How to make fire from fabric. How to make an eternal flame with your own hands - a step-by-step master class

Many people like to watch the flames. At the same time, not everyone can place a real hearth at home with a real fire and firewood. Nowadays, there is a way out; it’s quite possible to make a false fireplace yourself; all you need to do is prepare: drywall (gypsum plasterboard), tools, and a good mood. However, when the installation of the frame is completed, the question arises of how to imitate a real flame in a fake fireplace.

Decorative home hearths made of gypsum plasterboard require compliance with fire safety standards, since such a design is designed exclusively for artificial fire.

Most often, craftsmen use the following types of fire imitation:

1. Use of steam.
2. Creation of "theater fire".
3. Use of salt lamps.
4. Installation in the TV hearth.

The most difficult way to create a decorative flame is with steam. Not everyone can create such an imitation, because it will require a specific set of components and special equipment, as well as skills in working with electronics.

To make a fire of this kind, you need to prepare:

1. DMX controller.
2. Fan with a diameter of 9 cm.
3. LED RGB lamp.
4. DMX decoder.
5. 3 ultrasonic fog generators.

These devices must be selected according to the parameters of the built fireplace, the layout, as well as the manufacturer and characteristics. It all depends on what initial result the master wants to get. All these devices are included in steam electric fireplaces, as well as concert electrical devices that create the effect of steam.

If the devices are connected correctly, it is possible to make an imitation using a cold glow system, which makes it possible to make a fire simulator that is difficult to distinguish from a real hearth.

If the master wants to use exactly this method of simulating a flame, it is important to provide the necessary parameters for the components and mount the fireplace of the required size.

The operating principle of such an electric fireplace looks like this::

1. A fog generator should be placed at the bottom of the container into which water is previously poured.
2. The generator has a membrane that creates vibrations at a specific ultrasonic frequency, providing reduced pressure. Therefore, it turns out, one might say, a vacuum and the water evaporates at room temperature.
3. Thanks to this, the steam rises.
4. The top is illuminated by an LED lamp.
5. A diaphragm is installed above the structure.

Assembly using technology will make it possible to create a more natural imitation of flame yourself in a false fireplace. The second way is the theatrical option. As is already clear, this method is used in theatrical circles for various kinds of productions. However, it is also suitable for making a dummy, imitation of fire.

To make such an imitation yourself, you need to prepare the following items:

1. A piece of light white silk fabric.
2. 3 halogen lamps with reflectors.
3. Silent, powerful fan.
4. 3 filters: red, orange and blue.
5. A box or a special bowl for assembling a false structure.

When everything is prepared, you can begin assembly according to the following scheme. A fan should be installed at the bottom of the box or bowl. The cord must be routed out. Next, you need to attach halogen lamps to one axis so that the light is directed upward. Then, at a distance of 20 mm above the lamps, you need to install light filters.

From the prepared material, you need to cut shreds of various sizes, preferably triangular in shape, as they will be more realistic.

The next step is to attach the flaps to the box, bowl along the edges of the fan. When the fan is turned on, a fire that is not real, but very similar to a natural one, will appear in the fireplace. This method is quite simple and makes it possible to create an almost real, mesmerizing flame in the fireplace.

Artificial fire for the fireplace: salt lamp

The use of salt lamps in artificial fireplaces to recreate a decorative flame is beneficial and is considered an effective method. A salt lamp is a special lighting device whose lampshade is made of untouched salt crystal. In the inner part of such a lampshade there is a regular light bulb.

When the lamp is connected, the lampshade begins to heat up and release negative ions into the air.

They bind positive ions (from household appliances), which have a detrimental effect on human health, thereby helping to improve the well-being of home residents. The disadvantages of this method include the rather high price of salt lamps, and the advantages: realism, aesthetics and ease of installation.

By using lampshades of various colors, it is possible to effectively and very simply create a non-natural flame in your fireplace yourself. In addition, by using several lamps of different sizes at once, it is possible to create an imitation of a fire.

DIY fireplace replica: TV instead of a fireplace

Another easy way to create a non-natural flame in a fireplace is to use a flat-panel LCD TV. But this method is considered the most expensive, since such equipment is expensive. Special LCD TVs have been developed that are produced specifically for artificial fireplaces.

They contain video footage of:

• Playing tongues of flame;
• With smoldering coals;
• With a bright fire.

This recording goes on in the hearth of the false fireplace. Sometimes a TV can be supplemented with special optics, which consists of light filters. With its help, the image of fire will be the most expressive and voluminous. In addition to this optics, it is possible to use a mirror system. They are located in the corners of the fireplace, and the picture turns out to be more realistic; such lighting looks very beautiful. In rare cases, it is possible to use holographic installations. But this is not quite profitable.

Decorative firewood for the fireplace

In specialized salons you can find an abundance of options for such products; quite realistic firewood with a natural log pattern is available for sale. They can be plastic or ceramic. Any imitation, purchased or made independently, is intended to add realism to a decorative fireplace in order to help you feel all the splendor: home comfort, harmony, tranquility and warmth.

Imitation of plastic firewood or coals, has a fairly simple operating principle.

Coal and firewood are illuminated with red lighting. The light bulb can be located inside the firewood. Of course, this is not so reliable, but still. More expensive electric fireplaces are characterized by flickering or a picture of artificially transmitted tongues of fantastic flame. It is possible due to a special mechanism in which special elements rotate around the lamp, alternating with transparent and shaded areas. Such lighting can be located either behind the fake logs, or in the inner part.

Exactly the same lighting system can be used to achieve the effect of fire, using natural coal, which should be placed in the niche of a false fireplace. In this case, the backlight should be placed from the bottom.

A believable imitation of fire in a fireplace with your own hands (video)

So, in an apartment there is absolutely no possibility of installing a real fireplace. However, a fireplace, even if it is artificial, requires imitation of a realistic flame. You can do this yourself in several ways, described above.

Imitation of fire can be achieved by placing candles in the fireplace niche. Many people do this, creating a kind of additional comfort in the room. To enhance the effect, mirrors can be placed on the inner walls of the fireplace.

A good option would be to use real logs, which are laid out on a shelf inside the fireplace, and the burning effect is achieved using LED strips.

To simulate fire with your own hands, an electric fireplace or a biofireplace is also suitable. They are placed inside on a shelf and plugged into the network.

Steam generator

More complex designs are also more realistic. A system using water vapor gives a good effect. It consists of the following components:

Fog generators are placed in a box. The water poured into them begins to evaporate and rises under the influence of the fan. The steam is illuminated by a lamp and creates a flame effect.

Electric motor

Models using an electric motor are also popular. A small motor rotates a drum or other shaped part through which light from an LED lamp passes, thereby achieving the effect of a burning fire. Glare and shadows fall on dummy firewood or the screen. Since everything happens in motion, the picture is bright and spectacular. In addition, the design can be made so that the speed of movement and the intensity of light change. However, everything looks rather unnatural and artificial.

This model can be improved somewhat by adding illumination of the internal walls and a translucent screen, as well as a device that will imitate the crackling sound of burning wood. Unfortunately, using a large number of electrical appliances means that they will add their own noise.

TV

Separately, it is worth noting designs based on the use of televisions. To be more precise, it is placed inside the fireplace LCD screen, which shows the image. Most often these are tongues of flame. But if you wish, you can use images of beautiful landscapes, etc. A good effect can be achieved by adding an optical system to the screen, including filters, lenses and glass. This allows you to make the image three-dimensional.

3d image

A fire in a fireplace can be created very realistically using holography. For this, a flat image is used, which with the help of special technologies acquires three-dimensionality. If you add an optical system and LED lights, you can achieve a very realistic image of a flame in a small space. In this case, the depth of the picture will exceed the actual depth of the fireplace.

LED technologies

An excellent effect can also be achieved using LED technologies or Real Fire. They are based on the principle cold fire. An important element of the system is the ultrasonic steam generator for the fireplace. The steam emanating from it is illuminated by halogen lamps. Special filters are used to give the desired color. At the same time, the steam below glows brighter and resembles real fire. Higher up, the light is dimmer, creating a smoky effect. Making an ultrasonic steam generator with your own hands will not be difficult for you.

Pepper's Ghost

In other technologies, a technique called Pepper's ghost and used by theater directors and magicians comes to the rescue. For example, they are used mirrors, installed in a niche at different angles. In this way, it is possible to combine individual objects into one three-dimensional picture. The Opti-Virtual series allows you to combine a virtual image of a fire with sparks with a dummy of logs. Using this technology, you can achieve extraordinary realism. The hearth looks very natural.

Made from silk fabric

Many people like to look at fire. At the same time, not every person can afford to have a real fireplace in the house with a real flame in the hearth. But today, thanks to the availability of such material as drywall, you can make a decorative fireplace with your own hands.

But when all the installation work is completed, the question arises of how to create an imitation of a real fire in a fake fireplace. This article will tell you how to do it yourself in various ways.

A decorative fireplace made of plasterboard requires compliance with fire safety standards, since this design is not designed for real fire. In addition, the apartment completely lacks the possibility of assembling a real fireplace.
But a fireplace, even if it is decorative, requires an imitation of real fire. There are several options for doing this yourself. The most commonly used simulation in this situation is:

• ferry;
• creation of “theater fire”;
• use of salt lamps;
• imitation of fire using a Christmas tree garland;
• installation of a TV in the hearth;
• use of candles.

Let's take a closer look at each of these options.

Steam instead of fire

Imitation steam

This method is considered the most difficult way to simulate fire in a decorative fireplace with your own hands. Not every person can make such an imitation, since it requires a specific set of components and equipment, as well as electrician skills.

To create this kind of fire, you will need the following components:

• special DMX controller;
• fan with a diameter of 90 mm;
• LED RGB lamp;
• DMX decoder;
• three pieces of ultrasonic fog generators.

These components can be selected according to the parameters of your existing fireplace, as well as the manufacturer and characteristics. It all depends on what end result you want to get.
All these components are included in the equipment for steam electric fireplaces, as well as concert devices for creating a steam effect.
With the correct connection of components, you can create an imitation of a cold glow type, which allows you to create an indistinguishable
from a real fire game. If you plan to use this particular type of fire simulation, it is important to provide the necessary equipment parameters and mount a hearth of the required size.
The operating principle of this installation is as follows:

• Place the assembled fog generator at the bottom of the container into which water will be poured;
• This generator is equipped with a membrane that vibrates at a certain ultrasonic frequency, thus creating a reduced pressure. The result is almost a vacuum;
• due to this, water evaporates at room temperature;
• then the cold steam, with the help of a fan, rises to the top;
• at the top it is illuminated by an installed LED lamp;
• We place a diaphragm over this entire structure;

Note! Bernoulli's law works near the diaphragm. According to it, the speed of air movement near the hole increases the more, the smaller the diameter of the hole. Therefore, the flame imitation takes on a more realistic look. You can try different apertures to get the most desired simulation result.

The assembly of such equipment can be carried out according to this scheme.

Scheme

Correct assembly of components will allow you to create the most realistic imitation of fire in a decorative fireplace with your own hands.

"Theatrical" version

As the name suggests, such imitation is most often used in various theatrical productions. But it is also good for simulating a flame in a false fireplace.

"Theatrical" imitation

To make such an imitation with your own hands, you will need the following components:

• a piece of light white silk;
• three halogen lamps with reflectors;
• quiet and large fan;
• three color filters. You need to take red, orange and blue filters;
• a box or a special bowl for assembling an imitation structure.

When all the necessary components are available, we proceed to assembling the false fire according to the following scheme:

• install a fan at the bottom of the box/bowl;
• We take the cord from it outside;
• then we attach halogen lamps above it in one axis. They should give light upward;
• then install light filters at a distance of 2 cm above the halogen lamps;

Note! We attach the light filters as follows: blue in the middle, and orange and red at the edges. Placing filters in this way will give the simulation greater brightness and relief.

Installing filters

• From the prepared shred we cut pieces of fabric of different sizes. Triangles are considered the best shape. They will make the flame more realistic;
• We attach pieces of fabric to the box/bowl along the edges of the fan.

When you connect the fan to the electrical network, an artificial fire will appear in your fireplace.
This method is easy to implement and allows you to create an almost real flame in the fireplace.

Salt lamp

The use of salt lamps in decorative fireplaces to create an artificial flame is considered the most useful and effective method.

Salt lamp

A salt lamp is a special lamp whose lampshade is made of raw salt crystal. Inside such a lampshade there is a standard light bulb. When the lamp is connected, the lampshade heats up and begins to emit negative ions into the air. They bind positive ions (emanating from household appliances), which negatively affect the human body, thereby promoting better well-being for all household members.
The disadvantages of this method include the fairly high cost of salt lamps, and the advantages are the ease of installation.
Using lampshades of different colors, you can effectively and very easily make an artificial fire in the fireplace with your own hands. In addition, using several lamps of different sizes at once, you can create an imitation of a fire.

Christmas garlands

Preparing branches

All people love New Year. Therefore, every person has more than one Christmas tree garland in their home. But few people know that with its help you can easily and quickly make an artificial fire in a decorative fireplace with your own hands. Therefore, this method is considered one of the simplest and most effective. Moreover, anyone can handle it, and the cost is very low.
To make the flame look like a real one, you will need the following materials:

• tree branches of various sizes;
• aluminium foil;
• lace. It can be easily cut from an old dress;
• stones (several pieces);
• glue;
• Christmas tree garland with a background color of red, orange or yellow. The best solution would be to use a flickering garland.

The simulation structure is assembled as follows:

• wrap the branches with foil without gaps;
• coat the lace with glue and attach it to the branches. Next, wait until they are completely dry;

Note! It will take about a day for it to dry completely.

• Next, you should carefully cut the lace case and remove the blanks from them;
• after that, in the hearth of stones, we lay out the stones in a circle;
• We place a garland in the middle of the resulting circle, and bring the cord and plug out;
• We place the resulting “lace” firewood in the manner of a fire.

Stages of forming a fire

Plug in the garland and enjoy the imitation of fire!
As you can see, this method is very easy to implement and will cost you much less than all other methods.

TV as a fireplace

TV in the fireplace

Another simple method for creating artificial fire in a fireplace is to use a flat-panel LCD TV. But this method will be very expensive, since such equipment is not cheap.
There are special TVs designed to be built into decorative fireplaces. They contain a recording of fire, which is played in the hearth of the fireplace.

Sometimes the TV can be supplemented with a special optical system, which consists of light filters. With its help, the image of the flame will become more expressive and voluminous.
In addition to this optical system, a system of mirrors can be used. They are located in the corners of the hearth, thereby making the image more voluminous.
In rare cases, you can also use holographic installations. But this is a very unprofitable method.

Candles and romance

The simplest, but also the most dangerous, way to create the illusion of fire in a decorative fireplace is to use ordinary lit candles.

Candles in the fireplace

But here it should be remembered that the fireplace should be sheathed with plasterboard sheets with fire-resistant properties. This will minimize the risk of fire.
Among other things, the candles will smoke, which makes this method less popular than all of the above.
This method is considered one of the design solutions to make the room romantic and fabulous. In this situation, candles can be placed individually around the perimeter of the hearth, or installed on a low candelabra.
As you can see, simulating a flame in a decorative fireplace with your own hands is possible in a variety of ways. All you have to do is choose the most suitable option for yourself, implement it correctly (if it is complex in execution) and enjoy the decorative fireplace even in your apartment.

From left to right:

• Distilled water;
• Fan 90 mm;
• DMX controller Velleman K8062;
• DMX decoder BESTEN DMX Decoder 350 ;
• LED RGB luminaire MD-9P ;
• 3 Chinese ultrasonic fog generators (bought in the offline store Living Water).

As it turned out after the purchase, the DMX decoder is a real construction kit that you need to solder, assemble, and test yourself. But it costs significantly less than ready-made solutions, and most importantly, it works.
One of the fog generators turned out to have its own non-programmable flashing LED lamps, but, fortunately, their light did not affect the final result at all.

Installation diagram

Fog generators are installed at the bottom of the container. The generator has a membrane that vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency, which results in the formation of a low-pressure region near the membrane (in simpler terms "near vacuum"), which is known to cause water to evaporate at room temperature.
This cold steam is driven upward by a fan and illuminated by an LED lamp, which is controlled by a DMX controller (in the video the color of the glow was static).
The diaphragm limits the outlet, which, according to Bernoulli's law, leads to an increase in the speed of fog flow. The cross-section of the hole was selected in such a way that the final effect was as similar as possible to a flame.
I tried different shapes of the diaphragm, different positions relative to the lamp, and this location is optimal.

Layout device

A couple more tricks with water

Levitating water 1

Water drips with a certain frequency, the strobe shines with a different frequency, which leads to an animation effect, i.e. a person sees only certain frames, but does not see intermediate states, because the lamp does not work. Thus, by highlighting the necessary animation frames, you can achieve this effect.

Levitating water 2

In this focus, the frequency of the subwoofer and the frequency of the camera are selected, which leads to the observed effect.

On cold days, when the soul requires warmth and light, we suggest creating an exquisite decor, ideal for winter: a stylized fire. It glows as comfortably as the real thing, but does not require a single match, no fire-making skills, or a special place in the fresh air. And even if you only know about fires what they look like, you will succeed with a bang. And this fire will be “homey”, and therefore very cozy.

For the “fire pit” you will need stones, small branches and twigs. And instead of fire we will have... a regular LED garland (for safety reasons). It doesn’t have to be beautiful or expensive; the simplest model that you recently used for a Christmas tree will do.

The only requirement is the yellowish color of the lights (there is no white or multi-colored fire, as you understand). Also make sure that there is an outlet nearby for connecting the garland. Or find a battery-powered model.

Today we will present you two master classes on how to make a decorative fire with your own hands. The materials are almost the same, but the decorative design is different.

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1. Decorative fire made of stones and untreated branches (basic master class)

Materials and tools: twigs and sticks of medium thickness, stones of different sizes, LED garland, superglue.

How to easily make a decorative fire with your own hands:

1. Place the stones in the shape of a circle - they will be the basis for the fire pit. It is advisable to do this on a dish or sheet of plywood to make it easier to move later.

2. Now place the garland inside. It is highly recommended to do this before installing the sticks, it will be much more difficult later. If the garland is powered from the mains, do not forget to remove one of the ends.

3. Connect the sticks in the shape of a hut, as for a real fire. Secure the ends with glue so that the composition does not fall apart due to careless movement (especially recommended for those who have children, animals or clumsy pets).

Ready! Brew something hot and invite your friends and family to warm up by the “bonfire.”

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2. Bonfire with frost (“advanced” option)

It differs from the previous, unprocessed version in thematic decor. Just look closely: it doesn’t take much longer to make, but it looks like an exhibit at a hand-made exhibition.

Materials and tools: twigs and sticks, preferably with knots, stones, LED garland, foil, strips of lace (lace braid or cut old curtain), fabric glue or PVA, aluminum foil, paint brush.

How to make a decorative fire with frost:

1. Wrap each stick in foil to completely cover the tree. This is necessary so that the lace does not stick to the tree.

2. Carefully coat each strip of lace with fabric glue, then wrap it around the foil rods. Wrap the lace so that there are no gaps left. When all the sticks are completely covered, set aside and wait until completely dry (it’s better to leave it overnight).

3. When the twigs are ready, use a sharp knife to cut the lace along the entire length of the stick. Don't be afraid to make a cut too deep - the foil will protect the tree from damage.

4. Remove the sprigs from the lace shell. Then carefully peel off the foil and remove it as well.

5. Now is the time to build a fire! Lay out the outlines of the fire pit with stones and place a garland inside. And the finishing touch: secure the lace “branches” in the shape of a hut. They are light enough to hold without falling, but we still recommend securing the structure with glue. Just in case.

Elegant winter decor is ready! Enjoy a cozy frozen fire, as if created by the Snow Queen herself.