Digital Fireplace Screen

Create an amazing looking artificial fireplace in a single afternoon.

Step 1: Supplies Needed

Wooden Fireplace surround

Wooden Mantel Shelf

3D Foam Stone Brick Self-adhesive Wallpaper

Metal Fireplace Screen Protector

32" Smart LED TV

1x6 and 1x4 boards

Step 2: Begin Building the Frame to Contain Your LED Screen

Assemble the fireplace surround

(using 1x6 boards mount then across where the top and bottom of the screen will be)

Step 3: Mount Screen

Place a board under the TV to hold it up inside the frame, mount another board behind the screen to hold it in place.

Step 4: Check Screen Is Mounted and Stable

Make sure it looks squared away when placed upright.

Step 5: Final Assembly

Stain the wood to desired color and screw on the front the metal fireplace screen to give the screen a more authentic fireplace look.

Using the foam 3D brick, simply cut it and stick around where the screen is, it will cover any gaps in your boards used to surround the screen.

Step 6: Mount to the Wall and Finished!

Find the studs in your wall, mount a 2x4 flat across the wall screwing it in to the studs of the wall, then simply hang the fireplace and mantel by resting it on top of the mounted 2x4. The electrical cord should come out the bottom side to plug in.

Watching a fire:

Since this is a Smart TV you can play videos of fireplaces found online, it very quickly starts working and looks pretty slick, thanks for checking out the instructable!

Comments

[tesselation]

I want to build a cheaper version using a non smart TV and a raspberry pi, with wifi.
And make it multi-functional, possibly to show security cameras, a weather channel, home sensors status, etc, when desired.

[gwlinn123]

Thanks for sharing this! I've ordered a TV already. I was wondering where you purchased the wooden surround and mantle. I see that Wayfair has a number of reasonably priced screens. Thanks, Gary

[khinds10]

Thanks, yeah, I get used 720p TVs, they're considered junk because they're not HD. I found this surround on Amazon, it was only there for a week for some reason, then gone, perhaps on eBay. They're unfinished surrounds you can get.

[ThummarwitshW]

This is what I want to do. Thank you for your instruction. Happy Holiday.

[Treasure Tabby]

Wonderful idea! but a bit pricey for me.

[apiechocki1]

This looks like it would cost, in total, maybe $150. That doesn't seem that pricey. If you get the TV used instead of new, you may be able to get the total cost closer to $100.

[lgilber]

At a place I used to work, we had a small lobby in our administration building that was only open to employees. The cleaner used to decorate it for Christmas. I took and old 20" TV, an old VCR, and some old cardboard boxes and made a fireplace. I cut up boxes to make a mantle. I printed out images of bricks and woodgrain to cover the fireplace surround and mantle. Then, I used the Microsoft Winter Media package for the fireplace effect, which included crackling. Finally, I sent the output of my PC, which had composite video and audio in those days, to the VCR. I played Christmas music on my PC and recorded 2 hours of fireplace and music on the VCR. Then I put the TV and VCR in the box and let it play, set for autorewind and auto play, and turned it loose. People in the offices used to come take their lunch breaks in the lobby just so they could sit by the "Fire" and enjoy the music and setting.

I think today I'd use an old monitor or TV with HDMI input and a FireStick, and just find a fireplace on the web.

[hallcp]

You have some very nice touches to this design. I'll bet the effect is pretty strong in person. I wish I had the nerve to devote a TV to this kind of dedicated application. They are getting cheap...

[JimInRadfordVA]

I made a false fireplace for an apartment about 35 years ago. You have taken it to the nexty level. Nice job.

[Alex in NZ]

Nice! You've obviously heard of the definition of a fire as "thinking man's television". Thank you for sharing your yuletide work :-)

[seamster]

Clever!! :D