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A punched metal screen picks up the design from the light fixture in the kitchen and is nice in front of the fireplace when it's not burning.
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Materials: metal sheets
hammer
awl
screwdriver
tin snips
sandpaper
rotary sander
eye and ear protection
1" x 2" poplar
table saw
wood glue
L-shaped mending plates
grease pencil
dark brown paint
hinges
Steps:
1. Decide the overall size of the screen and how many sections it will have (the featured project was divided into five 15-inch wide screens, which is 10 inches wider than the opening). Be sure to add extra to the width so it's self-supporting. Cut the poplar pieces as needed. Cut the ends on a 45-degree angle and a 1/8-inch groove along the inside of the pieces with a table saw to hold the metal sheets in place.
2. Hit the wood randomly with the hammer to add age. 3. Glue the sides and one end piece together and secure with mending plates (figure A).
4. Cut the metal inserts with tin snips to fit into the frames (figure B). Use the first piece as a pattern to cut the rest. Reduce the shine by running over both sides with a rotary sander.
5. Line up the pieces and sketch a scene or design using a grease pencil (figure C). Place the pieces over plywood and use an awl to punch holes along the lines to create the decorative metal insert (figure D). 6. When done, wipe off the grease pencil marks; put the metal in the frame, and then attach the top board as above.
7. Wipe paint in a swirl motion over the frame and metal. Once dry, hinge together.
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.hgtv.com/HGTV/2004/10/29/rxr1212_fireplace2_redo_e.jpg",350,450))
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