Radiator covers diy

Fresh off the factory floor, with ornate cast-iron fins ready to take their first hit of steam, the radiator was the darling of American plumbing.

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years. Home radiators are warm and cozy but can also be unattractive metal space-wasters. Radiator cover kits mask the radiator fins while allowing the passage of heat. Because most covers have elevated tops, the covers' tops are significantly cooler, allowing select items to be placed there. You can even place heat-sensitive items like plants on a well-insulated radiator cover. Read on for DIY radiator cover ideas that can turn eyesores into eye candy. For your DIY radiator cover, take a cue from this eye-catching string art cover made by Boston design house Sandcastle.

Radiator covers diy

Luckily I found these pre-cut mdf panels from Homebase , designed for Shaker wall panelling, that were perfect for a design I had in mind. I started by making a simple frame from pine battens, My usual technique for this is to cut the pieces with a table saw, stick with a spray adhesive mitre glue, drill pilot holes, countersink the holes and then fix with a screw. This should give you quite a secure frame. Mine was a little more complicated as there are exposed pipes at the bottom of the radiator, but it should be simple rectangles with a few supports between. Sort the wall fixing out once the frame is done. I used these flush mounts attached to the back of the cover and the wall. It can then just be lowered into place. Next time to cut the panelling strips. Adjust until it looks right. I fixed the slatted panels onto the frame again with a spray adhesive first, then with pilot holes, a countersink to bury the screw heads before finally screwing into place. I left small gaps at the sides to allow access to the radiator valves, so cut half slats for the side panels. The panels then needed to be filled with a wood filler or general purpose filler and then sanded down to a flat finish before priming and painting. So what do you think of this DIY radiator cover? Let me know in the comments….

Kolin Smith.

Originally, I wanted to build a radiator cover that would protect my daughters from our cast-iron, steam radiators. Steam radiators get much hotter than hot water radiators, and I was concerned that they would get burned. As I researched different designs, I found a lot of discussion about whether you are increasing or decreasing the energy efficiency of your radiators by covering them. Both sides made valid arguments, but I needed to cover my radiators to protect my children. I decided to incorporate all of the best ideas I had found and a few of my own into one design.

Last Updated: February 28, References. To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed , times. Learn more While radiators offer an excellent source of heat in the winter months, they can be an eyesore during the remainder of the year.

Radiator covers diy

Fresh off the factory floor, with ornate cast-iron fins ready to take their first hit of steam, the radiator was the darling of American plumbing. Better just cut your losses and cover it up. Add a fresh coat of paint and a gleaming metal screen, and the venerable radiator, a living legend, will once again look as hot as it feels. A radiator cover is basically a three-sided box with feet on the bottom and a lid on top. The one shown here is made from MDF medium-density fiberboard , an inexpensive and stable choice for a painted cover. Each side of the box allows heat to radiate outward through a large opening covered by a decorative metal screen.

Junior from swamp people

New York City-based custom millwork and furnishing company 3F Living solves that problem by adding hinged doors to the front of this cover , permitting the homeowner access to the dials and knobs. Freshen up your radiator by giving it a unique color like black , or have it match your wall shade by blending in. Where the rail meets the stile, you should also use a pocket screw. Measure and cut the screening in place over each opening. Develop and improve services. Clamp the sides to the front and join them with 2 more pocket screws per joint. Estimated Time 6 hours. I used this white wood because it was the cheapest wood available. Next cut the plywood to size, fit it into the rabbet and nail it in place. Continue to 9 of 17 below. This is easier to do before the cover is assembled. Better just cut your losses and cover it up. Measure advertising performance. I think it is usually Spruce, which is what this looks like to me.

From the found shiplap behind drywall to the bygone crown molding, we're all about holding on to those original details and embracing them in decades-old homes. Then there are those features that are a little trickier to deal with—namely, radiators.

Since wood is a poor heat transmitter, it provides a cool top for plants and curios. Many console tables are sturdy enough that lower braces are not necessary. Then place the cover over the radiator. I didn't feel like buying one, so I bought some machine screws that were the right size and modified a cheap portable workbench that I had to hold my router upside down. Cut a piece of sheet metal to fit behind the radiator to help reflect heat into the room. Add hardware to a DIY radiator cover or give it some stencil art flourishes to give it more pizzazz. Once the holes were drilled on the slat, I marked the center of the rail and made matching holes here to accept the dowels from the slat. Cart 0. I started by making a simple frame from pine battens, My usual technique for this is to cut the pieces with a table saw, stick with a spray adhesive mitre glue, drill pilot holes, countersink the holes and then fix with a screw. Spills can be hard to remove from the pallet wood. Home blogger Christina of Christina's Adventures kept the build super-simple by gluing the grille to the MDF frame with heat-tolerant Elmer's ProBond Advanced, supplemented by a few staples.