How to make a fireplace from plasterboard

The fireplace in the house does not only serve the utilitarian functions of heating the room, but is also an ornament of the interior. A real fireplace is expensive to build and there is not always a technical opportunity for its arrangement. In a city apartment it is impossible to equip a high-grade fireplace with a fireplace and a chimney.

In such cases it is possible to make a false fireplace from a gypsum cardboard. Such a fireplace is difficult to distinguish from the present. To make a fireplace from gypsum cardboard, photos of which can be found on the Internet, it is not difficult.

Choosing a place for a fireplace from gypsum board and preparing for work

For decorating a decorative fireplace from plasterboard in a spacious room, the front fireplace will look beautiful. In case the room is small or there is not enough space in it, it is possible to equip a corner fireplace from gypsum board.

1. Having chosen a design and a place, the drawing of a fireplace from a plasterboard is made. As a basis for the design of the fireplace, the dimensions of the decorative hearth are taken, which will be installed in the furnace. In the construction of the fireplace from the plasterboard there is a hull, a hearth and a mantelpiece. The mantelpiece can be purchased at the building store. For a decorative fireplace, it is not necessary to purchase a heavy mantelpiece made of marble or oak. On sale there are chimney boards made of laminate.
2. If you plan to install an electric fireplace with an imitation of open fire, then a working socket should be located near the fireplace. The parameters of the outlet must correspond to the power consumption of the electric fireplace.
3. On sale you can find electronic photo frames for false fireplaces. These are flat electronic panels with a set of visual imitations of living fire. Such panels do not heat the room and serve exclusively for decorative purposes. In some cases, candles are placed in the hearth, bundles of firewood or left blank.

For the manufacture of fireplaces from gypsum plasterboard the following materials are required:

• Drywall 12.5 mm thick. In the case of subsequent finishing with clinker or ceramic tiles, a moisture resistant gypsum board is required.
• Two types of profile rail made of galvanized metal for frame. Rack 60х27 and profile 28х27.
• Screws for metal 16 mm for frame assembly, with countersunk head 14 mm for fixing gypsum board and dowel to fix the frame of the fireplace to the wall.
• Dry finish or diluted acrylic putty.
• Primer for plaster work on plasterboard.
• Chimney made of laminated chipboard.
• Perforated plastic or aluminum corner.

Tools for working with gypsum plasterboard:

• Scissors for metal for metal profiles.
• Knife for plasterboard.
• Spatulas 80 and 120 mm.
• Roulette, level and building corner.
• Screwdriver and drill with a breaker.
• A grinder or grater with a set of abrasive grids.

Other materials and tools depend on the type of finishing work selected.

Installation of a frame for a fireplace from a gypsum board

1. By marking with scissors for metal from a profile workpieces are cut. On the cleaned section of the wall points are marked for fastening with dowels. To do this, the profile strip is applied to the wall and through holes are drilled through the drill.
2. The holes for the dowels are drilled on the left marks. From the rack-mounted rack sections fixed on the wall, guide rails for the furnace and outer box are produced. To give the structure the necessary stability and rigidity, jumpers are installed every 15 to 20 cm.
3. After installation of the frame in the wall, the grooves for the electrical wiring are throttled. Wires are laid in grooves and covered with gypsum or putty. The inner surfaces of the frame can be finished with magnesite or foil. These materials increase the heat-reflecting qualities of surfaces.

Covering the chimney frame with plasterboard

1. Using a tape measure, measurements are made on the frame of the fireplace and transferred to a sheet of plasterboard. Cutting pieces of the carcass of the fireplace are cut out with a knife for cutting gypsum cardboard. The parts are installed in their places and fixed with screws. Screws of self-tapping screws are deepened into the gypsum board by 1 - 2 mm, and the fixing step is 10 - 12 cm.
2. The angular fragments of the fireplace from the gypsum board are leveled, cleaned and strengthened by a perforated corner. An aluminum or plastic corner is installed, for arched or arc openings a special flexible corner is installed. The surface of the fireplace from plasterboard is covered with a primer and shpaklyuetsya.

The fireplace top is painted in a dark color, and the external surface is ground and prepared for finishing works.

Decorating a fireplace from a plasterboard

Decorating a fireplace is the most interesting process, allowing you to show your imagination and create an unusual interior element to your liking.

1. The external surface of the fireplace from gypsum board is treated with a grinding machine or a grater with replaceable abrasive grids. Sandpaper is not recommended. It is very quickly clogged with dry putty powder and loses its abrasive qualities.
2. The ground surfaces of the fireplace are covered with soil impregnation for painting. Use a wide brush or spray. Then the fireplace is painted in the right color with water-based paint.

Various materials are used for external cladding:

• Clinker tile, simulating brickwork.
• Ceramic tiles for wild stone. Fragments of a decor from polyurethane foam or gypsum castings.
• Special tiles or panels imitate polished marble or granite.

Finishing materials are attached to the frame in accordance with the instructions for special glue or liquid nails. The last installs a mantelpiece. It can serve as a shelf for vases, figurines and other small things.

An important element of the fireplace decor is a metal grill screen. You can order such a screen according to your sketch in the workshop or in the store. Looks good with a metal screen basket with a poker and pliers for coals.