How to build a faux fireplace

Faux Fireplaces are the perfect way to create a comfortable space with the feel of a fireplace in your living room. Faux fireplaces can upgrade any room by adding style and class. With some helpful tips, you can create your own faux fireplace surround for your mantel.

Whether it be a staged home or one that you’re making over yourself, most of us have seen the fabulous (and realistic) looking faux fireplaces that are often featured in magazines. Many would guess it’s a real fireplace, but the truth is, they’re not.

How to build a faux fireplace

Faux fireplaces are a great way to add a little ambiance and warmth to your home without having to worry about the mess and maintenance of a real fireplace. They can be used in both modern and traditional homes, and they’re especially useful in smaller spaces where a real fireplace would look out of place.

Faux fireplaces are also easy to build — you don’t need any special skills or tools. The hardest part is probably finding the right materials, but that’s what we’re here for! Here are some tips on how to build your own faux fireplace mantel or surround.

Faux stone veneer has been around for decades, but it’s still an extremely popular choice for DIYers who want to add some style and warmth to their living space. It comes in many different styles and designs, so you can easily find something that matches your decorating scheme.

You’ll also need some basic building materials like concrete backer board, screws and silicone caulk, along with some other supplies like paint brushes and drop cloths.

Building a faux fireplace surround is not difficult, and the results are well worth the effort.

The process is similar to building any other kind of mantel. You’ll first need to determine the size and shape of your mantel and then cut all the pieces required to build it. Once you have all your pieces, you can begin assembly by attaching them together with wood glue and nails or screws. In addition to being functional, it’s also possible to build a faux fireplace surround that looks like real stone or brick because there are many different materials available for constructing it.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of building a faux fireplace mantle. You will need the following materials:

1. Wood trim molding

2. MDF board

3. Wood paint

4. Paintbrush

5. Staple gun and staples

6. Foam brush or roller

The simplest way to build a fireplace mantel is to use plywood. It’s cheap, easy to work with and readily available at any home improvement store. The only downside is that it’s not as sturdy as real wood.

To build a mantel using plywood:

Measure the length of your fireplace opening and cut two pieces of plywood to fit snugly against each side of the opening. Cut one piece at least 1/2 inch shorter than the opening so it overlaps on both sides.

Cut two pieces of trim to fit above the top edge of both pieces of plywood. Trim should be at least 1/4 inch shorter than the top edge of each piece of plywood so there is room for nails or screws holding it in place. Nail or screw trim in place on both sides, then nail or screw bottom trim in place as well.

Attach a shelf between the two pieces of trim if desired, then paint or stain all visible wood surfaces with a wood finish appropriate for your decorating theme

Building a mantel is a great way to add character to your room. You can build your own mantel out of wood, brick or stone. Here’s how:

1. Measure the width and height of the fireplace opening and note how far it extends into the wall. Cut two pieces of plywood to fit inside the opening, making sure they are flush on all sides. Attach them together with wood glue and 2-inch screws driven into pilot holes.

2. Cut another piece of plywood for the front of the mantel that is about 1 inch wider than its thickness on all sides (for example, if your mantel is 3 inches thick, cut this piece 4 inches wide). Attach it to both sides (front and back) with construction adhesive and 1-inch screws driven into pilot holes drilled through from behind.

3. Measure from the bottom of your faux stone panel up to where you want it positioned on top of your new mantel. Apply construction adhesive at this height every 12 inches along one side of your panel piece and place it on top of your new mantel so that it’s flush across its width (this will be easy if you’ve measured correctly). Drive a couple nails through each piece into each other

A fireplace mantel is the focal point of any room. If you want to build your own fireplace mantel, there are many different designs you can choose from that will suit your décor and style. The easiest way to build a fireplace surround is by using cement board.

How to Build a Faux Fireplace Surround

1. Start by measuring the height and width of your fireplace opening and subtracting 2 inches from each measurement. This will give you the size of the cut pieces of cement board needed for each side of your fireplace surround.

2. Cut all four pieces of cement board at once using a circular saw with a carbide blade or a masonry blade for working with concrete and brick. A carbide blade will make cleaner cuts in the cement board, but both blades should work well if sharpened regularly (see Tip 1).

3. Attach two pieces of cement board together using 1-inch-thick spacers and screws every 6 inches along their edge where they meet (photo 1).

4. Use this same method to attach two more pieces together in another section so that they create three sections of two pieces each when viewed from above (photo 2).

Faux fireplace mantels are a great way to create the look of a fireplace without the need for a full fireplace. They can be built in any size and shape, and can fit snugly into existing spaces or be made to stand out.

A faux fireplace surround is easy to build with basic carpentry skills. The materials required are simple and inexpensive, making this project both affordable and quick to complete.

Materials:

1x4s (8) – cut into 45-45-90 triangles, two per side of the mantel

1x3s (6) – cut into 45-45-90 triangles, two per side of the mantel

2x4s (4) – cut into 45-45-90 triangles, one per side of the mantel

MDF board pieces – cut according to design requirements

How to Build a Faux Fireplace Mantel. This project will be a little different than most of the other projects you will see here on DIY Network. The reason is because this is not a project that I can show you how to build from start to finish. The reason for that is because I do not have the equipment needed to make this project happen.

You will need at least two people for this project, but three would be better. It is also very important to have some extra hands around when building your fireplace mantel so that you can keep it level and straight while you are adding all of the trim work onto it.

Materials Needed:

4×4 posts (2) cut at 45 degrees for the corners of your fireplace surround

4×4 post (1) cut at 45 degrees for the center support beam

1×6 boards (24) cut into 4 foot long pieces, 1 inch by 6 inches wide, these will be used as framing pieces for your fireplace surround

12×12 inch tiles (8) cut into 2 foot long pieces, 1 inch by 12 inches wide, these will be used as bricks in your fireplace surround

How to Build a Faux Fireplace Mantel

I’m going to show you how to build a faux fireplace mantel. This is a fun project, but it does take some time and skill to complete. So if you are looking for an easy weekend DIY project, this might not be the right one for you.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below and I will answer as soon as I can!

Materials:

Woodworking Tools:

Table Saw (or circular saw)

Miter Saw (or circular saw)

Drill

Sandpaper (100 grit through 220 grit)Router

In this article, we’ll show you how to build a fireplace surround from scratch. This project is perfect for the DIYer with basic skills and some patience.

The materials you’ll need include:

Wood glue

Wood screws (1 1/2-inch)

A saw (preferably a miter saw)

Sandpaper (100 grit)

Stain and varnish (optional)