Cardboard Fireplace

Some people just love the idea of having fireplace in their home. It does manage to beautify or add an element of warmth to your abode. Especially during the festive time of Christmas, you could decorate the fireplace and place your Christmas tree near it. But what if you don't have a fireplace in your home? Well, you could even make a fireplace from cardboard. You could decorate it during the Christmas celebrations. Here is a list of materials that you would need for making a cardboard fireplace.

How to Make a Fireplace from Cardboard

Things You Require

• A big sized appliance box
• Brown packing tape
• Spray paint
• Pencil
• Knife
• Paintbrush
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Wrapping paper
• Black poster board

Procedure

• Tape all the open flaps of the box.
• Use the measuring tape to make markings measuring 48 inches down from the top.
• Make dotted horizontal lines along the perimeter on all the sides of the box.
• Now you need to cut along the lines you just marked to create a smaller box.
• Visualize and decide which side will be at the front of the fireplace.
• Take the measuring tape and from the front side, mark 12 inches from the top and side portion.
• Again cut along the marked dotted line and this should give you a square or rectangular-shaped front with the sides and top portion measuring 12 inches in width.
• Now you need to place the box down flat on the large remaining pieces of cardboard from the large sized box.
• Use a pencil to mark around the box you created.
• Cut along the marking and take this cardboard piece for taping at the back of the fireplace.
• Now you need to spray paint it using the desired color.
• Let it dry completely, make sure nobody smudges it by touching it while it is wet.
• It's time to be artistic, so use the paintbrush and paint rectangular brick pattern on it.
• Paint the bricks in horizontal lines and add a cream line between the bricks to give an impression of mortar.
• For giving the wooden feel of a mantle, you could use a strip of wood grain contact paper that measures around 2 inches over the top and around the top edge of the fireplace.
• Use the black poster board and cut 20 inches in length and breadth and stick it to the center of fireplace over the bottom of the fireplace.
• The fireplace would seem incomplete without the flames, so cut the cardboard for flames and use golden wrapping paper to cover the cardboard flames.
• Apply glue and stick the flames on the black poster board at the bottom of this fake fireplace.
• You could also place an electric candle to light up the fireplace.

These were instructions for making a fireplace from cardboard. I am sure kids will enjoy playing with cardboard and paint.