Fireplaces were invented hundreds of years ago for heating rooms with burning wood. However, wood fireplaces can now be installed not in every room. Therefore, the public was presented with a decorative electric fireplace, which has become a worthy analogue of wood structures.
Device and principle of operation
The construction consists of two main parts: a portal and a hearth. The portal is the external frame of the structure, and the hearth is the place for the furnace.
The hearth can be removable or built-in. The latter are most often made according to a special project, so installation difficulties are rare. Replaceable has different sizes, so the portal to it is selected in a particular case.
The portal performs only a decorative function. The hearth should perform two main tasks - lighting and heating. The indisputable advantage of the device is the possibility of use in the summer. To do this, turn off the heating and leave the lighting.
Principle of operation
There are several ways to create the effect of burning firewood. The most popular and spectacular among them:
- The horizontal electric fireplace is additionally equipped with built-in speakers that make the sounds of crackles of burning firewood.
- In the center of the hearth depict firewood, which is made from painted plastic bars. They are fastened with strips of red cloth (most often they use natural silk), an incandescent lamp and a fan are mounted below. When heated, the lamp begins to highlight plastic firewood, the fan accelerates the air, waving matter. This method is the most budgetary, but high-quality implementation creates a good picture.
- In more expensive configurations, a similar scheme is used, but slightly supplemented. Under the bars of plastic have a rotating reflector. The light gives glare to the wood and creates the illusion of dancing flames of flame.
- In the most modern fireplaces, the electrical simulation of fire is achieved through the projection of glare onto a vapor cloud, and multi-colored LEDs can also be used.
The device copes with the heating function with dignity, as it is equipped with built-in spirals and heating elements. They can be installed both on top and at the bottom of the hearth. The fan, which is equipped with the device, drives heat from the fireplace, and also contributes to its cooling.
Most modern electric fireplaces include electronic control, so the device works almost independently. It is enough for a person to perform only two actions:
- Connect the device to the power supply.
- Set the desired temperature in the room.
As soon as the set temperature is reached, the fireplace turns off automatically. When the room cools, it starts again.
Types of modern electric fireplaces
Depending on the technical characteristics and design features, electric fireplaces are divided by power, style, technologies used and the type of hearth.
Electric foci are divided into two varieties:
- 3D fireplaces equipped with three-dimensional imitation of live fire.
- 2D - uses a two-dimensional projection of the image of the flame languages.
-
- 2D
-
- 3D
In the latter case, the owners will contemplate a flat fire, give volume only to firewood. In general, the picture is attractive and looks lively. The advantage of designs is ease of operation and maintenance, reasonable cost.Of the shortcomings, repeated animation and a two-dimensional image are distinguished.
3D have a higher cost and need regular maintenance, but their advantage is a more realistic picture of burning. Sound and light effects, steam generators that simulate smoke, as well as the smell of burning wood are used.
By power, the devices are divided into the following types:
- Low power - 1 kW. Set to heat small rooms.
- Average power - 2 kW. Designed for heating rooms with an area of not more than 20 sq.m.
- High power - more than 2 kW. Such electric fireplaces are able to heat a small country house or studio apartment.
Based on the needs, they select a decorative electric fireplace of the required power and configuration.
Materials and Tools
With the independent manufacture of a fireplace, first of all, it is necessary to construct it. As a rule, the hearth is purchased ready-made in the store.
The portal for an electric fireplace is an integral component, it is a box with a decorative lining. The design will not be exposed to high temperatures, so you can use any material, even sheet:
- parquet or massive multilayer board;
- drywall;
- plywood;
- plastic;
- fibrous boards and / or particle boards;
- aluminum panels;
- glass;
- sheets of steel, powder coated or polymer coated.
Also, the portal can be built from piece materials, for example, stone or brick, but due to the high cost and large size, this method did not become popular. Most often, the frame is made of drywall. It is a tough material that retains its shape.
Before starting work, you need to prepare tools. To make a portal for an electric fireplace with your own hands you will need:
- screwdrivers and screwdrivers;
- construction level and plumb for installation of distortions;
- sandpaper;
- a grinder with a thin cutting disc or metal scissors;
- stationery knife.
If all the working equipment and supplies have been prepared, you can proceed with the design of the fireplace.
Preparatory stage
First of all, you need to consider the power supply and the place where the false fireplace will be installed.
The shape of the portal will depend on the selected location. You should familiarize yourself with the following options:
- Built-in design allows you to significantly save room space.
- The hinged structure is an unconventional approach, but it will look spectacular provided that the space around it will not be cluttered with various interior items.
- If the room is small, the most preferred option for installation is a corner. As a rule, this is the least demanded area, so the installation of a home-made fireplace will not affect the availability of free space. The base of the corner portal is triangular.
- Wall layout is the most common option, because it looks the most believable. But installation is possible only in one case - the room should be spacious. The shape of the portal is rectangular.
-
- Mounted
-
- Angular
-
- Wall
-
- Built in
If the room is so small that none of the above options is suitable, you can consider the option of embedding the structure in furniture or a partition.
At the design stage, it is also important to take care of the power supply of the outbreak. It is recommended that you install a power outlet near the fireplace installation site. You should not install it in such a way that it is inside the portal, despite the fact that this option is considered the most preferred from the point of view of aesthetics. A fireplace, like any other electric device, carries a potential threat, so it is important to take care of personal safety.
Design and calculation of parameters
At the design stage, it is important to pay attention to the following details:
- Design features. The main element of the portal are the products that are necessary for the unhindered circulation of fresh air. Otherwise, when the system is equipped with heating elements, the electric center will overheat.
- Sizes of a furnace opening. The edges of the holes should not block the frame. It is necessary to adhere to this rule, regardless of whether the frame is neutral or is made in any style.
- Dimensions of electric fireplaces. The dimensions of the portal should look proportional to the size of the source used. As a rule, the body is 2 times wider than the focus of willows 1.5 times higher.
Hooks or shelves are also important for securing the power cord securely.
Making a decorative electric fireplace with your own hands
Making a pedestal
As a pedestal, a worktop is most often used, which is laid on a metal frame approximately 50 mm high. It is made from various materials:
- chipboard;
- several thin plywood sheets glued together or thick plywood;
- a shield knocked down from several boards or an array of wood.
The most attractive look are the countertops, which were made of laminated MDF. You can find them at any hardware store.
In size, it should be slightly larger than the size of the portal. Around the pedestal for the construction of the side walls, a baseboard of the same color is used with a countertop.
Frame assembly
The frame is recommended to be built from a metal profile, which is specially designed for the installation of drywall structures. Assembly technology:
- The wall section closed by the portal is sheathed with a special fire-resistant screen. In this case, it is best to use a tin sheet with basalt cardboard, a less suitable alternative is an asbestos sheet.
- The marking of the drawing is transferred to the wall and countertop, the horizontal and vertical lines are necessarily controlled by the level or plumb line.
- A guide profile is attached to the wall with dowels and screws for marking. Its most suitable sizes are 50 * 40 mm.
- Using self-tapping seeds, a rack profile is attached to the guide profile in such a way that the result is a parallelepiped shape.
The resulting frame is reinforced with the same rack profiles.
Drywall
Cutting a sheet of drywall is carried out using a conventional clerical knife. The dimensions of the parts must be such that the seams between them fall on the frame. Drywall is fixed with metal screws 2.5 * 3.5 mm, black.
The screw is screwed so that the upper edge of its cap deepens into the skin by 1 mm. Then proceed to puttying and decorating the fireplace.
Design decoration
You can decorate an electric fireplace in different ways, using different materials. The most common decoration element is stones.
The design of electric fireplaces is not limited to the decoration of portals and the hearths themselves. A single and unique image can be created with the help of additional accessories. Pictures, clocks, various candlesticks and figurines are often placed on the mantelpiece.
A universal way to decorate a fireplace is the English style. Its characteristic feature is the large depth of the focus. Portals of such varieties of heating devices are framed by cherries, nuts and / or oak. An alternative classic option is the French style, which can be easily recognized by the fireboxes made of brick.
