You now have a no-fuss, faux fireplace. Want to build your own fireplace insert draft stopper? DIY Fireplace Cover Tutorial | eHow Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Salvaged Living with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Hunter holds a BFA in Entertainment Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and a Minor in English Writing. This fireplace cover is super easy to make on your own and the perfect addition to your home. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Join our FREE newsletter and get new projects, ideas and inspiration straight to your inbox! WOW! One of the best ideas I discovered was to install glass doors in front of the fireplace. It takes at least 30 to 40 minutes to activate and see the rust change take place. By Manasa Reddigari Updated May 25, 2021 6:47 PM. Want to make sure you don't break the board with an errant karate chop.- Take some thin foam insulation tubing and stuff up any remaining small gaps. Looks like an attractive solution, but I before I build it I am wondering what keeps it from falling forward or backward? If you still have cold drafts leaking into your home even when the flue damper is closed, it could be that its too worn out. Save on your electric bill plus keep bugs out. Simply place the Draft Guard in front of your metal fireplace opening when it is not in use to keep warm air from escaping your home and cool air from entering your heated living space. eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Inspect the fireplace for any gaps or cracks around the fireplace. Meanwhile, custom-sized chimney caps are more expensive and are usually mounted outside the chimney to cover both the chimney crown and top. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I could barely feel any draft coming through now so Im satisfied with the project and would say about 95-98% air is contained in the fireplace. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Excellent diy, and thanks for sharing. Apply insulation batt or spray foam within the framing of the wall up to the ceiling or roof line. Fireplace magnetic draft cover. Draft Decor - Fireplace Flue Cover Based in a medieval hill town in central Italy, when Toni isnt documenting her travels around Europe, shes tending her garden or honing her clay-court tennis game. 1 x 4 cedar boards worked well for the frame. Keep the guard over your fireplace whenever you arent using it. Allow to dry 5 minutes or so and then lightly spray again. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Buy a guard in a color that accents the inside of your house. This base coat needs to dry completely - approximately 12 hours. Standard chimney caps are cheaper and only seal the flue opening. These include fiberglass insulation, a screwdriver, a power drill, a hammer, clamps, pliers, protective gloves, wrench tools, and sockets. Attach a shelf bracket to the bottom of each 2x4 "leg" to add additional support to the fireplace cover, so it doesn't tip over once it's upright inside your fireplace. What Can You Use To Insulate A Fireplace? Absolutely looks like an old piece of rusted metal! wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Finish off your fireplace hole cover installation project by hand-adjusting the clamps that secure the lintel bar to the hearth. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. Used to reduce maintenance costs and prevent the heating loss; Suitable for winter and summer, keeps the air circulation in house stably; Available in 4 sizes, suitable for most fireplace vent and can be cut for a snug fit; Packed and delivered in a roll, prevent damage from . They also keep out smoke. Stopping this cold convection will give you a lot of relief. Learn more Everyone likes to cozy up in front of a fireplace during the cold months. L x 32 in. Whether store-bought or handmade, fabric draft stoppers long, rectangular cloth tubes stuffed with soft, pliable filling are a stylish and simple way to block drafts that leak through cracks and gaps at the base of fireplace doors, screens and inserts. Installing glass doors to the front of an open-hearth fireplace can nearly double the fireplaces heat efficiency. For me having a wood-burning fireplace is a must for heating my home in the cold and dreary winter, but there are times when a storm is on the way or the days when its windy out that I can feel a cold draft wafting from my fireplace opening. You must remove the covers when you have a fire to get warm air circulating. You just have to really think it through to make sure you cut the angles in the right direction and use the short side of the trim as your measurement for length. 99 $26.99 $26.99. Thank you! These insulated fireplace covers are the easy affordable and attractive solution you have been looking for to stop the cold winter air and hot humid summer air from entering your home from outside and your expensive heated and cooled air escaping through the chimney. You will want to play with it to get the desired finish you like. Once you've exposed the raw masonry, mix up a batch of thinset concrete and spread it over the surface of the brick using a broad, flat hand trowel. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Its the best! This worked perfect, I feel no air. Cut your reclaimed lumber edges at 45 degree angles. Measure and Cut Your Fabric Measure the body pillow length and width then double it. Your email address will not be published. I had put a lot of time and money into ensuring most of the house was as airtight as possible, not knowing it would adversely affect my fireplace. We can make any size to fit your needs. I just built mine and am having the same problem Pam, did you find a solution yet? []. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). The US Department of Energy notes that the typical American homeowner incurs as much as $275 in annual energy expenses due to air leaks through unsealed masonry fireplaces. If you have an old wood-burning stover, or even one converted to gas logs, you likely know this old fireplace can be the source of cold air and drafts in the winter. Cut the next side and notch out where there are any overlaps. If you want to rust all the things now, then check out my supply list for links to the products I used here! Cover an outdated brick fireplace with contemporary tile. Whether you use a chimney balloon, a fabric draft blocker, glass doors or even create your own decorative cover, a fireplace draft stopper will keep your home warm while lowering energy costs. Be sure that the air pressure is turned down so the nails dont pierce through the back of the insulation. Measure the straight edges. It sends chills up my spine each time. Fireplace plugs (a.k.a. If the liner is not lined up properly or in the right size, it will cause a cold air draft from the fireplace. Well thank you Claire! 1. I purchased pre-cut wood slices from the craft store for this project, but you'll definitely save some money if you have a circular saw and cut your own slices from branches and logs found outside. If you lit the fire and forgot to open the damper, use pliers or an oven mitt to pull the lever so you dont burn yourself. Lay each piece inside the frame and use the speed square to scribe a line where you need to cut. No. The first step is to determine how large you want your fireplace hearth cover to be. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. It just adds that little something. Want more ways to save on energy bills and prepare for winter? It actually works to rust wood, metal, masonry, painted surfaces and plaster. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. I have a similar brick-face fireplace and was about to do a similar cover using the rubber edge or bumper. Its not hard and you can complete it in an afternoon! Flehomo Fireplace Cover to Block Draft from Fireplace Vent . This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. This rusty fireplace insert is a perfect draft stopper and makes your fireplace look gorgeous long after the winter fire burning months have passed. Be sure to check and see if your base piece fits into your fireplace opening at this point and alter if necessary. After all, thats its job, to keep smoke from choking you. 8 Ways to Follow on How to Make a Fireplace Hearth Cover. Using an electric drill and a 5/16-inch drill bit, drill two-inch deep holes in the spots that youd marked out during the previous step. DIY Fireplace Cover! DO This to STOP Losing MONEY - YouTube Thank you Karolyn I am really proud of how it turned out, it truly looks stunning in person and would fool anyone that it isnt an old piece of metal! Covering the Fireplace with a Draft Guard Download Article 1 Measure the width and height of the fireplace opening. You can use a butter knife to help roll-squeeze it in. Now add houseplants, bookshelves or completely brick-over the space. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Remember measure twice cut once in wood working! Once you find the measurements, make sure you buy a guard that is at least the size of the opening. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Stir Metal Effect Oxidizing Iron Paint well with stir stick. Check the fit of the cut pegboard with the edge bumper inside the fireplace opening. Look through the trim selections and pick a style that goes with your decor. I hope that helps!? I was lucky, I found solutions that worked for me, but if your chimney is barely working, skewed, and parts are falling off, getting a new one is best. Even if youve addressed the issues above a fireplace can still be drafty. You may need to tweak it and cut away some more until a good pattern emerges. Decide the Size of Your Fireplace Hearth Cover. Our cover will slide up under a small upper awning if you choose to cover the top vent. Insulated Magnetic Fireplace Cover | Fireplace Fashion Use a Kreg Jig to make pocket holes in the corners. Excess build-up can cause a chimney fire. Before deciding whether to purchase or hand-make a fireplace draft stopper, check out our list of the kinds of stoppers that are available. Once you have the right product you can make all new things look vintage and yummy! Also have them cut two pieces from a 2x4 to the same height as your fireplace opening. It works fine but a little more wiggle room would be better. They even block smoke. No one likes a drafty fireplace; for me, it was a real issue until I researched the causes and discovered a few quick and easy solutions. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned once a year so build-up does not form. Magnetic Fireplace Vent Covers | Fireplace Draft Stopper | Fireplace Dry fit each piece and continue until youve filled the frame. Sanded and stained in richer tones, the branches take on the look of freshly chopped logs. Gaps and cracks in your chimney masonry . Here are some solutions I found:-. Lets get started and make sure you scroll down for a supply list. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. (Pssst. Allow wallpaper glue and all adhesive to dry completely, overnight is best before you move to the rust process. This fireplace cover is very simple to make yet very effective to stop losing energy and stop draft coming in, which in turn saves a lot of money in our pockets! 8 Best Fireplace Draft Stoppers | The Family Handyman I really am in love with this project, you should absolutely rust something!!! Writing about practical steps we can all take to reduce our impact on the environment. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Fireplace Chimney . To effectively seal off your flue opening, you can install a polyurethane chimney balloon sealer or a silicone rubber flue pipe sealer. Sand down smooth once dry. Fireplace Draft Stoppers & Excluders (A Complete Guide) As a bonus, it also eliminates that big gaping black hole in the living room. Its one of the last options you should consider, but I need to mention it; sometimes, if all else has failed, the problem might be solved by investing a little money to build a new chimney. 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