wooden radiator covers

allen levine

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Does anyone know if I use ash to build a couple of radiator covers(the cast iron hot water/steam type), does it need to be lined inside with any type of sheet metal? anything?
Can I just build it with all solid wood and not worry about the steam?
Anyone have any experience with this?
(I can switch woods, but I have alot of ash)
 
There shouldn't be any steam coming from the radiator (if there is then something is not right. Saying that, the wood will surely dry completely out so If you do use wood then make sure it is Kiln dried. And been in the room with the radiator for a considerable time. As for solid wood construction, Not a good idea as there has to be some kind of air flow for the radiator to create an air flow (hot air rises and cool air enters to replace the hot air... ) solid construction would trap the hot air inthe box and then heating the box will create a radiator itself (but less effecient)
 
nothing actually rises out of the radiator, but I believe thats the type of heat it is.
I was going to leave 4 or so inches on the bottom front for cool air, and build a grill 6-8 inches wide in top front.
Not a solid box.
I looked at pics online and some companies spoke of inner linings.
 
nothing actually rises out of the radiator, but I believe thats the type of heat it is.
I was going to leave 4 or so inches on the bottom front for cool air, and build a grill 6-8 inches wide in top front.
Not a solid box.
I looked at pics online and some companies spoke of inner linings.

Actually the radiator creates a convection effect where it heats the air surrounding the radiator and it rises, so there is air movement, You must allow for that movement.
 
Interesting reading, below is a good basic concept that could be modified to ones tastes.
Looks like good air flow from the bottom and sides and the metal sheet or reflective insulation
in back of the radiator is used to project the heat out into the room.
I would think that thin reflective insulation would be a better material.. rather than just the metal sheet
behind the radiator.
From other articles that I read , .. some covers are made using plywood, solid hardwoods or
combinations of both. ..some seem to prefer mdf.

Article Link:
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...lans&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4TSHB_enUS230US231&sa=G
radiator-cover-Over.jpg


AAAAAgj_0-8AAAAAAScQ5w.jpg


rad%20cover%20pine%2006.03.jpg
 
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What Bill said is important. The wood will dry and crack.
Covering radiators does impair efficiency. I don't know why the heat doesn't eventually have the same convection action as without but it does. IMHO, covering radiators is not recommended or practical. I know they are a ugly as can be but thet's the way it is.
 
I would think ash would be fine. Like the others, i would be hesitant to trap heat - even if the sides are open and the top is solid, you're reducing the efficiency of the radiator. The rule of thumb i've used is to make sure the sides and top of the cover are as open as the radiator itself. In other words, if you look at the side of the radiator, if 50% of the "face" of the radiator is cast iron and the other 50% is open air, i'd keep my cover 50% open as well so that i don't restrict air flow.
The radiators in old houses were placed very carefully to take advantage of the convection and heat flow for an entire room. Warm air drafting up under a window, for instance, reduces the cold draft effect of the window itself. Placing them near doors and at the bottom of stairs not only gives you a warm spot at those points, it's a deliberate attempt to mix the cool air coming in with the warm air coming off the radiator.
It's a bit of work, but i've made mine with the sides as vertical slat grills (line up the slats with the radiator fins, and the top as a slat grill as well.
Hope this is helpful.
Paul Hubbman
 
I now have custom built metal covers over them.
Theres nothing wrong with them, they cost me a bundle.

But the floor is being replaced with wood floors, the wallpaper being ripped down, no more white furniture, no more white anything, so I thought Id make wood replacements.

Heres one, and the top is completely closed.wood stuff 437 (Medium).jpg


this is what I have in my head, pardon my bad drawing.
I dont have enough red oak, but have plenty of oak ply in 3/4 and 1/4.
Id use ash for a face frame, use #20 biscuits to secure the ff to the ply sides,(although Im thinking about buying a pocket screw set) and use a set of vertical slats in front on top and bottom, with a piece of 1/4 inch oak ply in middle to break it up.wood stuff 438 (Medium).jpg

Id use a simple cleat under the lid to place it and lock it in place, and a small piece of wood running wall to wall in the back along the top as a support.

Dave, I dont care for the metal mesh screen, although they are easy to make, and HD sells the screen in different colors, I want to use all wood, no metal.(I appreciate the idea, I like the cleats on top instead of a hinge)
 
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But the floor is being replaced with wood floors, the wallpaper being ripped down, no more white furniture, no more white anything, so I thought Id make wood replacements.

First Bill Lantry and now you with these major projects. Sounds like the entire east coast is on a remodeling binge. Soon we will hear from Ned planning some major expansion. Should be good for some great threads:)
 
my house is a small cape.

Besides throwing up some wall paper and painting, the floors, the furniture, (besides bedroom furniture) is all when we moved in or soon after that.

Im looking to get out within the next few years and purchase a larger home, a 2 family with one of my kids.(I dont need much space, but I do need a space to work, so a double garage is perfect)

I know if I put some muscle and some wood floors down, my home will be an easier sell.
Figured I might as well start upgrading since some of the work, I dont know if I can do myself, but will try first.
 
Allen - I build e few of them and in fact just delivered one that was made from poplar because it was going to be painted. It had a bookshelf on top.

Radiator enclosures are meant to improve the heating dynamics of the room as well as being decorative. They key is to line the inside with a heat reflective foil. I get mine from the local home inmprovment outlet. It's really just a thin bubblewrap with a foil cover on both sides. About 1/8 thick in total. The foil is 99% reflective of heat. Costs about $13 for a 24" x 72" piece. 4' width is also available. It'll be in the insulation section of the store.

The principle is to direct the heat out the grilled opening, rather than have it just rise directly up from an uncovered radiator. I use 3/4" square wood slats 3/4" apart to make the grill. The grill should be on the lower portion to push the heat out along the floor and let it then rise to heat the room more efficiently. When I dropped the lower portion of the bookshelf combination one over the radiator it was amazing to feel all the heat come rushing out the opening. The cutomer bought the house with a non-foiled cover on the bathroom radiator and he remarked how he could feel the wood on the bathroom one get warm, but not on the one I made.

You can attach the foil with staples or, as I did, a spray adhesive. Since the foil is so reflective the adhesive won't be heated at all. cover all sides and the top board (on the bottom) too.

You can use any kind of wood you want since the foil is going protect it from any warp/twist it would otherwise be subject to.

Look up Wolf Radiator Enclosures on the web and I believe they have diagrams of how their units are built.
 
First Bill Lantry and now you with these major projects. Sounds like the entire east coast is on a remodeling binge. Soon we will hear from Ned planning some major expansion. Should be good for some great threads:)

well i told you we had aloose cannon in that allen guy give him a jointer and hes gonna rule the house:) and as for the bubble wrap stuf mike mentioned allen its great stuff it saved me from frezun on a hunt in the middle of lake michigan in late nov one year,, tolight of slpun bag for below frezun temps and no fires allowed.. so it does reflect heat well.. i was a cocoon every night out there!
 
thanx mike, I will 100% look into that. I get some refrigerated items delivered in that aluminum bubble wrap. (might be the same kind of stuff)

Do I still need to cover the wall in back of the radiator with a piece of sheet metal?
 
Thanx Jim.

Now theres no way I can post up pics of what I build. Cant follow that act.

Paul Pazalla, the owner, has been building custom rad enclosures for about twenty years. He used to be a regular contributor back in the Compuserve Woodworking Board days. He started out doing Frank Lloyd Wright reproductions for restorers in Oak Park, Illinois, so the bar was set high for him early on.
 
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