A faux cardboard fireplace is an easy solution for hanging stockings when you don’t have a fireplace of your own. Make one for your home in just a few simple steps!
Once you have your new fireplace ready to go, be sure to read our tips on How to Decorate Your Mantel for Christmas, and Stocking Traditions for Couples.
A Fireplace from Cardboard
For the past 9 years, I haven’t been able to hang my stockings with care because we don’t have a fireplace in our rental home. We’ve had to hang them on the wall or lay them over our couch, and it just doesn’t feel the same.
I know it’s possible to buy a small fireplace online, but they can be pricey and I don’t want to invest any good amount of money in our rental home and have another bulky piece of furniture to move out of state when we pack up in a few months.
Lucky for me, I have a sister with allllll the good ideas!
On our phone call last week she told me all about a faux fireplace she made out of cardboard for a church Christmas party last year. It sounded like such a fun idea, so I set out to make my own!
This fake fireplace couldn’t get any easier. I roped my husband into helping me build it, and it only took us a couple of hours to make, including the time it took for the paint to dry!
If you already have a real fireplace, you could easily do this on a smaller scale for a child’s room, or a playhouse!
Here’s how we did it –
How To Make A Cardboard Fireplace
SUPPLIES –
- cardboard boxes for the bottom and sides + extra to cut out “bricks” (I recycled our amazon boxes.)
- pizza boxes for the top mantel
- newspaper or kraft/wrapping paper
- packing tape
- spray adhesive
- black wrapping paper or poster board OR black paint
- faux wood contact paper or wrapping paper
- joint compound/spackle
- scissors
- box cutter (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS –
ASSEMBLE THE BOXES. Start by taping assembling and taping your boxes together to create your sides and hearth. Then, using either packing tape or spray adhesive, cover the boxes in newspaper or wrapping paper. This will hide the seams of the boxes.
MAKE THE BRICKS. Using scissors or a box cutter, cut out your cardboard “bricks”. I eyeballed the size, but they ended up being around 3″ x 8″. Then tape them on in a staggered pattern around the outside.
COVER THE BRICKS. Using your hands (it’s easier than a putty knife), spread the joint compound all over, making sure to cover all the cardboard bricks and paper.
MAKE THE MANTELPIECE. Tape your pizza boxes together (it depends on your fireplace size, but we used 3), then wrap them in the wood contact paper and them tape to the top of your fireplace.
MAKE THE INSIDE BLACK. With your packaging tape, attach the black poster board (or a sheet of cardboard) to the back of the fireplace. Then cover the inside with black wrapping paper or paint. You can add wood logs and flameless candles to the inside to make it look more like a real wood fireplace.
DECORATE. Place your cardboard faux fireplace where you want, decorate, and enjoy! You can add fairy lights, faux (or real!) wood logs, etc. just to make it even more realistic and fun!
It’s all ready for Santa to come fill your stockings on Christmas Eve!More Easy DIY Christmas Ideas
- DIY Christmas Tree Luminaries
- Easy Christmas Crafts For Kids
- Toilet Paper Roll DIY Nativity Set
- Ribbon Christmas Tree Craft
- Christmas Stocking Countdown Printable
HERE’S A PRINTABLE TUTORIAL CARD FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE –
Faux Cardboard Fireplace
Ingredients
- cardboard boxes for the bottom and sides + extra to cut out “bricks”
- pizza boxes for the top mantel
- newspaper or kraft/wrapping paper
- packing tape
- spray adhesive
- black wrapping paper or poster board OR black paint
- faux wood contact paper or wrapping paper
- joint compound/spackle
- scissors
Instructions
- ASSEMBLE THE BOXES. Start by taping assembling and taping your boxes together to create your sides and hearth. Then, using either packing tape or spray adhesive, cover the boxes in newspaper or wrapping paper. This will hide the seams of the boxes.
- MAKE THE BRICKS. Using scissors or a box cutter, cut out your cardboard “bricks”. I eyeballed the size, but they ended up being around 3″ x 8″. Then tape them on in a staggered pattern around the outside.
- COVER THE BRICKS. Using your hands (it’s easier than a putty knife), spread the joint compound all over, making sure to cover all the cardboard bricks and paper.
- MAKE THE MANTEL. Tape your pizza boxes together (it depends on your fireplace size, but we used 3), then wrap them in the wood contact paper and them tape to the top of your fireplace.
- MAKE THE INSIDE BLACK. With your packing tape, attach the black poster board (or a sheet of cardboard) to the back of the fireplace. Then cover the inside with black wrapping paper or paint.
- Place your fireplace where you want, decorate, and enjoy! You can add fairy lights, faux (or real!) wood logs, etc. just to make it even more realistic and fun!
What a stupendous idea! I really love it! This would be so fun for the kiddos too. Thanks for this 😉
So cute! I'll bet your kids are having so much fun.
Oh my goodness, this is so fun! It looks awesome! My mother always put out this miniature cardboard fireplace when I was a kid. It was only about two feet tall. That's all I can think of when I see this:)
Very clever! I love your idea. I often have to decorate our church stage for Christmas skits and VBS. I can see using this idea in the future. Thanks.
Oh wow I love this idea. Thank you!!!!
That's so cute!
I love this idea. Very clever.
This is brilliant!! I love our house, but this time of year, am always a little sad that we don't have a fireplace. This would be great! 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!
did you have to adhere the mantle to the fireplace?
too cute!
That is adorable!!!
How fun Megan! Cute idea!