Banana box fireplace. Creating a fireplace from cardboard boxes: a master class with a photo

Kinds

In a city apartment, where, due to the lack of chimneys and reliable heat-insulating ceilings, it is impossible to install a fully functional wood-burning fireplace, it is possible to design its decorative model. When using inexpensive improvised materials, the work will not require great skills in construction and expensive tools. A do-it-yourself cardboard fireplace is built in a few hours, but it looks no worse than the real one.

Children can also be involved in the work, for them this activity will be not only interesting, but also developing.

There are several models according to the location in the room:

wall-mounted - located near the wall and protrudes with its facade for a certain distance;
built-in - mounted directly into the wall;
corner - occupies the corner of the room;
island - does not adhere to the wall and is most often installed in the center of the room.

False cardboard fireplaces are most often made wall or corner, because they are not intended for heating the house, but have a decorative function. Another such dummy can be used as furniture: shelves can be installed in a niche, and the top tabletop will play the role of a shelf for small items.

In my own way external design there can be a huge number of types of false fireplaces: in English, classic, rustic style, with a firebox in the form of an arch or rectangular, with a model of a woodcutter or oven. When designing, it is important to consider that this detail is combined with the surrounding interior.

The simplest option that children can also make is a small model without a chimney with a rectangular portal and a firebox. Outwardly, it will resemble capital letter P. in the future, this decorative fixture can be supplemented with other elements and make a more complex decor.

It is possible to assemble a model of a classic English fireplace from cardboard. It features an open trapezium-shaped firebox and a straight chimney leading up to the ceiling. Inside the furnace niche, the walls are located at a small angle of about 20°. English version decorated with decor imitating limestone, rubble or brick.

A dummy that imitates a sauna stove or a rural style should have an arch-shaped firebox. Making a figured hole out of cardboard is not difficult. And it is best to finish it outside with cardboard or foam stucco molding in the form of bricks or cobblestones.

Material and tool

Getting thick corrugated cardboard is not a problem; you can use containers from large household appliances: TVs, refrigerators, washing machines or other goods. The entire manufacturing process can be done at home right at the place of the future location of the decorative hearth.

Corrugated cardboard is good because, thanks to internal stiffening ribs, it retains sufficient strength, while it weighs very little, and is cut with a simple clerical knife. But the cardboard fireplace even with exterior trim will not withstand a lot of weight, so you should not put heavy objects on it. It is not protected from moisture and high temperature, so a false fireplace should not be placed near heat sources, and only safe methods should be used to simulate fire.

To work on the construction of the frame, you will need the following tools:

stationery knife;
polymer glue;
transparent tape;
pencil;
roulette;
ruler.

Depending on the ways decorative finishes cardboard fake fireplace may be needed the following materials and tools:

paint or decorative putty;
paint brush or spatula;
paint trays or a container for mixing putty;
corners, moldings, moldings, frames or profiles.

You can decorate such a hearth with putty and subsequent painting, or stick ready-made stucco, polyurethane sheets, self-adhesive laminated paper with a wood texture or natural stone. Based on the chosen method, the appropriate set of items for decoration is selected.

Plan and calculations

Even the simplest option cardboard fireplace needs a phased work plan. It includes the following items:

determining the shape, type and location of the fireplace;
the choice of materials for the frame and decorative finishes;
creation of a design drawing with dimensions;
preparation of tools and materials;
marking on cardboard parts of the frame;
cutting of elements, their gluing and installation;
exterior finish.

The development of such a plan is good because by performing all the steps step by step according to the existing scheme, you can gain some experience and next time proceed to create more complex design, for example, from polyurethane or plywood. Despite the frivolous work of gluing ordinary cardboard, you can make a detailed calculation of the dimensions of the firebox, portal and chimney, as for a real wood-burning fireplace. This is useful for gaining some experience in construction.

frame

It is worth considering step-by-step instructions for creating the most common frame layouts: wall-mounted U-shaped and corner raised fireplaces.

For a wall-mounted fireplace, you will need a wide cardboard box with a height and width of 1 - 1.4 m and a thickness of 0.2 - 0.25 m, for example, from a large LCD TV. First of all, the fold and cut lines are marked on the cardboard with a pencil. A rectangular symmetrical cutout is made in the center on the front side - this will be the furnace portal. The back of the box remains intact. For greater rigidity, the inner walls of the firebox are glued inside. All sides of the frame can be fixed plastic corners or moldings. The frame is placed on a foam or polyurethane base.

For finishing the U-shaped version, it is best to use light ceiling panels white color or self-adhesive laminated paper. Styrofoam panels are attached to a waterproof polymer adhesive that dries in minutes. Another finishing method is to use water-based paint. In order to keep it firmly on the cardboard frame, you can first smear it with a primer or very thin layer liquid putty. After that, wait 1 - 1.5 hours for the primer to dry completely and start painting.

Angular decorative fireplace from a cardboard box is made in the form of a prism with triangular base. The corners of the frame are tightly glued with adhesive tape or polymer glue, an arch-shaped hole is cut in the front part, the top can be decorated decorative table top made of lightweight material, such as PVC or laminated plywood. Inside the firebox for beauty, false walls should be made from the same cardboard.

The decor of a corner cardboard fireplace can be done in the same way as the previous version: painting or appliqué. In a niche, you can place beautiful souvenirs or a toy fire, the creation of which will be described in the next section.

Portal

fireplace portal- the part where the burning of firewood takes place. In the case of imitation using cardboard, there are several ideas on how to make it look as realistic as possible and look like a real hearth. First, it is worth installing a fake firewood grate inside. Since in the present version it is metallic, it is necessary to look for light materials that are visually similar to metals. It can be plastic or wooden details covered with shiny mastic or foil. You can use black paint.

Next, we make an imitation of a flame in the furnace of such an imaginary hearth. There are several ways to create the illusion of a bright, flickering fire. The simplest and safest technique is based on the use of a New Year's garland. First, artificial firewood is made from dry branches. They are covered with cotton wool and foil. Next, a bundle of such firewood is placed in a circle of stones in a fireplace niche, and a garland folded into a ball must be inserted into its center. When connected to the mains, a fascinating flicker is created inside the fireplace, similar to smoldering real firewood.

A garland or individual light bulbs can be placed in raw salt crystals. They create beautiful effect flicker and also have a beneficial effect on the body. It should only be taken into account that the construction of the cardboard fireplace can withstand the weight of salt lamps.

On the floor at the base of the firebox, some people place a flat display on which a picture of a live fire is transmitted. This method is beautiful but impractical - to use an expensive monitor for only one image. But it is quite suitable for one-time use, for example, for the New Year or other holiday.

A simpler and cheaper method of simulating a flame is using a hand-drawn picture, embossing, appliqué or a volumetric hologram. This technique can be constantly changed, creating new original images.

New Year's Eve is a time of pleasant fuss, when almost every person thinks about gifts, a varied and exquisite New Year's menu, friends and relatives with whom he will celebrate this favorite holiday. And those happy parents, grandparents who have children and grandchildren should not only buy gifts, but make sure that faith in Santa Claus only strengthens.

The best way to achieve such a magical result is to make a New Year's fireplace in an ordinary city apartment. After all, it is through the chimney that the fabulous grandfather will enter the house when the kids are sleeping and lay out the gifts under the Christmas tree or put them in specially prepared socks for this purpose. Of course, there will be no chimney itself, but the fairy tale will not disappear from this.

We must immediately make a reservation that such a concept as “types of falshakimins” is not a completely correct concept. How to make a New Year's fireplace and from what; put it near the wall or under the window; it will be rectangular or angular - it depends on your imagination. You can confidently list only the materials from which it can be made. Even here, however, the choice is almost unlimited. Let's take what's available. The easiest way to make a New Year's fireplace with your own hands is from:

Cardboard boxes.
Papers.
Styrofoam.
Boards.
Old furniture.

However, simpler does not mean ugly. Even vice versa. All of the above materials leave such scope for creativity that the output can be a real work of art. And how happy the children will be if you involve them in this exciting process and there is nothing to say.

Wall or corner

And yet, two main types of false fireplaces exist. This is:

Wall-mounted, the value of which in most cases depends only on the materials available.
Angular. Such a New Year's fireplace is somewhat limited in width.

The complexity of the implementation of both options differs little and the choice is only how much free space in the apartment. Well, what if with the place where you put the fireplace on New Year, decided, then step-by-step instructions, prepared material, tools are taken and the creative process begins.

Have you bought yourself a new TV with a huge screen for the holiday, or other household appliances that are usually packed in cardboard boxes? It's time to use this wonderful container for other purposes. Build with your own hands for the new year practically real fireplace- it's quite simple.

In a large box, carefully mark out a place for the firebox.
We make cuts along the outlined contours with a sharp knife in such a way as to bend the walls of the furnace inward.
We glue the walls and fix the resulting structure with adhesive tape.
We cut out a mantelpiece from drywall or foam plastic, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich should be calculated in such a way that the edges that are not adjacent to the wall protrude slightly.
We glue it.

If there is no large box that would serve as a basis, it does not matter. Several small ones can be used.

Fasten them with adhesive tape and glue so that you get a fireplace, and glue the mantelpiece on top.

A corner fireplace from one large box is no more difficult. You just need to cut off the back wall, and fasten the sidewalls at an angle. Cut out a firebox on the front wall, and then everything is the same, only the mantelpiece will also be triangular.

In all three cases after gluing the mantelpiece onto the New Year's fireplace from the boxes, the most creative part comes - this is giving the fireplace a natural look and decorating it. But we will talk about this a little later.

The most low-budget option according to the Golden Key principle. Only instead of a canvas, you need to take a sheet of white paper or cardboard and draw a fireplace on it. With all the nuances, chips, cracks and raging flames. And then stick or attach in any other way to the wall. It’s good if there is a shelf above your painted fireplace, which also needs to be styled and decorated.

Entrepreneurial people have long been making fake fireplaces from this lightweight material for sale in every sense. Buying such an imitation of a fireplace is as easy as shelling pears, but there is one caveat. You will be delivered a completely white and undecorated version, so in any case you will have to use your creativity. And from here we can conclude: making a foam plastic fireplace with your own hands for the new year will be both cheaper and more interesting.

The front and back walls are cut out of the foam sheet.
In the front we cut a hole for the firebox. Square or rounded top - to choose from.
On the back wall, you can later stick either a photograph of a burning flame or paper with a painted fire.
From that sheet or from another, we cut out the side walls.
You can assemble the fireplace using ordinary toothpicks lubricated with glue - it will be stronger than just sticking them to each other.
From above, as in the previous versions, a mantelpiece made of the same foam is glued.

Everything, it remains only to paste over with suitable wallpaper or paper, which will then be painted.

Plank fireplace

The parquet boards or laminate remaining after the repair can also be successfully and gracefully used to make a fireplace with your own hands for the new year. In this case, you will first have to build a hard wooden frame and attach it to the wall. And glue the boards on it. Above - the length of the entire width of the fireplace. In the center and slightly to the bottom, in the form of two racks, between which there will be a firebox.

An old wardrobe or even a sideboard should also not be immediately sent to a landfill. If you disassemble it and use the walls and shelves, then the New Year's fireplace can be so durable that you don’t want to remove it. True, in this case you will have to use a hacksaw and cut the walls, racks and shelves to size yourself, but the result can exceed the wildest expectations.

Appearance

Let's make a reservation right away that these are not fireplace decorations for the new year. It's giving him appearance. After all, even the most carefully glued out of a box, paper, foam or boards, a fake fireplace will remain fake if you don’t work on it a little more.

The walls and front can either be painted on their own or wallpapered over. In the vast majority of cases, this will be a brick, stone or marble pattern.
Directly in front of the fireplace, you can put a piece of linoleum with your favorite pattern and fix it with furniture nails with curly hats.
The lower perimeter cannot be ignored either. For its styling, ordinary skirting boards from adhesive ceilings are well suited.
They are also suitable for framing a shelf, but here it is better to choose wider ones and with some kind of relief.

These are the main positions for styling a fake fireplace, but how you make it depends only on you.

How to make a flame?

No matter how beautiful and stylish your artificial fireplace turns out, without an imitation of a flame, there will always be something missing. After all, the fireplace is made for this, so that a light sparkles inside, creating comfort and warmth in the house. And it does not matter that this light is only an imitation.

There are not so many options for creating a flame as there are options for the fireplace itself, and fire safety is the first limitation here. Do not forget that all of the above materials from which a false fireplace is made are by no means intended to contain open fire. Rather the opposite. Therefore, you need to use something luminous, but not heated. Although there are options.

Heating options include an element from an electric fireplace. It shines and even warms and is designed in such a way that it is unlikely that something will catch fire from it. But it's still worth taking security measures.
Another electrical element that is used to simulate a flame in a fireplace is an ordinary New Year's garland or LED Strip Light. In both options, you need to provide that there is an electrical outlet near your fireplace, and the wires would not get in the way under your feet.
If you have an electronic photo frame, you can use it by uploading an image of a burning flame there. Well placed and slightly disguised, it will be great to imitate real fire.
No one forbade the use of real firewood either. Small poles, neatly stacked and illuminated from below, look quite impressive.
The option with open fire still exists. These are candles. Only they must be placed very carefully, strictly in the center and make sure that, by some ridiculous accident, there is nothing flammable nearby.
Well, the simplest thing is to draw a flame on paper and stick it to the back wall. If you doubt your artistic abilities, you can use a large photograph.

There is no limit to experimentation. You can use a mirror, a real fireplace grate, some other accessories related to the stove, fire and the holiday. The main thing is not to get too carried away and remember that the fireplace is not real, which means that even if real firewood is beautifully stacked in it, you should not set fire to them.

How can you use the fireplace after the new year?

If you have made every effort and done everything qualitatively, the place is chosen such that the false fireplace does not interfere with anyone, then it can stand for several years. Especially if you think a little more and use it not only as an exquisite decoration of the apartment. For example, build a mini-bar in it or put a DVD on a shelf, and hang a TV on top. How little more. But still, we are considering exactly the New Year's version, which means that we will decorate it according to the holiday.

And this moment, no matter how strange it may sound, is the simplest. In the sense that everyone knows how to decorate a Christmas tree and an apartment for the new year. How is a fireplace different? Only form. So all the same materials will be used. Tinsel, shiny rain, Christmas balls, branches, cones, garlands, gift socks and so on. You can do it yourself, you can entrust the children, but the best thing is if the whole family takes part in this creative work. And the festive mood will come to your house in advance and all other positive emotions will not keep you waiting long.

False fireplaces made of cardboard have a mass positive qualities compared to the real ones. The main features are:

mobility - you can change the location;
usage natural materials that are not harmful to health;
practicality - this element of the interior fits into any style;
availability of materials and ease of manufacture;
original and at the same time aesthetically correct appearance;
not costly production;
huge selection of decorations.

There are several options for making a fireplace from cardboard boxes, each of which does not differ in the complexity of the frame design method. The key to a quality result is the observance of all points of the instructions that are presented in the article.

Preparation for work

Before proceeding with the direct manufacture of the product, you need to carefully consider everything and carry out preliminary preparation:

If you prepare correctly and take into account all the nuances, then the process of forming a false fireplace will seem simpler and shorter. Even the most unprepared person will be able to do the job quickly and efficiently.

Where to install

As already specified earlier, the location of the future decorative element determines the basic design requirements, so you should approach this decision with all responsibility, think through everything possible options. It is necessary to take into account the possibility of moving the structure.

There are several main types of fireplaces regarding placement:

closed type;
Corner structures;
Wall-mounted;
Island;
Collapsible;
Portable.

If the area of \u200b\u200bthe room allows, then any of the types can be used, but in case of restrictions in terms of space, it is better to stop at the wall type. The design of such an object can be varied, as well as its size. It can be supplemented with auxiliary details - shelves, niches, secondary surfaces.

An original solution in interior design will be a corner fireplace. The downside of this location is that the design has a peculiar shape, which means that if necessary, it will be possible to transfer the “firebox” only to another corner.

The installation location must meet the following requirements:

The floor surface must be level.
If the model is portable, then it can be installed on the carpet. Otherwise, texture flooring should be missing.
The wall must be flat and without holes.
It is better if the place is not littered with other pieces of furniture.
The fireplace looks good in the central part of the wall, which is immediately visible when entering the room.

If the fireplace is planned to be moved during the year, then a special screen should be thought out on the wall and part of the floor, on which the base will be mounted. If an additional shelf is expected, then it is better when the wall is decorated in light pastel colors. Thus, the elements for decoration (vases, figurines) will not be lost against its background.

If the area of \u200b\u200bthe room allows, then any of the types can be used, but in case of restrictions in terms of space, it is better to stay on the wall type

Dimensions and materials

The dimensions of the decorative "firebox" directly depend on the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and the desired result. If the false oven is the central decoration, then the dimensions should be appropriate. When determining the parameters, it must be taken into account that certain parts can be cut off during the formation of the frame.

Besides cardboard and finishing material in the work will need auxiliary materials which are often forgotten or ignored.

These are:

Construction tape;
Glue for finishing works;
Putty or putty;
Water-based paint;

In addition to the standard materials necessary in any case, auxiliary materials are also needed, which are used for decorative design:

Wallpaper with a certain texture and relief.
Decorative rock.
Styrofoam curly plinths.
Sea pebble.
Wooden plates.
Self-adhesive or film under a tree, plastic.

Basically, all of the above can be used alone or combined together. But don't use too many different textures. This will make the thing too garish and overloaded with special effects.

When determining the parameters, it must be taken into account that certain parts can be cut off during the formation of the frame

Manufacturing instructions

Making a fireplace out of cardboard can be done in several ways that are independent of each other. At the same time, each of them is insignificantly different from the others. Consider the main options.

How to make a standard oven:

To prevent the shape of the “furnace” from deforming, it is better to attach the body of the product to the wall. This can be done in several ways. In order not to spoil the wallpaper or wall plaster, you can strengthen the box with self-tapping screws.

Such a fireplace can be mounted and dismantled without problems during the year as many times as you like. But in winter, this interior detail is almost irreplaceable.

Corner fireplace:

First set the form- isosceles triangle.
The place under the firebox is delimited, which will subsequently be an additional fastener of the entire structure.
The cardboard in this place is cut in the shape of a triangle. so that the resulting figure tightly supports all sides of the "furnace" and the back wall.
A shelf for this type of construction is usually made wood or countertop.
The rest of the procedure is the same that is needed in the manufacture standard fireplace from cardboard.

The advantage of this type is that it is more stable and takes up little space. It can be installed in a room of any size, and it will harmoniously fit into the interior design. The very form of the product gives it extraordinary originality, which is quite valuable in contemporary art home decorations.

Such a fireplace can be mounted and dismantled without problems during the year as many times as you like.

Adding Effects

An integral part of the fireplace is the flame. Without this part, it is almost impossible to recreate naturalness. But it is naturally impossible to make a fire in a flammable material, so I make an imitation of a flame.

There are several such ways:

Usually the fire is replaced by candles, which are previously placed in half-closed candlesticks of an interesting design. This method is the most common, and most importantly cheap.
For a short-term simulation of fire, you can use dry fuel, which is set on fire in a bowl. In this case, it is worth carefully monitoring the combustion process.
Most cheap way- this is a photo wallpaper that is glued to the back wall of the case. The main thing is to choose the most realistic picture with good quality print.
exist electrical devices, which completely imitate a flame in a fireplace or smoldering. This is quite expensive, but very realistic, since the device is mounted in a fireplace, some models have sound.

To make everything look very natural, you should make additional decorative elements: firewood, for example. Logs can be purchased at any hardware store. Except visual effect there will be a subtle smell of wood, which is beneficial in the design given element. If photo wallpapers are used, then it is not advisable to use firewood here, as they will stand out sharply against the background of the picture.

The fireplace is also decorated with other elements:

The firebox is limited by glass;
A cylinder with pokers is installed next to the product;
The firebox is closed with forged grates;
Figurines, caskets, candlesticks and other trinkets are placed on the shelf;
A mirror is installed on the back of the firebox, which will set off the fire of the candles installed in it.

According to a long tradition, would you like to hang it on a fireplace, but it is not provided for in your apartment? No problem! We will tell and show how easy it is to make an incredible - decorative false fireplace from cardboard.

On the eve of the New Year, we are trying with all our might to create coziness and a festive mood in the house. For many, such New Year and Christmas comfort is associated with beautiful fireplaces, which we now and then see in the pictures on Instagram. But our city apartments are not equipped with such structures. But you really want such a fireplace for yourself, so that you can hang Christmas socks there and put gifts there. But do not get upset ahead of time, because decorative fireplaces are no worse than real ones, and you can make them in a matter of hours.

A decorative false fireplace for the New Year can also be made from sheets of cardboard with wooden elements that will support the design. Use decorative moldings and skirting boards to beautifully decorate your handmade fireplace.

"Flame" for a fireplace made of cardboard boxes

What is a fireplace without fire? And although you can’t make a real fire in a decorative fireplace from boxes, you can use several interesting ideas to simulate a flame:

draw a fire on a piece of cardboard, cut it out and place it against the back wall of the firebox;
roll up a luminous garland into a ball and put it in the fireplace;
put real or cardboard logs in the fireplace and wrap them with an LED garland.

Watch an online video on how to make a New Year's fireplace from boxes and foam with your own hands

Now you know how to make a fireplace to create an interesting piece of furniture. It remains to decorate the fireplace as you wish, attach garlands to it, Christmas decorations and wait for the New Year and Christmas.

To make the interior of the house more beautiful and stylish, there are many decor elements. One of the most popular was the fireplace, but not always the dimensions of the living space allow you to install a full-fledged complex. In addition, such an element of decor will be very expensive. good decision there will be an imitation - a home-made fireplace made from ordinary cardboard boxes. Making such a false fireplace on your own is not difficult, the main thing is to find the right amount of material, i.e. boxes.

Is it possible to make a fireplace with your own hands from boxes

To make a decorative fireplace out of cardboard with your own hands, so that the room becomes more comfortable and original in terms of decoration, it will turn out from ordinary packing boxes. You do not need any special knowledge or building skills. All you need is to measure the length and width, draw the necessary lines, cut off unnecessary parts, glue individual elements and color the resulting object. For the final design, you may need foam, boards, laminate remnants and some other materials.

Types of fireplaces from boxes

When planning to make a fireplace out of boxes with your own hands, check out ready-made options decor element. In the design at great desire you can insert an electric fireplace with a closed fireplace insert and a flame simulation using the backlight or on the LCD screen. Although better for purposes fire safety nothing to complement such a construction made of cardboard. Depending on the style direction fireplace portals from packing boxes are:

AT classical style. Classics are always in fashion: strict lines and a minimum of additional decor. A false fireplace of this type can be installed in absolutely any house or apartment.
Country style. The “rustic” version, beloved by many, is distinguished by the fact that it is made of natural stone and brick. To give the imitation this look, you will need to glue it with a self-adhesive film or wallpaper with a brick pattern. For decoration, you will need to put firewood in the firebox so that the imitation is as similar as possible to a real fireplace.
Hi-tech style. In addition to minimalist and technological solutions, the variant implements ideas from futurism, uses modern materials like steel and plexiglass. How will cardboard boxes help in this case? Even from them you can make an imitation in high-tech style. It will be necessary to give the design an interesting geometric shape and paint it steel or black, and insert a mirror into the firebox. Alternatively, glass can be placed on the mantelpiece.
In modern style. This type of fireplace portal design involves a variety of colors and textures, a combination of antique decor elements (sockets, stucco moldings, etc.) and modern forms. A modern style false fireplace fits into almost any interior design.

In addition, fireplaces are wall-mounted, corner and in the form of an arch. Before you make a fake fireplace with your own hands, decide on suitable place to install it. To clarify the parameters of the future box, it is necessary to perform all the necessary measurements using a tape measure and a building level. Based on the measurements, develop a layout or drawing. Recommendations:

As a rule, such elements are installed in common rooms like halls and living rooms.
Minimum size rooms with a fireplace structure should be about 20 sq. m.
You need to choose a place for the future false fireplace. It can be a corner (corner) or a wall (front).
If you need to mask any defect in a corner or on a wall, then a decorative fireplace will help you with this.
It is possible to install a fireplace complex even in the center of the room, but on condition that this object is really in place there.

wall

This version of the fireplace complex is great if the room has a decent free section of the wall. This model looks good in the wall between the windows. It is believed that wall structures are not suitable for small spaces, especially if we are talking about real fireplaces, for which the construction of a heat-resistant ceiling is supposed. In general, the wall-mounted option is perfect if you simply have nothing to force the wall with or you decide to create an overall design.

Angular

This option will be ideal if all the walls in the room are occupied, but the corners are free. Fireplaces of this category are considered one of the most popular and beautiful. They take up less space, being located in a more convenient place - such an element of decor will not interfere with movement around the room. To design a corner cardboard structure, you can use any means at hand, because. this arrangement of the fireplace complex does not affect the possibilities of its design finish.

in the form of an arch

Using the arch, you can improve the design of your house or apartment. It will become a bright element in the interior. Great popularity in last years began to use arches for the fireplace, which look fashionable and aesthetically pleasing. The design can be in the form of a portal (rectangular), an ellipse (typical for new wave, postmodern), modern, in the form of a regular classical semicircle, etc. Making a fireplace complex in the form of an arch from cardboard boxes is more difficult than a wall or corner version, but it will add more personality to the design of the room.

DIY step-by-step instructions for making a fireplace from boxes

When planning to make a wall or corner fireplace out of cardboard, develop a drawing of the room and apply parts of the fireplace complex on it in as much detail as possible. Be sure to follow all proportions. The drawing is best done in color so that it looks more natural and it is easier to understand what it will be like in the end. General instruction the manufacture of any fake fireplace is as follows:

Prepare material. Pick up one large or several small boxes. The ideal option is considered to be a whole box from under a widescreen TV. If you do not find one, you can use sheets of cardboard - first cut them out of other boxes and fasten them together with tape.
Free up space in the room, lay out the materials. Carefully draw all the details on the box. Need to keep an eye on rational use material - it will be easier if the corners of the proposed false fireplace coincide with the corners of the box.
The main parts of the fireplace complex are the top shelf, the portal and the base (podium). Installation of the necessary to begin with the last element that needs to be strengthened, because it will have to withstand the weight of the entire structure. This can be done by inserting special cardboard inserts inside the base - a kind of stiffening ribs. They should be positioned perpendicular to the floor, and fixed with tape. The height of these ribs should help keep desired position side skirts of the podium.
The sides can be strengthened by gluing them with additional layers of cardboard. The base is made a little wider than the portal - about 8-12 cm. Next, a portal is formed, a mantelpiece is installed (a sheet of plywood or drywall is used for it) and Finishing work.
At the very last stage, the complex is decorated. It all depends on your imagination:
- You can paste over a fake fireplace with wallpaper or self-adhesive film under brick, wood or marble, overlay with elements of gypsum stucco.
- Try to use liquid wallpaper- then your fireplace complex will have a surface with a rough structure marble chips.
- You can decorate the hearth with fake firewood - you can make them from twigs or cardboard.
- Use a flickering lamp or garland to simulate a flame.
- Put figurines, figurines, photo frames and other equally pleasant decorative trifles on the fireplace shelf.

If desired, make fake firewood for decoration. Use scraps of cardboard (preferably corrugated). Manufacturing technology:

To get started, prepare everything you need: sharp scissors, a clerical knife, white paint, a thin string, sheets of corrugated cardboard with a smooth top layer.
To ensure that future firewood blends and harmonizes perfectly with the fireplace insert, measure its parameters. Based on them, calculate the optimal size of firewood.
Mark on the prepared sheets of cardboard the optimal dimensions of the logs and cut off the strip that needs to be rolled up. Make the thickness different depending on what you want to end up with: twigs or logs. To give the wood more naturalness, make it "knots".
Having rolled a cardboard sheet into a roll, coat its edges well with glue and tie with a string. Leave to dry for a while. Make a few preparations.
To make an imitation of knots, make a thin twig from a cardboard sheet, glue it and dry it. Then cut with a clerical knife at an angle and glue to the logs with glue and masking tape.
When the glue is completely dry, paint the imitation firewood. To begin with, cover them with thick white paint, after which you can tint them to match the color of the wood. If you don’t want to bother too much, then make a few strokes of black on a white surface - you will get an imitation of birch firewood. Gouache is quite suitable for coloring logs.

From one box

Making a cardboard fireplace out of a box with your own hands, using one large element, is somewhat more difficult than from several small ones. It will be necessary to draw and cut so that everything is symmetrical. It will be good if you find for a fake fireplace complex big box from under a flat LCD TV. If you don’t have such a package, you can replace it with pieces of cardboard that will have to be glued together. Prepare for work:

one big box;
stationery knife;
ruler;
pencil;
masking tape;
PVA glue;
sponges, rags;
plinth, foam decoration;
white paint (preferably in a spray can);

Having prepared necessary materials, choose a suitable drawing for a false fireplace. Its dimensions will depend on the selected box. If necessary, you can make the complex taller by adding different elements from above. Procedure:

Spend desired lines and cut a hole for imitation firewood in the center of the box with a knife. The lower part can not be cut off, but simply bent inward, forming a right angle and forming the bottom of the firebox. Cut off all unnecessary, and fix the bottom with masking tape.
Bend the edges of the box inward, then glue or secure them to the back wall using masking tape. You can walk last from above for the reliability of the design.
If you buy Styrofoam decor or baseboard, attach these elements with PVA glue or glue gun to cardboard.
Next, you need a top for the fireplace. There are several options to choose from: glue a few pieces of cardboard or take a piece of thin plywood or foam. Glue the top to the main body of the object.
Paint the product with white paint using a spray can. If there is no such paint, then use the usual water-based paint.
Paint the fireplace complex again with the same paint. The gaps will have to be covered with it again. To make the structure more stable, reinforce the bottom metal frame or regular cardboard.
Paste the design with wallpaper under a wild stone or brick. Suitable and self-adhesive film, but work with it carefully, because. it will not work to peel it off neatly.
Make a simulated fire. For example, you can buy a lamp that looks like a flickering flame and put it in a recess. Another interesting option- making firewood from twisted cardboard, twigs or twigs. Put an electric candle or electric garland on impromptu firewood for greater effect.

It should be added that the cutout of the fireplace can be made both rectangular and in the form of an arch. The first option is very simple - first you need to draw a rectangle, and then cut it out with a knife. As for the second option, first you also need to draw a future hole, and then cut it out: the lower half will be rectangular, and the upper half will be rounded like an arch.

from several boxes

You can make a fireplace out of boxes with your own hands from several small elements. The more of them, the larger the imitation of the complex will be. Complete buy ceiling plinth and foam figures - they are relatively inexpensive. Elements will help to make the design more effective. For work you will need the following materials and tools:

cardboard boxes (5 pieces larger and 5-6 pieces smaller size);
1 roll of any wallpaper or white paper;
PVA or stationery glue;
double-sided and plain tape;
a roll of wallpaper with a brick pattern or colored cardboard for "bricks".

Choose boxes made of thick cardboard that will keep its shape well. detailed instructions:

First, decide on the shape, then fix the individual boxes in such a way as to make the main elements of the fireplace complex. Fasten them with simple tape.
Paste the resulting blanks with a wallpaper roll or white paper. You need to do this with simple tape. After folding the paper, cut the corners.
Attach the upper large part (shelf) to the lower workpiece double sided tape. Be sure to press it for a while so that both parts stick well to each other.
Cut out bricks from colored cardboard for decoration. Glue them to the surface of the raised fireplace using stationery glue. Glue bricks over the entire surface of the complex, except for the back. Leave seams between bricks.

Banana box fireplace. Creating a fireplace from cardboard boxes: a master class with a photo

Kinds

Material and tool

Plan and calculations

frame