How to Build A DIY Fireplace For A Fraction of the Cost (Photos)

There's nothing quite like the warm glow of a fireplace to boost the mood and value of a home. Unfortunately, the installation of a fireplace in a home not already equipped with one can cost a homeowner a fortune, which eliminates the dream for a lot of folks.

On the low end, homeowners can expect to shell out at least a few thousand dollars to have a professional assemble a standard ventless gas fireplace with a basic surround (i.e. tile/stone, mantel, etc). If you're looking for something a little more high end, or even a little more custom, then you're talking about a high probability of spending upwards of $10,000 or more. For the common homeowner just wanting to add an occasional heat source and focal point to a room, that's quite an investment!

As if the cost wasn't enough to scare off some, you also have to consider the pros and cons of the fireplace options: ventless gas, direct vent gas, electric, wood-burning and so on. A quick dive online will yield a mixed bag of reviews on each. Add on extras like fancy tile work, solid wood mantel, and custom stone, and the decisions really get tough. Not to mention trying to nail down pros you can trust to show up, do the job right, and at the right price!

Depending on what you're looking for, I'm here to tell you that it may be possible to achieve your vision for much less than you think. What's the catch, you ask? It may require some research, patience, willpower and extra time on your part to get it done.

In my case, my wife and I recently moved into a new home after a fairly lengthy housing search. During the house hunt, one of our desires was to find a home with a fireplace already ready to go. As fate would have it, the house we wound up buying did not in fact have one in place, so getting one was near the top of our list once moving in.

As we began searching for local companies to do the job, we quickly realized that there was a wide disparity in both price and what the pros recommended. One company quoted us a basic product (ventless box, logs, and run gas line) for around $3,000, but that did not include the framing of the surround, mantel, tile, hearth, etc, which would have likely pushed the total up over $5,000. Simply put, I wasn't a big fan of having to piecemeal the job out to multiple contractors. After much effort, we eventually found a place that would do it all (or nearly all), but it would come at a steep price. Their quote was for over $11,500 and did not include running the gas line. Furthermore, we as the customer would have to supply the mortar and facing for the surround at an additional cost to us.

At this point, we were a bit discouraged. In order to get the fireplace we longed for, we would likely have to bite the bullet and break the budget. There was even talk to scrap the idea altogether. Although not the handiest of guys, my pride did not want to let the fireplace dream go so easily.

It was around this time when I began scouring the web for tutorials, articles and videos on framing a fireplace, and quickly realized that these guys weren't exactly reinventing the wheel, so to speak. Once I felt good about how I would negotiate the framework, I further explored tiling, stonework, and so on. I had previous experiences with sanding, priming, and painting, so I already felt confident in that area. With my newfound knowledge and motivation, what I once thought was an impossible task suddenly became something I knew I could do. It just came down to putting in the time and possessing the right tools/materials.

Before going any further, for anyone thinking about building a fireplace of your own, I cannot stress the importance enough of careful planning throughout the project. Check all your measurements tediously, think about your plans from all angles to avoid any unforeseen issues, and don't be tempted to cut any corners.

Okay, back to the action. First and foremost, I knew we needed to decide on the right fireplace insert to build around. We opted for electric given its affordability and relative ease of installation. There was no running of gas lines and no permits needed. But that still left choosing the right dimensions to fit the space we wanted it to go in.

Now, let's take a look at what the area looked like before. As you can see below, plenty of unrealized potential, don't you think?

To kick off the project, we decided on purchasing the PuraFlame 33"electric insert. The insert boasted hundreds of positive reviews and the dimensions fit what we were striving for, conceptually. After choosing the insert, after a deep dive of mantel options, we ultimately landed on the classic look of the Windsor by Pearl Mantels. The fact that it was made with solid wood (not MDF) was an important factor as well. With both the insert and mantel on the books, we now had the centerpieces we needed to build the rest of the project around.

Now, here's the part where the project began to become customized to our particular needs. My plan was to wall mount a TV above the area, run the wires behind the wall, and into a shelf nestled well above the insert and behind the top portion of the mantel. This shelf would house our internet modem/router and power strip for any necessary TV-related power. 

In order to do that, some changes to the current setup of wall outlets had to be made. Namely, elevating the cable outlet, electrical outlet, and installing a media box (for TV power wire, HDMI wires, etc) to the height needed for the storage shelf. Because we opted to go with a 1500 watt insert, it is advised that we only use on a dedicated 20 amp circuit, which we did. Note: Please be careful when working with any electrical components and hire a licensed electrician, if necessary. 

Once preliminary setup on the wall was complete, and some rough pencil marks were made for dimensions, it was time to begin on the hearth. In our case, I used some 2x4 studs to frame out the base of the hearth, making it about eight inches wider than the mantel, with a front-to-back depth of two feet. Because the fireplace insert measured about eight inches deep, I needed to give myself plenty of space to tuck the insert into the eventual surround, with a few inches to spare from the wall and about 12 inches to spare from the edge of the front of the hearth base.

Note: I used 1/2 inch, birch, primed plywood to nail/screw onto the 2x4 base.

And here is a snapshot of the mantel sitting on top of the hearth!

While most mantels sit flush against the wall, I wasn't going to be able to do that, due to the space needed for the depth of the insert. So, if we weren't building outward, that means we had to go in. And that meant creating something solid to secure the mantel to. In order to achieve this, I opted to frame 2x4 studs on the wall, and then at the same dimensions on the mantel itself, leaving enough room for pieces of 1/2 inch plywood to eventually be attached and secure the space on the sides. I forgot to show here, but don't forget the 2x4 stud(s) to use as bottom support for the eventual shelf.

I left about a 1/2 inch on each side so the plywood pieces would align fairly evenly once attached to the actual mantel front. The goal was to create a structure that looked like one uniform piece. 

Because the fireplace insert was smaller than the opening of the mantel itself, I needed to cover the back with plywood to create a surface to build a surround. I did this by carefully screwing pieces of plywood strips to the back, and then subsequently screwing a properly measured plywood piece.

Be careful not to use screws that will go all the way thru and damage the front side!

Here's a snapshot of what the front looked like after securing the back. You'll see where I cut out the middle portion of the surround to create a "floating" look a little later.

Before going any further, I figured it would be a lot easier to install a wall-mounted TV without a protruding fireplace to navigate around. Securing the mount to the wall studs and feeding any necessary wires thru before placing the TV was obviously key!

And here we are with the TV and insert sitting in place. Starting to come together!

Here's a look down from the very top of the mantel pre-shelf. You may notice the two cinder blocks sitting on the hearth. They'll eventually provide the support needed to elevate the electric insert. 

Now it's time to make the cuts for the sides. These two pieces are pivotal for securing the wall framing to the framing build on the mantel itself. 

Once cut, they should align just right and provide a secure bond to the front and backside. I used 2 inch wood screws to make the connection. I'll later paint and cover with trim to conceal the screws.

You may notice that I also cut two pieces up top for the shelves. Because my plan was to use the space below to house TV-related equipment/power, I will not secure them via screws or nails. They'll simply slide on and off. At this time, the shelf can also be cut (slightly smaller than the space) and placed/secured via screws to the space behind the mantel. 

After carefully centering the space needed to house the insert (I wanted to elevate six inches from the hearth), I executed the cut, leaving about a quarter inch of room on all sides for easy placement. Thankfully, this particular model includes a one inch lip of trim on the left, right, and top sides, so it definitely gave me a little room for cutting error.

Testing my work and ensuring it fits!

Now came the time for painting and priming the mantel and sides. It can be a tedious and time-consuming effort, but I'm a big believer that painting can be done by just about anybody with enough patience. For those wanting to know, we used Sherwin Williams ProClassic in Semi-Gloss.

Another coat of paint as the cats look on with curious eyes.

At this point, the surround was all ready for the material of our choosing. After much deliberation, my wife convinced me to go with tile. For the record, I had leaned toward stone as I believed it would be a bit easier to install. But, hey, happy wife happy life, right? Seen above is hardiebacker board installed to create a solid foundation for the tile to be placed on. It could have been a product of not having the best tools to do so, but cutting those boards to the dimensions needed was one of the more challenging steps in the project.

There are plenty of good (and bad) tiling videos out there online, but I used an old fashioned mortar to secure our 2x4 tiles to the surround. And then we had matching 12x24 (Daltile Northpointe Greystone) tiles for the top of the hearth. The plan was to finish out the bottom with five inch trim.

A view from above!

After waiting 24 hours, it was time to apply the grout. I actually went with a pre-mixed product on this step. Simple Grout Alabaster to be exact. 

And once again checking my work to make sure I didn't goof up the insert opening! You'll note that I was not able to grout the outer edge of the bottom tiles. I'll do that after installing the trim.

With light at the end of the tunnel, the final step was to secure trim to the sides and to finish out the bottom part of the hearth (and apply grout in between). Again, I used five inch trim for the bottom.

And standard two inch door trim for the sides to help hide any uneven cuts and screws. I used a nail gun to secure the trim and used wood filler to patch any small nail holes left behind.

Once the filler dried, a light sanding all around before apply a coat of paint.

After two coats of paint, the finished product has arrived.

From start-to-finish, the entire project consumed about three solid weekends, and maybe four if you include time for writing down sketches and getting materials. I'd estimate about 75 total man hours were consumed in order to get the job done. But perhaps most noteworthy, is that the fireplace cost a total of $1,602.03 once all was said and done (excludes TV and mount), with the fireplace insert and mantel representing about half of that total cost.

While certainly a bit of an expense to absorb for most any family, it still wound up being far less than the several thousand, or nearly $12,000, quotes we received initially. So, if you're on the fence about spending big bucks on getting the fireplace you've always wanted, perhaps turning that dream into a reality (at a reasonable cost) isn't as far-fetched as it may seem!