Faux Fire: Bring Your Fireplace Back to Life!

I have a beautiful old fireplace in my house that, unfortunately, can’t be used anymore. Rather than leave it sitting empty (or worse, filled with candles I forget to light), I wanted to create something decorative that still captured the warmth and charm of a real fire—without the actual flames.

That’s when I came up with the idea for these laser-cut wooden flames—simple, stylized fire shapes made from wood, designed to hang or stand in an unused fireplace.

The best part? I also wanted something my cat could safely play with. These wooden flames are lightweight, smooth, and have just enough wobble to make them fun for little paws without being fragile or dangerous.

This project is perfect if you:

1. Have a non-functional fireplace that could use a little visual love
2. Want a cozy, rustic aesthetic without real fire
3. Live with curious cats (or kids!) and want safe, interactive decor
4. Enjoy laser cutting and quick DIY projects

You can keep it natural for a Scandinavian-style look, stain the wood for warmth, or even paint the flames in bright reds and oranges for a more playful vibe.

Let’s give that forgotten fireplace a new spark—no matches required. 🔥🐾

Tools:

1. Laser Cutter
2. Laptop/Desktop Computer

Software:

1. Glowforge
2. Vector Design Software (ie. Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape)

Materials:

1. Medium Draftboard (or another Glowforge compatible wood)
2. Acrylic Paint
3. Solid Core Wire or String
4. Paintbrushes (I recommend having a variety of size options to best fit your design!)
5. Water Cup
6. Needle Nose Pliers
7. Scissors
8. X-ACTO knife (optional)
9. Tweezers (optional)
10. Tension Rod (optional)

Before we start cutting, we need to create the flame shapes that will bring life back to your fireplace.

1. Sketch Out Your Flame Designs: Think playful, stylized shapes—not too spiky, especially if your cat will be interacting with them. You can sketch them first on paper or jump straight into designing them digitally.
2. Create Vectors: Use a vector design software (I recommend Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape) to turn your sketches into clean, closed paths. You can also search online for flame SVGs and modify them to your liking. Make sure that your flame shapes follow a closed path to ensure that they will fully cut out during the laser cutting process. Since I modified a vector image I found online, I separated the outer and inner flame sections using Adobe Illustrator into two distinct shapes so that I could later set the laser cutter to fully cut the outer flame shape while only engraving the inner part.
3. Add Hanging Holes (Optional): If you plan to hang the flames from a tension rod or pre-existing installation inside the fireplace, add a small hole at the top of each flame for string or wire. You can add this directly to your vector design, or add a circular hole later on in Glowforge (I will provide specifics for how to do this in Step 2).
4. Save and Export: Export your design as an SVG file—Glowforge’s favorite format.

With your flame designs ready to go, it’s time to bring them to life on your Glowforge! This step will walk you through prepping the machine, loading your design, and safely cutting your wooden flame pieces.

1. Prepare Your Material: Place your sheet of wood flat on the Glowforge bed (I opted for Medium Draftboard).
2. Upload Your Design: Open the Glowforge App in your browser. Click “create a new design” → “upload”, and select your SVG flame file(s). Your flame shapes will appear on the preview bed—position them to your desired size and arrange them to optimize material use.
3. Add a Hole (Optional): If you want to hang your flames and did not add a hole in your initial vector flame design, click the "add artwork" icon on the top tool bar and click to add a circle. Size it down appropriately and place it over the part of the flame that you want to cut out.
4. Assign Actions: Check that each part of your design is assigned the correct function. Make sure that the outlines of the flames and the circles/holes are set to cut on the bar on the upper left side of the screen. If you have a separate inner section in your flame design, I recommend setting it to engrave so that the flames stay intact.
5. Print It!: Click “Print” and then the big blue glowing button on your Glowforge! Watch the magic happen—it only takes a few minutes per flame depending on size and level of detail.

Now that your flames are freshly cut, it’s time to carefully remove them from the Glowforge bed and get rid of any protective masking or film that might still be on them.

This step is super satisfying—your design is finally coming to life!

1. Open the Glowforge and Let It Cool: Wait a minute or two after the cut finishes—wood can be warm right after cutting. Carefully lift the lid and remove the wood sheet.
2. Pop Out the Flame Pieces: Gently press around the edges of each flame shape to loosen them. If a piece is stuck, lightly wiggle or push from the back to release it. Avoid forcing it—use an X-ACTO or similar knife to cut any tiny uncut connections.
3. Remove the Masking Film: Most Proofgrade materials and many custom-cut sheets come with masking tape or film to reduce scorching. Start at a corner and peel slowly. Use tweezers to lift the film if your fingernail can’t catch the edge. For small inner shapes or engraved details, the tip of tweezers or a similar small tool works well.

Now that your wooden flames are cut and unmasked, it’s time to bring them to life with a burst of color! In this step, we’ll add layers of paint to make your flames glow—even without a real fire. Whether you go for realistic reds and oranges or a more stylized, graphic look, this is where your creativity takes center stage.

1. Plan Your Color Scheme: Think about how you want the flames to look:
2. Classic: Red base with orange/yellow mid-tones (I opted for this look to resemble a real flame!)
3. Stylized: Neon, pastel, or even monochrome!
4. Rustic: Natural wood with just a touch of warm color
5. Prep Your Workspace: Lay down paper or another protective barrier to guard your surface. Set up your paint, water cup, and brushes. Have your flames laid out and ready.
6. Base Coat: Start with your largest brush and paint the main body of each flame in a base color (personally, I chose a bright red color). Let dry completely (usually 15–30 minutes depending on paint type). Make sure to clean your brush thoroughly after painting to keep it in pristine condition.
7. Add Layers and Highlights: Use smaller brushes to blend in gradients and paint your inner section(s) in the color of your choice (I opted for a mix of orange and yellow). For extra flair, I recommend using a touch of white to add highlights and make the flames pop. Blend while wet for soft gradients or let each layer dry for a more graphic look.

Your painted wooden flames are ready—and now it’s time to give them their moment to shine! In this step, you’ll learn how to hang your flames in an unused fireplace in a way that’s safe, renter-friendly, and cat-approved.

This hanging method creates a dynamic, layered look that brings movement and warmth to a space that’s otherwise cold and empty. Bonus: the pieces can gently sway if your cat bats at them!

1. Find an Attachment Source: Inspect the inside of your fireplace to see if there is somewhere to hang your flames from. If there is no stable site to hang them from, I recommend measuring the width of your fireplace opening and installing a tension rod across the top interior edge. Make sure it’s snug and level—this will act like a curtain rod for your flames.
2. Attach Wire/String to Each Flame: Cut lengths of your solid core wire or string based on how far down you want each flame to hang. Tie one end to the hole at the top of your flame piece, and the other around your attachment source. Optionally, vary the lengths to create depth and visual interest.
3. Hang the Flames: One by one, loop the wires over the attachment site and adjust the spacing until you like the arrangement. The flames should dangle freely, but not touch the floor (unless that’s the look you want!).
4. Adjust and Cat-Test: Step back and make sure everything looks balanced. If your cat starts swatting at a flame and it swings like a pendulum—you nailed it!

Congratulations! You’ve transformed a quiet, unused fireplace into a cozy, creative, and cat-friendly focal point with your very own laser-cut wooden flames. Whether you went bold with color or kept it natural and minimal, these flames bring a handmade warmth to your space—and a little bit of interactive fun too.

Reflecting on the Process

This project started from a simple, personal idea for my Maker's Workshop class: I had a fireplace I couldn’t use, but I still wanted it to feel warm and welcoming. And of course, I wanted something that my cat could safely interact with (and bat at occasionally). What began as a functional fix turned into a fun, creative process that added personality to my home—and hopefully yours too!

Going through the laser cutting and design process for this project was initially challenging, but extremely rewarding in the end. It pushed me to think not just about aesthetics, but about structure, material behavior, and how digital design translates into physical form. One of the most valuable parts of the process was learning how to design in layers, allowing me to create two physical flame designs with uniquely engraved inner sections. It wasn't just about making something that looked good on-screen, but something that would actually hold up once cut, assembled, and lit. Working with the laser cutter reminded me just how powerful and precise digital fabrication tools can be — but also how much they rely on clear, intentional design thinking. Even small adjustments in scale and engraving depth made a big difference in the final piece. It’s a balance between art and engineering.

This project also highlighted the importance of iterating. The first version didn’t quite slot together right; the sections of the flame would not stay together and it was too small and bland for most users. But through testing and tweaking, the design became larger, colorful, and more impactful. That’s the beauty of rapid prototyping with a laser cutter — you can go from idea to iteration in a matter of minutes.

Overall, this was a reminder that good design doesn’t need to be complex — it just needs to be thoughtful. A few flame shapes, a laser cutter, and some creativity were all it took to transform a forgotten part of a room into something warm, personal, and eye-catching. There’s something special about making a handmade solution to a small home quirk. Whether you're a laser cutting pro or just getting started, this kind of simple, meaningful project is a great reminder that creativity doesn’t have to be complicated. Just thoughtful.

Thanks for following along—I hope your fireplace is now glowing with charm and a little bit of handmade magic. 🔥🐾