Nel has crafted an atmospheric mantelpiece around a new electric heater, with acrylic as the main material for the windows around the enclosure. When the wood burner was taken out, Nel missed the cosy fire but quickly found an electric alternative. The only issue: a lovely enclosure needed to be made. By creating a working drawing and having materials cut precisely to size, she built something that perfectly fits and is easy to move around. An ideal project for a dull lockdown winter!
The project
Nel designed and built a mantelpiece around an electric heater. The mantelpiece features windows made from acrylic. She ensured that the mantelpiece could be easily taken apart and assembled, making it portable. “We didn’t want to lug around wood anymore, so we bought an electric heater. Now we’re enjoying the result thanks to the enclosure I made,” Nel shares enthusiastically.
Step-by-step guide to making this yourself:
steps
-
Design
Begin with the design and prepare a detailed working drawing.
-
Cut
Have wood and acrylic cut to size according to your drawing.
-
Assemble
Assemble the mantelpiece following the ‘flat-pack’ principle so you can easily put it together.
Nel’s tips for others
“Make a makeshift model beforehand. Since I didn’t do this, mine turned out quite different from what I had envisioned. Also, make sure you have a good working drawing so everything fits.”
Other DIY Awards
Get inspired by other people’s DIY Awards entries. Or enter too and stand a chance to win fantastic prizes!
Unkown dynamic block (Blocks) > type: submitted_by