The fireplace creates a cosiness and decorates any interior. However, not all owners of private houses, and especially apartments, can afford to lay such a stove. Nevertheless, the desire to make a personal space more comfortable still remains.
Especially if the New Year holidays are on the nose, and you really want to put gifts for your family under the fireplace. It is in such cases that you can make a homemade fireplace, namely its imitation. And in this case, ordinary cardboard boxes will help the owners.
Content
What boxes are suitable
To make a fireplace, you will need ordinary boxes in which equipment is packed. Naturally, the quality and appearance of the fireplace will directly depend on the quality and type of cardboard. It is better to use wide varieties, up to 50 cm deep, because, for example, a rather narrow and unattractive fireplace will turn out from a flat-screen TV box.
It is also important that the cardboard is durable, then a shelf can be placed on it. It is also worth making sure that the drawings fit easily on cardboard and are clearly visible.
Christmas
Such a fireplace can be made from one big box, in this case, it is enough just to cut out the firebox and decorate the portal at your discretion, or complicate the design and glue smaller boxes together.
Step-by-step instructions for creating a fireplace:
- Set the large box in the center, the rest on the edges.
- Glue them together with tape or good glue.
- Cut out the front of the wall of the largest box, this is where the firebox will be located.
- If desired, install an additional border on the floor. This small elevation can also be made from cardboard.
- Put a fireplace on top of the curb.
For the Christmas fireplace you will need:
- 3 cardboard boxes (1 large and 2 smaller, but the same size);
- scotch;
- glue;
- scissors.
After the fireplace is installed, you need to start decorating.
A good option would be artificial brick. To do this, you can use thin foam. The foam sheet should be marked into rectangles and carefully cut according to the drawing.
If the dimensions of the fireplace allow, it is better to cut out rectangles that correspond to the size of real bricks. Otherwise, they should be made smaller.
The cut out "bricks" should then be glued onto the fireplace. This must be done in a checkerboard pattern so that the product is as similar as possible to real masonry.
When all the rectangles are glued, you should let the glue dry completely and only then proceed to painting. This must be done in several layers so that the color is as uniform as possible. If a border was used, it is usually painted yellow or beige. The bricks are the same in red-brown or golden hues.
You can strengthen such a border using special inserts that are fixed inside the frame. You can glue them along the entire length at regular intervals or stick them in random order.The main thing is that they have the same height, otherwise the weight of the structure and other parts will be unevenly distributed between them, and in this case, a home-made fireplace will not withstand the additional weight for a long period of time.
The lower part should be 10-12 cm longer and wider than the fireplace structure itself.
There are two ways to make it:
- Cut out two sheets of cardboard of the same size. Glue supporting ribs on one sheet. You can use both glue and double-sided tape for this.
- Use a flat box with small sides and stick the reinforcing parts inside.
Next, the stand will need to be decorated. To do this, it is enough to carefully decorate the side panels. You can use the original film with a pattern or wrap the stand in wallpaper. Painting with original patterns is also welcome.
It is advisable to paint a cardboard fireplace for Christmas and New Year's holidays in red and white, while the stand can be wrapped with a garland or rain. You can also glue it with a wide original plinth. You can buy it at any hardware store.
wall
Such a fireplace will fit perfectly into an ordinary apartment. It does not take up much space and can be decorated according to any interior.
For this type of fireplace you will need the following tools:
sharp clerical knife;- small sponge or brush for painting;
- good glue, you can use a special one for plastic or, for example, "Moment";
- construction tape;
- white water-based paint or putty;
- large cardboard boxes, best suited from a refrigerator or washing machine;
- paper;
- pencil or pen;
- ruler;
- Styrofoam.
How to make a fireplace:
- On paper, draw a sketch of the fireplace and decorative ornaments.
- Transfer it to cardboard boxes. To make it more convenient to work in the future, you can use different colors of handles for the main and auxiliary lines.
- Use a knife to cut a hole in the center of the structure from the boxes. This will be the firebox.
- Glue part of the front wall on top and sides to the back to close the empty space.
After the main work is completed, you can start finishing. The choice of jewelry depends entirely on the imagination and preferences of the owner.
The most successful options:
- pasting with tracing paper;
- pasting with original wallpaper;
- decoration of the fireplace with patterns;
- drawing thematic drawings.
On the wall fireplace, you can also install a shelf on top. However, for this, the fireplace must be strengthened. For these purposes, it is glued around the edges with a plinth.
The shelf can be made from a wooden sheet of plywood or similar material. It is important that it is not too heavy, otherwise the structure may collapse.
After the fireplace is reinforced with a plinth, you can begin to take measurements for the shelf. You need to cut it out, focusing on the dimensions of the finished fireplace, otherwise it may not fit.
The cut-out shelf is easy to install on top of the product. You can additionally strengthen it with glue.
corner fireplace
In many apartments, the space near the walls is often occupied by furniture or household appliances. But the corners, due to the layout, on the contrary, remain free. In order not to think for a long time how to decorate them, you can place a home-made fireplace made of cardboard boxes there. This design is also not too complicated, and can be made with the help of all family members.
Tools and materials that will be needed for work:
- adhesive tape (transparent);
- stationery knife and scissors with long blades;
- self-adhesive film or wallpaper with a brick pattern;
- roulette;
- large cardboard box;
- LED garlands or candles for decoration.
Step-by-step instruction:
- First you need to determine the amount of cardboard that will be needed to cover the corner space. If the fireplace is too small, it will visually give the impression that it is pushed into a corner.
- Next, you need to transfer the dimensions to paper and create a drawing. The corner fireplace should consist of three parts, from the side walls adjacent to the corner, and the front wall connecting the side ones.
- Next, all the elements need to be transferred to cardboard and cut out the details.
- The resulting walls must be glued with adhesive tape or good glue.
When the triangle is ready, you can start finishing it.
You can use self-adhesive film, original wallpaper, paints and other options. When the decoration is over, you can start making the shelf. As in the previous case, the ideal option for a shelf is a plywood sheet. But if this is not available, you can use the remaining cardboard.
The interior space of the fireplace also needs to be decorated. Electronic candles will become an artificial hearth, you can also use garlands with LED strips. It will look beautiful if you put them inside the firebox and cover with artificial firewood. Such a fireplace can additionally serve as a night light.
Questions and answers
A regular sponge works best. For hard-to-reach places, a thin brush is useful.
"Moment" will provide better adhesion. For cardboard, you should choose only really high-quality PVA.
In addition to water-based paints, acrylic can be used. Regarding color - you just need to add the desired color to the white paint.
No, you can simply apply the appropriate drawing in the form of a firebox to the front of the fireplace.
Decorative firewood tends to be sold around the holidays in gift shops and home improvement stores. You can also search on the Internet or make artificial firewood yourself from corrugated cardboard.
Even an inexperienced person can make a fireplace from cardboard boxes with his own hands. The process is not difficult, the main thing is to approach the matter carefully and securely fasten the structure. Such a fireplace will surely please all households and will certainly bring beauty and comfort to the interior.
Video tips for assembling a fireplace from cardboard boxes
