How to Build a Surround For Your Electric Fireplace Heater
Buy The Electric Fireplace Heater First
You need to purchase your electric fireplace heater (that looks either like a fireplace or a stove) first so you can build a fireplace surround designed for scale to enhance the look of your electric fireplace heater.
Next Buy a Mantle Shelf
Every fireplace surround needs a mantle and for an inexpensive project the mantle shelf looks great. They come in all sizes so choose one that extends about 6 inches beyond each side of the hearth you are about to make for your electric fireplace heater to sit on.
Next Build a Hearth For Your Electric Heater
For a pleasing look, build your hearth box smaller than the length of the mantle shelf. You will need to decide what looks best but don’t make it the same length of the mantle shelf. You will need enough pieces of one by four pine to build a box (use wood screws to connect the boards) that serves as a hearth for the electric fireplace heater. Once you decide what size to make the box, then you will know the measurements for the pine boards. Cut a piece of plywood or have Lowe’s cut the plywood for you that fits the perimeter of the top of box you just made. You can paint the hearth black or cover the box with stone/mortar. The hearth needs to complement both the electric fireplace heater and the fireplace surround you will be making. Lowe’s can also cut the pine boards for the box as long as you give them the correct dimensions. Remember to sink the screws, fill with joint compound, and then lightly sand.
Position The Hearth
Your hearth should be slid back against the wall for the best visual effect. That means you will probably need to take out some baseboard and recut to butt up to the new hearth. The fireplace surround will have decorative boards that will fit flat against the wall and will fit against the top of the hearth box you just made.
Buy Decorative Boards
Buy decorative boards that will add an architectural element to the fireplace surround design. The lumber you choose needs to coordinate with the whole look that includes your new electric fireplace heater. You will be building a square U shaped insert out of these boards. Two boards will be placed vertically from the bottom of the mantle shelf that extend to the top of the hearth box you just made. Once those two boards are cut and either glued or nailed (there may not be a stud right under the board so use carpenter’s glue), then you measure the inside dimension between these two boards, and cut a board to fit between the two vertical boards to be placed snugly under the mantle shelf.
Paint Your New Fireplace Surround
Your electric fireplace heater is probably black so the fireplace surround and hearth probably need to be the same color; however, be completely free and creative.
You’ve just built a fireplace surround for your electric fireplace heater that makes the room pop. I know there’s not a picture to follow but get your fireplace surround design fixed in your head and new ideas will come. Before long you will be enjoying the fireplace surround and faux fire glowing brightly from your electric fireplace heater. Soft music, candlelight and Christmas stockings are optional.
