Last year I decided our living room fireplace needed a little refresh, a DIY fireplace cover board! I originally designed this DIY fireplace screen during the summer since we weren't using our brick fireplace during the warm summer months. I wanted something light and bright to cover the deep black hole that is our fireplace.
Our previous free-standing metal fireplace cover (which I didn't really love) was gladly folded up and put away to clear the path for this new addition. Initially, the plan was to use this new screen during the summer and then switch back to our less attractive fireplace screen for the colder months. But I loved the look of this DIY screen so much that even three years later, it's still proudly in place!
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Why you will love this easy project
- Instant Transformation: Elevate the look of your living room fireplace with a simple and elegant DIY solution.
- Cost-Effective: Compared to purchasing a new fireplace screen or fireplace doors, this project offers a budget-friendly way to update your fireplace's appearance.
- Personalized Style: Choose from a wide range of peel-and-stick wallpaper designs to match your home decor and express your personal style.
- Easy Installation: The step-by-step tutorial makes the process easy to follow, even for beginners.
- Year-Round Appeal: Whether it's summer or winter, the DIY fireplace cover board is versatile enough to enhance your fireplace's aesthetics throughout the year.
- Minimal Supplies: With only a few basic supplies needed, this project won't require extensive shopping or preparation.
- Time-Saving: Complete the project in a short amount of time and enjoy the immediate visual impact it brings to your space.
- Customizable: Adapt the project to fit various fireplace sizes and shapes, ensuring a snug and tailored fit.
- No Mess or Glue: Peel-and-stick wallpaper eliminates the need for messy glues and ensures a mess-free application process.
- Easy Maintenance: Cleaning is a breeze – simply wipe the peel-and-stick wallpaper with a damp cloth to keep it looking fresh.
- Enhanced Focal Point: Create a stylish focal point in your living room that draws attention and complements your overall decor.
- Flexible Design: If you decide to change your decor in the future, the peel-and-stick wallpaper can be easily removed without damaging surfaces.
- Customize Styling: Personalize the space around the gorgeous fireplace cover board with decorative items like mirrors, picture frames, or seasonal accents.
- Reader-Approved: Join the ranks of those who have successfully transformed their fireplaces with this DIY project that has stood the test of time.
- Unique Solution: Stand out with a fireplace cover board that's unique to your home and not off-the-shelf like traditional fireplace screens.
This project offers both visual appeal and practical benefits, making it a rewarding and enjoyable DIY venture for anyone looking to enhance their living room fireplace.
Functional benefits of this cover board
I always get excited when a great idea comes to life! I wanted a simple solution to change the look of the front of our updated fireplace for our family room. This screen has become the focal point of the room. While it was not the main reason, we do find that the best part about this fireplace cover is it acts as a draft stopper and reduces the amount of cold air that seems to sneak in through the open fireplace, resulting in reduced heating bills. Our winter months here in Massachusetts get pretty cold!
This is by no means an unused fireplace, in fact behind the screen sits the fireplace grate holding birch logs ready to go with our own fireplace screen close by because who doesn't love a toasty fire on a cold winter night?
Supplies
- Elmer’s tri-fold foam display board (Note: This display board has a thin layer of foam between 2 pieces of poster board, the thickness is what holds it in place)
- X-Acto Blister-Carded knife
- Peel and Stick Wallpaper ( I used this one)
- Sharpie
- Scissors
Instructions
- Purchase an Elmer’s tri-fold foam display board from Walmart (they offer various sizes to fit different fireplaces).
- Position the board in front of your fireplace opening, with the front panel flat against the opening.
- Trace the fireplace shape:
- Hold the front panel in position
- Fold in one side panel and trace along the brick edge with a Sharpie
- Repeat with the opposite side panel
4. For arched fireplaces like ours, freehand tracing works best; for square openings, use measurements.
5. Ensure you trace accurately for a snug fit that will stay in place without additional support.
6. Cut along the traced lines with an X-Acto Blister-Carded knife.
7. Cover the cut foam board with peel-and-stick wallpaper (I found mine on Amazon):
- Simply peel the backing paper off
- Carefully apply the wallpaper to the foam board
- Smooth out any air bubbles as you go
8. Trim the excess wallpaper:
- Use scissors for the initial rough cut around the edges
- Follow up with an X-Acto knife for a precise finish right against the foam board
9. Once the paper was securely in place, I used my scissors to carefully trim away any excess paper, ensuring a clean and neat finish for the fireplace cover.
This paper was the ideal solution and the end result is beautiful.
Styling around the fireplace cover
From there I simply placed the new fireplace screen in the fireplace opening and had fun styling the space! I simply layered a few mirrors and empty picture frames with some added blooms on our new mantel. I love how it looks and how this simple addition just brightens up this whole space. Click here for more ideas for using empty picture frames in decor. For the front of the fireplace, I added a large vase of beautiful branches from our yard. I also hung a fun paper chandelier!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, many readers have found that the DIY fireplace cover board not only enhances the aesthetics of their fireplace but also reduces cold air infiltration during winter months, potentially leading to lower heating bills.
For irregularly shaped fireplace openings, tracing the shape of the opening onto the foam board while it's folded can help ensure a snug fit. For square or rectangular openings, using a tape measure will ensure accurate measurements.
Peel-and-stick wallpaper and foam board are not designed to be heat-resistant. While it should be fine for covering a fireplace opening, avoid direct exposure to flames or excessive heat.
To achieve a smooth application, make sure to carefully remove any air bubbles as you stick the wallpaper onto the foam board. Using a flat edge, like a credit card, can help smooth out the paper and eliminate wrinkles. For more information and tools to help get a smooth finish visit my Quick and Easy China Cabinet Makeover Using Wallpaper post.
While the specific brand and type of foam display board used in this tutorial is recommended for its sturdiness and size, you can experiment with other brands as long as they are of similar quality and dimensions and have a foam filling.
Due to the pattern on the wallpaper, the seam is barely visible.
For more fun Wallpaper projects, visit my Wallpaper Decor Ideas You Can Implement in a Day post.
Thank you for visiting the blog today for this fireplace makeover, one of my favorite DIY projects! This Easy DIY Fireplace Cover Board is a fantastic solution to elevate your fireplace from drab to fab with just a little bit of effort. And while you're here, don't miss out on another creative project: Revamping a Small Chandelier with Embroidery Hoops into a DIY Farmhouse Orb Light.
This simple screen was one of the final pieces to pull together our cozy white living room. If you’d like to see the full room and other projects that made it feel finished, you’ll find them all in my White Living Room Ideas Guide.
Keep creating friends!
How does it stay in place? Is the fit so tight that it just fits snugly inside the frame of the fire place or do you have it braced from behind in some way?
Great idea!
Thanks!
Hi Skip, the foam board has a bit of thickness to it, id say 1/8" which helps it grab on to the brick. There just enough room for my fingers to slide it in place and the foam board/bricks do the rest. It is also fairly light so between the bricks holding it and its weight it simply just sits in place - unless one of our dogs bumps into it (which happens!) Hope this helps!
LOvely! don't the folds of foam core show? Not quite sure how you traced it and got rid of the folds.
Thank you!
Hi there, There is just one fold and it really doesn't show with the pattern of the wallpaper. Hope this helps!
Love this idea and made my own fireplace cover using the same wallpaper! Thank you! Would you please share what type of flower you have in the vase on the mantle? If it is artificial is there a place to purchase? Thanks again!
Hi Desiree, Thank you for visiting the blog! the stems in the vase are from our yard, I'm not sure what they are.
I love & plan to do this. Was it hard to get the foam to sit right up in place on its own?
Hi Christy, yes a bit challenging especially over time. We got a puppy and she bumps into it often - so it has gotten looser over time.
Beautiful!
Thank you Madeline!!!