. I didn’t want to cut the post until I finished everything, but the finances died, and I only had to make a table. But, by the way, today we are talking about brickwork, so let's start.
Here's what was "Before"
Here is an example of a redevelopment. Due to my stupidity, I did not take a picture of the whole room in the very original version, and I could not find older pictures.
As a result, on the first day I took out the whole room, peeled off the wallpaper, removed the linoleum from the floor, ceiling tiles.
Next were the floors. I stretched the lags with 80mm self-tapping screws. I put 10mm plywood on top. The seams were sealed with wood putty. The floors stopped creaking. I also changed the wiring, laid HDMI for the TV set and put the cheapest tile behind the battery.
And now we are approaching the bricks. Went the most milestone- markup. For marking, I used a marking cord. It costs 200 rubles, and saved time darkness.
Before the start of the marking, he called the ceiling workers, they filled the profile under the ceilings. danced from him.
according to the markup: The size of the brick is 6.5 by 25. and its seam is 1-1.2mm. It is important to start marking from the ceiling, because in tiled houses the walls are crooked. On a 4.2m wall, the difference came out to be 2-3cm.
In order for the adhesive tape to hold better, I grabbed it with a small amount of solution.
Scotch took 48mm, sort of, and cut it into 5 parts with a utility knife. it took about 4 pieces.
Next comes the magic:
put over the tape gypsum plaster, a layer of about 7-10mm, and leveled.
gave a little to dry, and tore off the adhesive tape
Immediately you need to check whether everything turned out exactly, because then you had to gouge some gaps with a screwdriver and a hammer.
Painting:
Painted water-based paint. Used black color. It took about half a liter in total (looking ahead, I’ll say that I still have 5 liters of gray paint left).
The first layer was primer. Very quickly absorbed into the wall. Gypsum though. Immediately put the spots (I really wanted to see how it would look)
After the second coat, I went through all the gaps with white paint. I took a little, so that it would not flow. But even without this, a lot of places climbed where it is not necessary)
It may seem to many that everything is cool and without jambs. But I did, and I know that there are a lot of jambs))
Then I slightly darkened the paint, painted over groups of bricks. Then darkened again and repeated)
Here I will say an important thing: You need to try the color of the paint on something. I had a plywood floor and I scoffed at it. It is important to have some white paint in stock in order to adjust the color if the color is poured. At the very end, he took a brush, dipped the very tips into white paint, and with quick, careless movements went through some of the bricks.
Let's move on to the painting on the wall. ordered a template in the printing industry. I will also say that I was stupid and overpaid. Made me laser cutting, on 1mm PVC sheet.
It was necessary to stand on a plotter cutting, on a film.
There are no more photos left, but the process was something like this:
I glued a soldier's template to the wall on a ton of molar tape (I made the inscriptions "Linkin park" and "Hybrid theory" on separate pieces. I also painted over it with a water-based emulsion.
Next, the template removed and tinted the fragments with a thin brush for painting. After drying, I also made the inscription "Linkin Park" as a template. I painted the background for the inscription "hybrid theory" with black paint. For smudges, I made the paint thinner (added water).
Splashed - smudges flowed)
Let's move on... Poster. I love Ramstein! Opposite the bed according to the plan is a telly. It is symbolic that the poster has the inscription "Lichtspielhaus" - which means "cinema".
I made the frame myself. Essentially a rectangle, and in the middle of the stiffener. Attached with a stapler.
Separately, I think, it is worth mentioning the wallpaper. Ordered in the salon. Gave unreasonable money. But I did not find other interesting wallpapers. 3 rolls, 2 pieces. As a result, 6. was enough right back to back.
Waited 1.5 months. Because of them, the repair was delayed.
The telly was presented to the DR. I took it from the point of view of rationalism. Initially planned as a second monitor for a PC. As a result, I took Akai - 127cm, for 25k rubles. Suitable for my needs. Satisfied.
Shelves. A friend cut the boards to my size. I sanded them down, painted and varnished them. Well, you don’t need to screw everything into one pedestal of mind.
Of the nuances - strengthened it with corners inside.
I made a clock out of an old record. I have laser engraver, on this contours burned them. What did not burn through was cut out with a burner.
Screw on the clockwork and you're done.
It seems that he showed everything ... Now for the money:
Plywood on the floor - about 4k
Linoleum - 7k
Putty - 2.5k
Tiles - 2k
Wallpaper - 6k
Stretch ceiling - 9k (together with a corridor 1.5 * 3)
Light - 4 spots + chandelier + switches + sockets + dimmer + wires - 9k
Paint, coller, board paint, varnish - 3k
screws (for the floor) - 1k
curtain, muslin (curtain) - 2.5k
Plinth - 1k
Tool (marking cord, rollers, brushes, spatula, whisk
Stencil + designer's work (translated into vector) + poster printing - 4k
HDMI cable 10m - 1.5k
_________________
Total 52.5k
The question of how to make an imitation of a fireplace on your own is of interest to everyone who wants to make their home original, cozy and unusual. Imitation of a fireplace is a structure that can be installed in any city apartment without the consent of the competent authorities. In addition, imitation of a fireplace in an apartment can be done by hand without the involvement of hired labor, which will significantly save on construction. For such work, there is no need to purchase special tools and equipment. As a rule, everything you need is in the pantry of each house. Given that the decorative hearth will not heat up, you can not be limited to the choice of material. In the course, you can start up almost everything that is at hand. This also applies to the finish, which can even be used as plastic and wallpaper. It is worth dwelling on the options for building a decorative fireplace and the nuances that you should pay attention to.
Varieties of decorative fireplaces and their equipment
First of all, it is necessary to decide on the place where the hearth will be built. by the most the best option is its location in the living room in the middle of the wall. Such a fireplace will be a place for family gatherings and friendly parties. A good solution is to use one of the corners. So it is advisable to do in a small apartment. Such a fireplace can be used as a shelf along the way, placing photos, books, souvenirs or a cocktail set on its countertop.
Decorative fireplace in the middle of the room
It is worth considering the size and shape of the future structure well. Imitation of a fireplace in the interior should look harmonious and organic. Too small hearth will look ridiculous and funny. An overly large building will create a feeling of crampedness and monumentality, but not peace and comfort. In order not to be mistaken with the size, it is advisable at the design stage to create a life-size model of the hearth and evaluate how it will look in the interior.
Quite important for the realism of the fireplace is the choice of arranging the interior of its hearth. by the most simple solution is pasting its inside with a canvas with painted tongues of flame. More complex but very beautiful solution are real logs stacked in a different order. For a change, firewood can be periodically shifted, reduced or increased in quantity.
The next nuance is the imitation of fire in the fireplace. It is the flames that are associated with this structure. There may be several solutions to this issue.
You can create an imitation of fire in the fireplace with your own hands in the following ways:
- By placing several small incandescent bulbs in the hearth. They give a warm, even and soft light, reminiscent of reflections of a flame.
- By placing a garland with a glow regulator in the firebox. By setting the appropriate mode, you can achieve the effect of flickering flame, its strengthening and weakening.
- By placing a special lamp in the hearth, which itself imitates a flame. The lamp should be placed so that its active element is in the middle of a pile of logs at its very top.
- Installing several large paraffin candles for logs. A real fire will look great at any time of the year.
Before starting work, you need to draw up a project. This will help determine the need for property for construction. Consider how a do-it-yourself fireplace imitation is made from various materials.
Imitation of a fireplace from foam blocks
In a city apartment, it is impractical to build heavy structures made of brick and concrete in order to simulate. This will create excessive pressure on the floor slab, which can cause uneven shrinkage of the house and the appearance of cracks in the walls. Foam blocks are ideal for simulating a fireplace. They have a low specific gravity, large volume and clear geometric shapes. Working with such stones is easy and simple. Their surface can be finished with almost any type of cladding.
Fireplace portal from foam blocks
For work, you will need the following materials and devices:
- building level;
- roulette;
- hacksaw;
- steel spatulas;
- rasp;
- marker;
- glue for concrete;
- paint brush;
- liquid primer;
- putty;
- sandpaper and abrasive mesh;
- skirting boards and moldings.
In order to build your apartment fireplace from foam blocks, there is no need to create solid foundation or strip flooring down to concrete. It is enough to lay a sheet of plywood on the floor.
You are offered a step-by-step and detailed instructions for imitation of a decorative foam concrete fireplace:
- Make markings on the floor and walls. Make a base and fix it to the floor. To do this, it is better to use double-sided tape so as not to damage the coating.
- Lay out the first row of stones without gluing them. If necessary, adjust the masonry fragments.
- Connect the wiring to the base. Network connection on this stage not carried out.
- Glue the starting row of foam blocks to the base. Check its horizontal level. For gluing, 1 mm of adhesive solution is sufficient, since the edges of the blocks are perfectly even.
- Lay out the portal in accordance with the project. If an arched shape of the hearth is provided, then it is made with a narrow hacksaw. Remove roughness with a rasp.
- The table top is installed. A large aerated concrete slab or a custom-made product is used. It is fashionable to make a countertop from a board or a bar.
- Treat the foam blocks with a liquid primer. Since this material is porous, the procedure must be repeated twice. The primer will make the surface of the fireplace resistant to moisture.
- Knead the solution and cover the fireplace with a layer of 2-3 mm. After the putty dries, it is sanded and polished.
- The portal is faced with finishing. It matches the interior of the room. Adhesive film, wallpaper, paint, ceramic tile or artificial stone.
The final stage of construction is the arrangement of the hearth. One of the advantages of aerated concrete structures is its mobility. At any time, a light fireplace can be moved to a new location. Such a need arises when installing new furniture or carrying out repairs in the apartment.
We perform imitation of drywall
The use of drywall opens up almost unlimited possibilities for the master regarding the choice of the design of a decorative fireplace. Thanks to this material, our imitation can be given a curvilinear shape of any complexity. Drywall is easy to process and does not high pressure on the base plate. The plates are attached to the space frame. To create it, it is recommended to use steel profiles. It is easier to work with timber, but wood changes shape and size with changes in air humidity. And this is fraught with the appearance of cracks in the finish.
The frame of the portal is made of drywall
For work you will need:
- perforator;
- screwdriver;
- electric jigsaw;
- roulette;
- level;
- hammer;
- plane;
- a set of steel spatulas;
- sickle ribbon;
- liquid primer;
- putty;
- ordinary drywall;
- finishing;
- electrical wires and lighting.
Imitation of a drywall fireplace is a rigid structure that is attached to the floor and wall. Based on this, you need to carefully consider the place where the fireplace will stand.
The assembly of the drywall hearth is carried out as follows:
- On the wall and floor, markings are made and places for drilling are marked. Holes are drilled into which plastic dowels are inserted.
- Billets are sawn from the guide profile and screwed to the bearing surface. For this, self-tapping screws or dowel nails are used.
- A space frame is assembled. To connect its parts, cross connectors and a flexible profile are used, if curvilinear shapes are provided.
- The frame is sheathed with drywall. Length joints should be located only on the profile. To bend drywall, it is first soaked for 15-20 minutes. Fastening with self-tapping screws is carried out every 15 cm.
- After the sheathing is completed, the corners are refined with a planer. The semicircular hole of the hearth is made with an electric jigsaw.
- Drywall plastering in progress. Without fail, all seams are reinforced with sickle tape.
- The dried putty is polished and primed. After it dries, the fireplace is finished.
The finished product is strong enough to withstand heavy loads and impacts. Drywall resistant to high temperatures, which makes it possible to install heating elements inside the hearth.
Do-it-yourself imitation of a foam plastic fireplace
The choice in favor of foam plastic makes it possible to create a lightweight, mobile imitation of a fireplace in a limited time and practically for nothing. For construction fireplace portal you can use standard square slabs 100x100x5 cm in size. The base and countertop are made of 100 cm long slabs. Since the foam plastic easily bends under load, it is advisable to reinforce the countertop with plywood or boards.
To assemble a foam fireplace you will need:
- roulette;
- level;
- stationery knife;
- marker;
- square;
- rasp;
- glue or liquid nails;
- thick wire for the manufacture of gratings and pokers;
- finishing;
- rechargeable lamp that simulates a flame.
If it is planned to finish the product with plaster, then a reinforcing mesh, a set of steel spatulas and a gypsum mixture will be required. However, if decorative fireplace conceived as a mobile or temporary structure, then its decoration is carried out with wallpaper or adhesive tape.
When it is planned to build a stationary hearth, the work is carried out in the following sequence:
- A project is being made. It consists of a scheme for fixing plates, a type of finish and a calculation of building materials.
- The work site is being prepared. Carpets, furniture and Appliances covered with a protective film.
- Blanks are cut to assemble the portal. They are attached to the base and glued together. Raised walls are covered with countertops.
- A curved opening for the hearth is cut out. Irregularities are carefully removed with a rasp. The product is cleaned of dust and grains of foam.
- The portal is pasted over with a reinforcing mesh from the inside and outside. A thin layer of plaster is applied to it. The putty is leveled and treated with a liquid primer.
The final stage is the finishing of the portal and internal arrangement hearth. The fireplace is pasted over with decorative strips and decorated with various crafts.
Imitation of wood in the interior of the apartment
A wood fireplace will look great in the interior of the apartment. With this variant of imitation, decoration and furniture made of natural materials which has a positive effect on Feng Shui. You can raise the texture of the tree with stain and varnish. In addition, in the event of a change in the situation in the apartment, the portal can be finished with almost any facing material.
For work you will need:
- roulette;
- electric jigsaw;
- plane;
- belt grinder;
- building level;
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- self-tapping screws and nails without hats;
- straight or rounded lining;
- beam 25 × 25 mm.
Before starting work, the lining must be treated with an antiseptic.
Assembly is carried out in the following sequence:
- Billets are sawn from a bar. The frame is assembled using nails and self-tapping screws for fastening.
- The frame is sheathed with clapboard. The portal is ground and polished. After that, the fireplace is cleaned of chips and sawdust.
- Wood is varnished or painted water based. To achieve the desired effect, this procedure is performed 2-3 times.
During operation, it can be screwed to the portal decorative shelves and other accessories.
Check out the video how to use ordinary boards you can create a home decorative fireplace
Diversify your interior different ways. For example, the creation of original textures and volumetric drawings on. For these purposes, special mixtures are suitable that perfectly imitate different ones. Decorative plaster at correct application will create an imitation of masonry. This finish is usually used for, but can also be used in the house. It all depends on your capabilities and desires. You can create a stone effect in different ways, we will talk about them below.
But do not apply this paint with spots, but only paint over all the empty stripes that have formed.
Thus, overflow is obtained different shades. Next, remove excess paint from the wall, this will help to show the texture. All white seams need to be drawn with darker paint. After that, light paint is applied to the stones in a small amount, for a more distinct highlighting of the texture. Next, you need to draw shadows on the stones with dark paint.
The end result is a wall with masonry, decorative plaster.
Stencils for imitating stone and brickwork
Currently, there are other techniques for simulating masonry from stucco. These are special models and molds made of plastic.
Working with such forms is quite simple. A certain layer of mortar is applied to the wall, and then, until it dries, it is applied plastic mold. By creating pressure on the form, it turns out to squeeze out a certain profile of the stones.
Forms on the market different sizes, for example, on one stone or on several pieces at once. Of course, with a large shape, getting relief is much easier and faster. And stones in these forms can be large and small.
Layouts are used to create not three-dimensional, but flat relief. These layouts have a rectangular shape of smooth masonry or the shape of uneven stone.
After you have applied the plaster to the wall, attach a mock-up to it and draw along the edge with a knife. Next, close to the borders of the previous masonry, attach a layout, and again draw a knife along the perimeter. And so on until the end of the masonry.
After the entire wall is ready, highlight all the borders with clearer lines. With the help of special tools, removing excess mortar, you can make seams of various sizes and shapes. This procedure is similar to removing tape.
After all the procedures, the plaster dries, processed and painted, as we described above.
This completes the process of forming decorative masonry. We hope that our article will help you create a unique and original interior in your home.
SweetlaNika gave me a good link to MK in PM, but there is a plastic decoration, but I think you can do this from mastic
imitation wood
From gold and mother-of-pearl Fimo (in our case, mastic) we imitate a tree, for this we will act as if we are going to do smooth transition colors by hand:
Fold the triangles into a square, as shown in the figure.
Let's cut it into several strips, so that each of them has a different ratio of mother-of-pearl and gold.
Now you need to mix each strip until a uniform color and roll into a ball. It is easiest to knead as shown in the pictures. Roll up a long sausage, twist it in half and flatten it.
After that, the resulting cake is again rolled into a sausage. Repeat the procedure until a uniform shade is obtained.
We got several of these balls, different shades. Looking ahead, I’ll say that the lightest one turned out to be a bit too much, a large number of light stripes is not good for naturalness.
From each ball we roll out such thin sausages, always with our hands, squeezing out of a syringe is not suitable here. Pearlescent scales must twist in different ways to achieve the effect.
I posted the ruler and the template on the photo for the same neat people like me. Thus, I determine approximate size chopped sausages. You see, I have them about two lengths of the template, when we roll out, it will turn out to be just three lengths. (I don’t like a lot of scraps)) In general, you can not bother with this, but simply cut into equal segments.
There is no need to bother with the evenness of the thickness of the sausages either. After all, the veins in the tree are also uneven.
We fold the resulting sausages with one sheet, pressing lightly against each other, in random order.
We got such a canvas from alternating shades.
We take that rolling pin that is bigger and slowly roll all this splendor. Do not rush, so as not to roll out by chance to a very thin transparent layer
Voila! We have absolutely wooden surface. The veins are very natural, as the scales in the metallic plastic "stand on end" along the edges of each sausage and give dark color, and in the middle, each vein plays with a shade, because we rolled it out with our hands and the scales wrapped randomly. Now it all looks very natural. By the way, it is on this photo that you can clearly see that there are too many light stripes. It is necessary to make them either darker or smaller in number.
