DIY Bioethanol Fireplace for Building into Wall

One of the many advantages of a bioethanol fireplace is that they are incredibly easy to mount in the wall. They can be adjusted to fit your desired aesthetic. However, there are several precautions that you must be aware of when building your bioethanol fire from scratch. If you choose to build your own fireplace, you get maximum flexibility in terms of its size and design.

Have you already begun to think that this installation is too extensive? Take a look at our ready-made built-in bio fireplace inserts here:

Wall Construction for Built-in Bio Fireplace

Consider a consultation with your local craftsman about how you want to construct your bioethanol fire for wall installation. These are the basics of the DIY biofire project. It is recommended to have a clear idea of the fireplace's construction so material selection and construction can be done the best possible way.

The bioethanol fire is ideal for wall mounting to divide or connect two rooms. It is flexible in terms of installation, requires no chimney, or flue and thus it can be mounted almost anywhere. Therefore, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Read all about safety distances here: Bio fireplace safety distances and fire hazard.

There is not a doubt that we will always recommend an automatic bioethanol burner when it comes to major renovation projects or new constructions. The distinctive extra comfort and safety that will be achieved with an automatic bio burner compared to the manual one are well-known. This is especially true when time and money are sacrificed on new, admirable wall construction.

With an automatic bioethanol burner, you primarily reduce the risk of overfilling bio ethanol fuel as well as refilling hot or ignited fire burner. The automatic, intelligent burners do not allow filling or other improper use of the fireplace, which is an important safety factor. In addition, various models can be remotely controlled with either remote control, SmartPhone or Smart Home System.

How to Choose a Bioethanol Burner?

What is a perfectly sized bioethanol burner then? It is recommended to have at least 5-10 cm distance to the sides when installing a bio fireplace in a wall. If you have a hole in the wall with a length of 100 cm, we would recommend an 80-90 cm burner. If the opening in the wall was 150 cm, the recommendation would be 130-140 cm wide burner. However, a fire pit can also become too powerful for a small living room, so it may be a good solution to choose a smaller size, for example, a 100 cm one. This could also be relevant in case a shorter flame length is desired. See our automatic bio burners here.

It is also possible to make a similar installation with a manual burner. Find a manual fire pit here.

Wall Construction for a Bioethanol Fireplace Installation

You, or your craftsman, can build the wall for a bioethanol fireplace like a normal wall is built. It can, for example, be in a wooden construction or with bricks, aerated concrete, or similar materials. The internal frame in which the fireplace is incorporated should be constructed of Skamotec plates which is a type of firewall plate. We recommend this plate as it can withstand temperatures up to 1000 degrees. Furthermore, the plates are incredibly easy and flexible to work with and can be cut with ordinary carpentry tools. Find the Skamoenclosure Boards for installation of bio fireplace here.

Cutting and Composition of Fireproof Material

The plate is cut so that the dimensions fit the opening in your upcoming fireplace. The Skamotec plates are put together with chip screws or a special Skamolex Glue. Afterwards, cut out the hole for the fire pit. It is recommended to wait with this step until the burner has arrived. Alternatively, a hole can be cut in advance from the data card of the unit. In this case, please confirm the hole targets with our customer service.

Filler and Paint for the Bioethanol Fire Frame

Do you want to paint the Skamotec plates in a different colour? Choose from several hundred shades. You can paint your interior frame exactly as you wish. With a selection in the RAL palette of the local colour dealer, there should be a colour or two that will match your taste. It is important for the paint to be ordered in a fireproof version.

Steel Plate as a Base Frame for the Bio Fire

It is often seen that the base frame is constructed as a steel frame, as this goes well with the corresponding materials of bioethanol fires. Thus, a slight transition is created between the inner frame and the bottom of the fireplace burner and the recessed fire pit. This steel plate can be ordered bespoken at Bioethanol-fireplace and supplied in colours corresponding to our burners.

The Perfect Finish with a Light Trowel

Skamotec plates are relatively "raw", which is why they are often post-treated to achieve the desired look. With a light filler, you can achieve a completely flat surface and subsequently paint it in your favourite colour. Consult with the local construction market about which filler will be ideal for your project.

Additional protection in the form of glass can be fitted in front of the flame. This can prevent curious toddlers and pets from touching the flames, and at the same time gives an incredibly nice look. However, some regulations apply when composing glass and bio ethanol fires.

A bio fireplace must have oxygen. If the fireplace does not get enough of it, it will not be possible to switch it on or off properly. Therefore, the recommendation of the glass must be observed. In almost all cases, it is possible to close one side with glass, steel, or other material. However, there must be an opening to the flames from one side. A minimum of 2/3 of construction must be open. If a glass is desired at the bottom of the bioethanol fire, it is recommended to install a 10-15 cm high glass tile depending on the height of the frame.

Bioethanol-fireplace delivers glass but also stores the standard size of the glass. See our glass tiles for bio fireplace here.

Glass Holder, Wall Bracket or Deposition of Bio Glass

The glass must be folded into a cut-out, it can be mounted in glass holders or directly onto the wall. We sell both glass holders and fitting for wall mounted versions. It is thus up to you how you want the glass to be mounted.

We have prepared an example where one wants to build a see-through tunnel bioethanol fire between a living room and a family room. The fireplace has the following dimensions H: 50 x W: 100 x D: 35 cm.