Do-it-yourself decorative fireplace made of polystyrene foam for the New Year

If you still have sheets of polystyrene foam that are used to package household appliances, do not rush to throw them away - they will be useful for creating a small New Year's fireplace. Not real, of course, but during the holidays this hearth will become the highlight of your interior. Gift boxes, souvenirs, and candles will look great around it. It’s easy to make a fake fireplace made of polystyrene foam with your own hands for the New Year, without having any special accessories other than those listed below.

Materials and tools

To make a decorative fireplace from sheet foam with your own hands you will need:

foam sheets, size is not important, but larger ones are better;
toothpicks;
PVA glue;
textured braid;
a sharp knife, you can use a stationery knife;
primer or putty;
acrylic paint for decoration, preferably “gold” or “silver”, but other shades are also possible.

How to make a fireplace from polystyrene foam with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

Depending on the size of the foam fireplace, you need to cut out its main parts. In my case, with a decorative fireplace height of approximately 40-45 cm, the details are as follows:

2 sides (I have a size of 45 by 20 cm);
1 back wall (60 by 45 cm);
1 front wall (60 by 45 cm);
fireplace cover (can be replaced with a cardboard cover if there is not enough foam), size 70 by 25 cm.

CLUE. The dimensions can be changed depending on the size of your foam sheets. The decorative fireplace will not suffer from this.

Diagram or drawing of a foam fireplace

The fireplace diagram is approximately the same as in the figure below, use it as a guide.

Before cutting out the surfaces of the fireplace according to the drawing, make markings on a sheet of foam plastic with a pencil. For cutting, use a sharp knife, but a stationery knife is better - it is thinner and crumbles the foam less.

On the front wall, you additionally need to cut out a rectangular or round arch.

Economy idea

With this model you will spend a minimum of time, effort and materials. Detailed master class in a wonderful and understandable video: Part 1 - creating a structure Part 2 - Painting and decoration

You will need:

Foam strips;
Decorative cornice made of the same material;
Glue gun;
Knife;
Putty;
Dye.

How to do:

This option assumes any of your capabilities and wishes.

Connecting the foam fireplace base

It is difficult to glue polystyrene foam; almost no glue “takes” it, so use toothpicks to connect the parts. Pierce through both parts at the joints, pushing the toothpick all the way inside.

The box for the decorative false fireplace is ready. Prime the surfaces, paying special attention to the joints.

How to putty a foam fireplace

There are, of course, special mixtures for polystyrene putty. But in our case, there is no point in buying them; for priming, you can use not only special primer. Any putty will do, even ceiling paint if it has thickened to the point of sour cream. As a last resort, use PVA glue in several layers, letting them dry for 1-4 hours.

Finish options

It is advisable to know exactly what kind of finish the false fireplace will have before its construction, since this approach will help you choose the right building materials. For example, if you want to cover the surface of the fireplace with ceramic tiles, then it is better to use moisture-resistant drywall marked gypsum board, but if painting or finishing with plastic panels is planned, then it is quite acceptable to use the most common gypsum board, gypsum board.

Original solution for the bedroom

What finishing options are most popular today:

Painting with water-based or acrylic paint, usually white.
Pasting the building with wallpaper that matches the canvases used on the walls or contrasts with them. Using wallpaper with imitation brick and stone.
Decorating a plasterboard fireplace with gypsum stucco, similar to decorating plaster fireplaces. An alternative option is polyurethane stucco.
The use of plastic panels with imitation stone, brick, wood, leather, or whatever.
Using decorative stone to create a classic look.
Facing with porcelain stoneware or ceramic tiles in order to obtain a status structure.

The simplest finishing option is simple painting. Before painting, you should achieve even shapes and prime the drywall. The color can be made white, or you can use color and give the tone some shade. It should be painted in several layers so that the surface has a uniform tone.

White painted home fireplace

An original solution can be considered wallpapering the fireplace. You can choose vinyl wallpaper with high-quality relief, on which imitation brick, stone, or arbitrary ornaments and patterns will be painted. Wallpaper looks impressive on a false fireplace and goes well with the paintings on the walls of the room.

Gypsum finishing of false fireplaces allows you to achieve a high level of aesthetic appeal for the structure. If you are still thinking about how to decorate a dull plasterboard fireplace box so that it looks elegant and luxurious, then feel free to take stucco molding and glue it to it. It’s gratifying that if you don’t find a suitable stucco molding in stores, you can always make it yourself from plaster. This process is not only simple, but also exciting.

However, if you want to glue stucco molding to the fireplace, you need to prepare the surface by carefully plastering it. In the future, after installing the stucco molding, the entire structure should be painted to give it a finished look. When painting, it is better to use acrylic paints, since water-based compositions with a high water content can soak the gypsum elements and slightly deform them.

One of the most attractive and beautiful ways to decorate imitation fireplaces is decorative stone. In appearance, the artificial analogue of real stone is no different, so when decorating surfaces, an excellent result is obtained. At the same time, the installation of this finishing material is carried out according to a simple scheme and without unnecessary difficulties. Decorative stone adheres well to drywall using liquid nails or special glue.

Home false fireplace trimmed with decorative stone

Porcelain tiles are not the cheapest finishing material, but their most important advantage is their stunning appearance. In fact, such tiles are very similar to various finishing materials. You can make a finish similar to:

brickwork with various bricks;
stone with an interesting texture;
regular paint;
mosaic

The material has high strength and, as a result, durability. Porcelain tiles are glued to a plasterboard surface in the same way as regular ceramic tiles.

When the finishing of the external part of the artificial fireplace is completed, you should move on to the internal one. Here you can go two ways: either make an imitation of fire in the fireplace, or put decorative elements in the firebox. Each person chooses what is closer to him, but the easiest way is to put firewood, natural or artificial, inside the fireplace.

In conclusion, I would like to note that when decorating a false fireplace, you should pay attention to the interior of the room so that the building fits harmoniously into it. In this case, the dummy fireplace will become a full-fledged participant in the interior, the main character who takes care of creating a comfortable and cozy environment in the house

Design of a portal for a decorative fireplace made of polystyrene foam

To make the fireplace look elegant, glue braid along the edge of the arch. It can be of any color, the main thing is that it has convex details. To glue the tape, first soak it in PVA glue and then place it along the cut of the arch. PVA will not only glue, but also replace the primer.

How to cover a foam fireplace for the New Year

To decorate a decorative New Year's fireplace made of polystyrene foam, use decoupage techniques. Simply put, stick on beautiful New Year’s pictures, braid, pieces of bright fabric or paper snowflakes. I cut out snowflakes from regular table napkins and glued them onto the fireplace base using PVA. And to decorate the arch I used textured braid.

How to glue paper pictures onto polystyrene foam

If you are using napkins to decorate your fireplace, first separate them into layers. Napkins come in two and three layers. You only need the design layer.

Cut out the desired design along the contour, apply it (dry!) in the right place and spread PVA glue over the picture with a wide brush. Smooth the napkin over the surface and let dry.

You can shade the contour of the glued picture with acrylic paints. I did it with the same gold along the joints of the fireplace surfaces.

How and with what to paint a foam fireplace

If you don’t want to use pictures, you can paint the fireplace. However, it must be taken into account that polystyrene foam is a material to which paint does not adhere well. Gouache, watercolor, even acrylic roll into lumps on the surface. The best option is to first prime the surfaces of the foam fireplace, using, if not a special primer or putty, then at least regular PVA glue. And only after that start painting. The ideal option is acrylic paints: they are odorless, dry quickly, and are non-toxic.

CLUE. If you don't have colored acrylic paints, buy regular acrylic varnish at a hardware store. I always have “Interior acrylic varnish, colorless semi-gloss” on hand. Add gouache, pearl powder, pigment to it - experiment with what you have at hand. And paint the already primed foam with this mixture.

How to make a decorative fireplace with your own hands

In order to make the base and decorate a false fireplace, a variety of materials are suitable, each of which has its own properties. We offer a step-by-step look at 4 methods of creating portals and familiarize yourself with a selection of fresh ideas for implementation. If you want to combine several options in one, you should first draw a sketch by hand. The fact is that even the arrangement of very beautiful elements sometimes looks completely ridiculous. But it is the sketch that will help you visually evaluate the result and avoid mistakes.

Cardboard

The easiest to make is a cardboard portal, which means you can involve a child in the manufacturing process and thus spend time profitably.

For work you will need:

Wrapping paper or other decor.
Scotch tape and scissors.
Cardboard boxes.

The easiest way is to use 2 large boxes at once, for example, for a bicycle, a plasma TV, a heater, etc. One should be placed in the base, and the second will act as a base for the firebox. Mark a rectangular one for the firebox compartment and make slits at the bottom, top and bend it towards the back and shorten it in place. All elements should be securely glued together with tape. For decoration, it is worth using lightweight materials, for example, polyurethane skirting boards and wrapping paper. Cover the front sides with them using a heat gun or double-sided tape. It is not at all necessary to find spacious boxes; any packaging will do. To add rigidity to small boxes, glue them together in advance so that they can be used during transport. You can make this decor yourself, involve the whole family in the process, or give children the opportunity to be creative.

Penoplex

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to make a decorative fireplace with your own hands from polystyrene foam. In terms of quality and price ratio, this is the best option for an apartment. This design is lightweight and does not take up much space, and very few materials are needed for manufacturing:
Decorative elements and paint composition.
Adhesive for joining polystyrene.
Self-tapping screws.
Cardboard (packaging).
Penoplex sheets, 4 pcs.

Using a hacksaw to cut the foam into separate elements, the prepared parts are glued together. To continue working until the adhesive dries, secure the parts using self-tapping screws. It is worth cutting out rectangles from cardboard that have rounded corners, imitating brickwork. They should be used to decorate vertical surfaces. The finished product should be treated with paint and varnish and decorated with candles. There are other methods for creating a foam fireplace, and one of them with all dimensions, drawings and instructions is shown in the video below. The possibilities of the material are not limited to the options presented in the master class. In construction markets there are ready-made decorative elements made of polyurethane foam, which is easy to glue.

Drywall sheets

If the dimensions of a decorative fireplace, which is easy to make with your own hands, are small, then the profiles can be assembled into an independent frame. They try to attach bulky tall structures to the wall for reliability. In the first case, you will get an attached fireplace, and in the second, an exclusively stationary one. To make the base, you will need wall rack profiles or ceiling guides. If you have just completed the repair work, then you can use almost all the remaining material. The frame is assembled like this:

First, twist the lower and upper straps.
They are fastened using vertical racks.
Jumpers are added that form a false firebox.

To ensure the required rigidity, 2 self-tapping screws are screwed into each of the load-bearing units. Using a utility knife, cut out all the plasterboard elements and screw them onto the frame. It is worth considering the size of the overlap on the sheets from the end. To avoid errors in calculations, each new part should be measured only after the penultimate one has been screwed into place. In a fully sheathed structure, it is worth using putty to level the corners and joints. The more carefully the preparation work is carried out, the less it will be necessary to putty them. If you carefully approach the cutting of sheets and remove all the ends from the front part, you can design the product immediately after the drywall is fixed. Using gypsum boards and profiles you can assemble a full-fledged decorative fireplace, decorate it with stone, hang a beautiful Chinese fan or mirror. The main thing is to provide load-bearing bridges for heavy decorations. This will make an excellent decorative fireplace with your own hands from plasterboard.

Wood

Often it is young children who ask to make an imitation fireplace in the apartment. For this, the best option is made of wood, and if the guys try to climb into it, then nothing bad will happen.

Plywood can support the weight of even an adult, and for the work you will need:
Decoration: aroma candles.
Fastening - corners, self-tapping screws and liquid nails.
Finishing: decorative stone.
Finish: plywood with a thickness of 0.8 cm.
The cover is a window sill or stair step.
Frame – bars measuring 4*4 cm.

Once you decide on the dimensions, you can start twisting the timber frame. It is worth taking into account the dimensions of the finishing materials, and therefore the design will be heavy. Because of this, it is necessary to make a podium at the bottom for stability. All visible elements should be sheathed with plywood, and the cavities can act as hidden niches for storage. If required, additional shelves should be provided, and access to them should be from the rear. To prevent the wood base from being visible through the seams after cladding, it is worth plastering them and covering the surface with white paint. Decorative stone can be glued to liquid nails, and if the dimensions are calculated correctly, it can be laid without trimming. If desired, you can use finished wooden elements in the finishing – balusters, friezes and others.

Final assembly and decoration of an artificial fireplace made of polystyrene foam

Place the lid on the finished foam fireplace base and pin it in place using toothpicks.

Place candles (do not light them, only for decoration), pin tinsel, beads, Christmas tree balls and other New Year attributes.

Install a fireplace on a chest of drawers, on a windowsill, on a coffee table - the room will become more comfortable and there will be somewhere to put gifts.

The finished foam fireplace is pictured below.