Making decoupage on an old radiator with your own hands. Decoupage heating radiators with napkins Finishing cast iron radiators

Heating radiators are undoubtedly important for every room intended for human habitation. As a rule, the location of heating radiators is always visible. Therefore they appearance significantly affects general form premises. During the repair process or in preparation for it, the issue of the appearance of heating radiators should be carefully considered. Don't your immediate life plans include renovations? – it doesn’t matter, there are solutions in this case too. Thanks to the availability of information, as well as the ability to purchase a variety of materials, decorating various interior items has become accessible to everyone, regardless of finances and handicraft abilities.

The correct approach to decorating a battery is based not only on the aesthetic component, it is also important functional purpose heating device

A very unfortunate decision - the movement of warm air is almost completely blocked

Possible decorative options for heating radiators are selected according to a number of parameters. In order for the result of the work to please you, when deciding on the choice of finishing for heating radiators, you should proceed from the following initial data:

the original properties of the decoration item itself;
style of the room in which the batteries are located;
the color scheme of the room and its design style;
functional purpose of the room.

It’s great if by reading this article you already know what exactly you want. If you haven’t yet decided what to do best, then perhaps after reading it, some great ideas will appear. All you have to do is choose a method for converting heating radiators that suits your means and feasibility if you want to decorate the heating radiator with your own hands.

At major renovation premises, you can, of course, hide the battery in the wall using a niche made of plasterboard, chipboard or plastic. Ventilation of heat and removal of it from the battery, in in this case, is carried out through a grate, which must be installed in such a niche. As a rule, such niches are decorated with a grating made of chipboard or wood. It is possible to select both the grille itself and its frame according to the required color scheme. These grates are sold in a wide range, they are durable and transmit heat well.

Reading bench above the radiator

In addition, the issue of converting heating radiators can be solved by covering them with special decorative screens. Such devices can be installed directly in front of the heating radiators or in a hinged form.

Hanging screen made of thin wooden slats

A simple wooden lattice painted to match the wall trim

A hanging metal screen slightly reduces heat transfer, is inexpensive and easy to install

These solutions cannot always be called optimal, since a very large part of the heat generated by the battery is wasted in this case. The effect is close to what would be achieved by hiding the battery behind the curtains.

Metal screen with openwork design

Any screen design must provide access to the radiator

At the same time, closing heating radiators serves the function of protecting small children from burns. Screens, boxes and niches are beautiful and can be matched to any interior. This type of decor is usually used in living rooms and is an ideal stylistic solution for them. Covering radiators in children's rooms with boxes and screens is optimal solution both for safety purposes and for decorative purposes. A panel made of wood or chipboard can be decorated with bright patterns and used as a play element.

Screen idea for high battery

An old wooden bench used as a battery box in the hallway of a village house

DIY screen

However, you can make a screen for the battery yourself. Materials such as wood, chipboard or plywood are best suited for these purposes. It is advisable to paint these materials in the color of the room. In addition, plexiglass is perfect for these purposes. This material is safe. You can also apply suitable images with paint or decorate it using the decoupage technique.

The easiest way to make a screen is from wood

If you decide to make a panel for the battery yourself, you should remember the need to make holes in it. They are necessary for the passage of warm air from the battery into the room.

The front panel of the screen is made of 16 mm thick boards

It is convenient to use a perforated fiberboard panel as a grille, which can be purchased at any building materials hypermarket

A frame must be installed in front of the battery

The front panel of the screen is secured with self-tapping screws

The result is a very attractive design.

The best solutions for the kitchen

The design of kitchens, not as strict as is customary for living rooms, gives free rein to imagination. In addition to the above-described ways to hide heating radiators, in the rooms where culinary masterpieces are created, designer delights are also created to decorate heating radiators. The radiator and the pipe connecting it to the heat source can be painted in the same color as the walls, decorated using the decoupage technique, or these two methods can be combined.

A battery painted to match the walls will be less conspicuous

An even greater effect can be achieved if you paint the battery to match the wallpaper

The battery can be displayed as part of an artistic composition

Many ideas are available on the Internet. Taking them as a basis, you can create a masterpiece yourself and without much labor or time, decorating external elements heating systems with an elegant or cheerful design. Battery decoupage is the transfer of a design from a medium to metal surface radiator When decorated using the decoupage technique, batteries can be decorated using ready-made designs made on thin paper (both rice paper and ordinary decorative napkins are suitable). There are a lot of design options: flowers, wood decoration, geometric designs.

Rainbow battery

Khokhloma painting on a heating radiator

If you have artistic abilities, you can do without ready-made solutions and paint images directly onto the surface. For such work you will need heat-resistant paints and varnish. The latter is necessary for those who decide to decoupage the battery themselves. For decoupage you will also need glue; regular PVA will do.

Decorating a battery in the bathroom

Not every bathroom has separate radiators, except for the one that serves as a heated towel rail. Modern products are quite aesthetic. The need for decoration arises if the battery has not been replaced for a long time, as a result of which it has lost its appearance. The easiest way to give heating device Presentable appearance is a matter of coloring. The paint color is selected according to the color of the room. Of course, the product to be painted is thoroughly cleaned. However, decoupage in the bathroom is just as appropriate.

An example of successful use of a battery as a bright accent

In addition, it is possible to cover the battery in the bathroom with a mesh, which can act as a storage system.

Protective screen with storage shelves

The battery can be hidden in a stylish cabinet

Or leave it in plain sight, covering it with a shelf on top

To summarize, it should be noted that decorating a radiator is a creative process. When choosing a method for transforming heating radiators, the main thing is not to overdo it with decorative elements, maintaining the overall style of the room. It is also important to take into account that the main functional purpose of the radiator - heating the room in the cold season - should not be affected.

They decorate both old cast iron batteries and modern products made of aluminum and bimetal. The latter are especially pliable for drawing, since external design consists of flat plates on which it is convenient to apply a design.

When choosing paint, you should remember that special paints are produced for heating radiators that can withstand high temperatures.

Currently, cast iron is increasingly being replaced by aluminum or bimetallic, which have a neat appearance and do not go far beyond window hole. But many apartments still have an accordion installed, which does not add an aesthetic appearance to the room. The question of how to decorate such a battery arises for many who start making repairs. There is only one way out - try to hide the batteries in the interior of your room with your own hands using some decorating techniques. In addition to radiators, a lot of trouble is caused by the pipes that go to the radiators and also look unsightly against the background of the walls updated after renovation.

The radiator does not always need to be hidden; sometimes it can turn into a house for a cat, as in this photo:

3 ways to make a radiator invisible

Radiators in the interior can be integrated quite harmoniously; there are several such techniques.

Method 1 - screen

The easiest way to hide the battery is to place it behind the screen. Screens are made from a wide variety of materials. These are both simple and which can be made from valuable species trees or from, these are suitable for most exquisite interior. If you prefer modern style, then you can buy it. Such screens will not only hide unwanted elements, but can decorate the room.

Instead of a screen - a glass picture

It is not possible to purchase the necessary screens in all cities; it is better to do this through some online store.

If you don’t want to spend money on a purchase, you can make one like this. You can hide the heating radiator by installing a plasterboard box or hiding the heating radiators behind a false wall. In this case, be sure to provide openings through which warm air will enter the room. Fortunately, there are materials in stores that will allow this to be done. Aluminum profile will be needed for the frame, and drywall or plywood will be used as the main material.

Method 2 - curtain

You can hide heating radiators not only behind a screen, but also behind a hand-sewn rag curtain. This option is acceptable if the heating radiators are recessed deep into the wall opening. To not do complex system fastenings, the curtain is attached with Velcro to the window sill. The fabric can be matched to the wallpaper. And in one apartment I saw that instead of curtains they had installed vertical blinds.

Fabric screen

Method 3 - painting

Another option for decorating a battery is to change its color.

If you paint the radiator to match the walls with your own hands, it will be less noticeable. This technique works better with modern radiators, such as aluminum ones. Cast iron will still stand out against your wallpaper or paint. But, nevertheless, this is a way out.

The color almost blends with the wall

Nowadays it is common to combine several textures of materials or highlight elements of a room different colors. If you're in a wall window opening highlight it with a variegated pattern to match the main color of the room, and also paint the battery variegatedly, the effect of invisibility will increase. Only a mottled spot will be visually striking. Or you can come up with a pattern for the entire opening under the window, part of this pattern will be the heating radiator. This is called airbrushing; usually such interior paintings are done by professionals. This idea is suitable for a children's room or kitchen. You can paint and decorate a heating radiator with your own hands together with your children. If you don't know how to draw, you can small parts apply using stencils, which are sold at any stationery store. These could be vegetables, fruits or small animals.

Painting on the battery

Another way is decoupage using designs from ordinary napkins. How to do this, watch the video:

Removing the pipes

A separate issue that will have to be resolved is where to put the heating pipes. Most The best way, V initial stage repair, these pipes will sink into the wall. You will have to change the configuration of the pipes, direct them towards the wall using an adapter, then drill a recess and hide the pipes there. This is a rather labor-intensive process; it is better not to do this work yourself, but to hire a specialist. If you hide it in the wall, you must be absolutely sure that the pipes good quality and new ones, otherwise they will leak and all your work will be lost. Pipes should be additionally coated with waterproofing. Under no circumstances should they be hidden in the wall. metal-plastic pipes with fittings, only iron. When thoroughly laying pipes, it is also necessary to take into account that the heat transfer in the room may decrease, but in the interior they will be invisible.

We use drywall

Drywall can also help you out when masking pipes. There are two options here - make a box or close it from floor to ceiling so that you get an additional wall. The disadvantage of such a false wall is that small apartments part of the area, which is already small, is taken away. DIY plasterboard shelter the best option, used in the interior, so it is easier to reach the pipes if plumbing repairs are required.

As you can see, there are many options for masking radiators, but every home is different, so think about it and try it to suit your interior. Good luck!

It's hard to find a more boring item in the house than radiators.

It doesn’t matter at all what style the interior of the room is designed in if the view is spoiled by the awkward structures placed in each room of the home. They can be covered with decorative elements, but if you have imagination, you can actually come up with them interesting design an integral attribute of the apartment.

If you have a stable financial situation, you can purchase elegant radiators from popular brands that will withstand any weather conditions. suitable style interior (retro, art deco, hi-tech, modern, Provence). If your soul asks for something unusual, you can create radiator decor with your own hands.

Making a reading place above the radiator by the window To disguise an unsightly heating radiator, a reading bench is made. It will be a stylish detail in the bedroom. The best option for decorating the battery is to install a special neat grille directly under the window. Thus, the heating element will not be visible at all: instead there will be a neat decorative grille.

The advantage of this design solution is both aesthetic and practical: thanks to the battery under the window sill, you don’t have to worry about a cold seat in winter. The radiator will warm up the place to relax, so you can comfortably spend time with a book in your hands. The grille is selected to match the overall color scheme interior White color will look best.

The decor of a radiator involves the use of various screens. It is important not to block the flow of warm air and use materials that do not lose their basic qualities due to constant exposure to high temperatures.

Structures can be hinged and supported flooring. Spectacular design solution is to use a screen-box in the form of a cabinet with doors. It can become a kind of table. A decorative screen is needed to make the room look aesthetically pleasing.

Most of the available radiators are not very aesthetically pleasing and have some problems due to functional features. A radiator is a product that has a complex design and is necessary to ensure high heat transfer rates between the battery body and environment. This interior element has two significant disadvantages.

The first is sharp corners, which can hurt you, tear clothes, curtains, expensive curtains. The second is an inconvenient design that is constantly clogged with dust. Because of this, it is difficult to clean the radiator, and with an impressive accumulation of cobwebs, it looks ugly. There are two criteria according to which they can be divided into the following: by type of construction and the material from which they are made.

If you pay attention to the principles of division into categories, you get the following: By design, screens are:

Flat

Such decorative elements More often they are used for batteries in a niche, when they are located in the area under the window sill and framed by a wall. It should be immediately noted that in the window sill itself there must be installed ventilation holes. This is necessary for air circulation from the radiator. Otherwise, the feasibility of mounting the battery will be minimal. At the moment, this type of screen is considered the simplest and most accessible.

Mounted

Used for radiators that are installed on the plane of the wall. The screen is mounted on the radiator itself and acts as a so-called housing. A significant disadvantage of this design is that the radiators must also be designed for the weight of the screen. When choosing such a design, you need to pay attention to the fact that the plane of the screen must have holes. This allows warm air to circulate better.

Attached

More developed complex design The screen actually frames the battery housing. The cost of such a design is high, due to the complexity of execution and expensive appearance. It has several significant advantages, one of which is the independence of installation relative to radiators, when there is no need to install special hooks.

Based on the material, screens can be made of plastic, metal, MDF, wood, and glass:

plastic - affordable designs that are not environmentally friendly. During operation, the material will constantly release harmful compounds. After a certain period of time has passed, the structure will lose its original shape. In addition to other characteristics, the screen will change color to a more faded, unattractive one. White will eventually turn yellow. This is facilitated by heating of the entire structure. The only ones positive points related to the acquisition of this element decor, are accessibility, resistance to moisture. You can safely dry wet items of clothing on this design after washing.

metal - the advantages of this material include lightness, rigidity, strength, environmental friendliness, and durability. Screens are suitable for people with average incomes. They are made from special of stainless steel. If desired, you can give it any desired color. You can dry wet clothes on them. Among the significant disadvantages: if damaged protective coating the structure will quickly begin to rust and lose its former attractive appearance.

MDF - you can create any interesting shapes from it, which will become an interesting addition to the interior. The material is cheap. Contains glue. When heated, the toxic substance will evaporate and enter the air in the room. MDF is afraid of moisture, so it can become deformed over time.

wood - screens have an impressive design, but they are short-lived. This applies to cheap designs. Cons: wood cannot come into contact with a humid environment. glass - the designs look impressive. Due to the fact that they are hardened, the likelihood of cutting yourself is reduced. Among the disadvantages of such screens is fragility.

When deciding to create a battery screen with your own hands, do not forget that plastic is not the best option. It is a poor conductor of heat and tends to change its original shape when exposed to high temperatures.

DIY painting ideas

Updating the radiator decor is carried out in compliance with the interior style. Designs painted in the same color as the walls look impressive. With proper design, you can divert attention from the shortcomings of the interior. As for painting ideas, multi-colored sections are used, giving the radiator a piano look, and applying a modular pattern.

The main thing is that the type of coloring fits perfectly into the overall concept of the room. To paint a radiator “like a piano,” you need to think through everything so that the resulting pattern resembles the keys of a popular musical instrument. You will need two colors of paint: black, white.

Decoupage - step-by-step master class It will help give the radiator a certain chic. Decoupage involves selecting drawings and then gluing them onto the surface to be restored. The resulting image is fixed with varnish. Today in stores you can buy special multi-layer napkins with a pattern.

Step-by-step master class:

The battery is cleaned using detergent compositions. Areas with peeling paint are cleaned sandpaper. The radiator is coated with paint.
You need to start applying the drawing after the coloring composition has completely dried.
Unroll the prepared napkins and cut out the required fragments. Excess layers of paper are completely removed. The image is coated with PVA glue and applied to the radiator sections. Gently press the napkin onto the battery. Air bubbles are removed. After the layer of paper has dried, you can complete the missing elements with your own hands.
The completely dry image is covered with two layers of varnish.

Decorative lattice - master class

To make a screen for a niche radiator design, you need to take several steps:

Making a template in the form of a design you like from waste plywood.
Going through the template with a jigsaw.
It needs to be processed with a milling cutter. It is important to achieve ideal transitions between the details of the ornament.
To close the niche with the battery you need to prepare several templates. Depending on the width of the niche, you should choose your number of fragments.
They need to be sanded and coated with special enamel. It is important to make special holes for fastening.
After the enamel has completely dried, the parts are sanded and painted with the required shade of paint.
The parts are secured using fasteners.

False fireplace - master class

This option is suitable for masking a radiator located in the center of the room.

Making a fireplace is as follows:

You need to prepare furniture board, plywood 1 cm thick, bars the right size, wooden layout.
You should create an approximate layout of the fireplace that covers the radiator. It should be a special square with a window in the center. The design of the structure depends on the preferences of the performer.
The box is fixed on the wall. Screw on the shelves on the fireplace, pre-made from furniture board. The entire structure can be decorated with special polyurethane skirting boards.
We go through the joints with self-tapping screws with putty. We sand off the excess and paint the surface of the fireplace with acrylic paint.

You can install a lamp in the firebox that will serve as an imitation of fire. If desired, you can install a garden trellis on top of the niche. The battery should be covered with imitation stone.

Plasterboard finishing

Using drywall you can easily hide an unsightly battery. You must have minimal skills in repair and construction work. The method allows you to completely close the radiator and niche. To disguise the battery, you need to make a plasterboard box that is attached to metal profiles. It is attached to the wall, all holes from the screwdriver are carefully puttied and sanded. The structure is covered with a primer, and then with a layer of paint. It is necessary to leave windows for ventilation, thanks to which warm air will circulate in the room.

Pipe decor

If you paint walls, radiators, pipes in the same color, then visually they will merge into one plane. You can use one ornament for decoration, which will allow the latter to get lost in the background. For painting, you can use special stencils (vinyl), which can obtain the desired shape.

There are a large number of finishing options: it all depends on the design style. If the interior is made in oriental style, you can use a bamboo trunk to hide the radiator sections. You need to vertically saw the bamboo trunk, open it, and insert a pipe there. You can wrap the pipes with a beautiful rope - you get an interesting composition.

Application in the interior

Below are the most interesting ideas:

Living room.

You can decorate the radiator using decorative false fireplace, a special plasterboard box. It all depends on your imagination and the style direction of the interior.

Kitchen.

You can cover the heating element with a special screen, which is consistent with the overall interior concept. If desired, you can simply paint it in a contrasting color.

Bedroom.

A decorative grille, screen or false fireplace will fit here. You can paint the batteries with an interesting design or use the decoupage technique.

Children's room.

An interesting option would be to design it using decoupage technique. The child really likes to look at the beautiful modular pictures.

When an unsightly heating radiator spoils the interior, there are several ways to solve the problem: replace it with a designer or in-floor model, or simply cover it with a screen/box. The latter method provides several advantages:

A screen or box not only hides a bulky structure, but often decorates the room.
The screen/box can be used to build an additional console, a shelf for decoration, a bench, a rack, or a desktop.
A closed battery is safer for children - there is no risk of burns or accidental impacts. However, one can argue with this argument, because it is in the children's room that heat loss is least needed.

In a children's room, the radiator should be covered with a nice grille with big amount holes, for example, carved as in this photo

If the house is too hot and dry, then closing the radiator will help create a comfortable microclimate for household members, their pets and plants.
The screen prevents dust from settling in the inside of the radiator and thus simplifies cleaning.

There are also disadvantages:

The heat transfer of a closed battery decreases on average by 10-15% or more (depending on the degree of closure);
Screens and boxes often make it difficult to service radiators, and sometimes even block access to them.
Often, improperly closed batteries lead to fogging of windows, and then to the appearance of harmful mold on slopes and walls.
The screen or box, at least a little, “eats up” the space around the radiator. After all, any elements should be installed at a distance of 5-10 cm from the battery.
Battery fencing requires additional expense and hassle.

How to cover radiators - 11 ways from a plasterboard box to a fabric screen

1. Decorative screen/box made of HDF

This option is one of the most popular due to its average price and beautiful appearance.

What is the difference between a box and a screen? The screen is designed for the battery located in a niche or under the window sill (pictured above), therefore, it covers only its front part. The box completely covers the radiator on the wall from all sides.

The screen, like the box panel, is made of perforated HDF sheet high density 3 mm thick), but the box profiles are made of MDF. Both materials are quite strong, durable and non-toxic when heated.

Advantages:

Due to the original perforation, HDF screens/boxes look beautiful and fit into any interior, especially to classic .
Heat resistance (the structure does not dry out like natural wood and does not turn yellow like plastic).
Easy to assemble and install without the help of specialists.
Ready-made HDF screens/boxes can be white or imitate wood (wenge, beech, oak), and custom-made ones can be painted in any color, laminated, veneered natural wood. True, the complexity of the design always affects the price of the screen.

Flaws:

MDF and HDF do not tolerate prolonged contact with water. If the battery leaks or a pipe breaks, the elements of the box/screen may swell. Therefore, any emergency situations must be resolved immediately.
Perforated panels, despite their thinness, are quite durable due to the high density of fiberboard. However, they must be protected from impacts and sharp objects.
Perforation sections in factory screens are not painted and are therefore visible.

Price: from 1500 rubles for a finished model and from 2300 rubles for an individual order.

Selection tips:

The size of the radiator niche must correspond to the size inside screen.
Screens and boxes for batteries can be either ready-made (assembled like a kit) or manufactured according to custom sizes and design (you can choose a perforation pattern).

Here is a small selection of photos of closed batteries.

Closed battery in the interior of a small kitchen in Khrushchev

2. A plasterboard box

How to cover a battery with drywall? Using this material, you can cover the radiator with a box or create a niche for it in a false wall.

Advantages:

Environmental friendliness;
Can be used in damp areas;
Material available;
With a false wall you can cover the pipes and expand the window sill;
You can close the battery with a plasterboard box with your own hands without special skills in a few hours of work;
You can think through the configuration of the box and false wall yourself, if you wish, equip it with shelves and niches, and additionally cover the pipes connected to the battery. Next, you can look at a photo of a closed battery in a plasterboard false wall with an enlarged window sill-bench and a built-in niche for books.

Flaws:

The main disadvantage of a plasterboard box is that this material is afraid of shocks and leaks. If something goes wrong, you will have to completely change the battery casing along with the finishing.
A false plasterboard wall for the battery and pipes “eats up” the space, as it is placed 30-35 mm forward from the extreme point of the radiator.

As a rule, a frame made of HA must be made at the renovation stage, because its finishing must coincide with the finishing of the walls.

In the following photos you can see finished interior kitchens with closed battery and a plasterboard box in the process of renovation.

Design and Manufacturing Tips:

Before closing the radiator with a plasterboard box, be sure to put it in order: blow it out, rinse it (this is done at the end heating season) and paint. In the future, doing this without dismantling the box will be difficult or even impossible.
The box can be installed on the floor or “hang” on the wall.
When designing the box, keep in mind that the window sill canopy must protrude above the front of the box by at least 30 mm. If necessary old window sill should be replaced with a wider one.

Visual instructions on how to cover the battery and pipes with a false plasterboard wall are presented in the video below.

And here is a video tutorial on how to cover a radiator with a box.

3. Furniture

In the kitchen, the battery along with the window sill can be built into a set or bar counter, and in the living room, bedroom and hallway - into a bench, console or shelving unit.

This slider presents a selection of photos of closed radiators under the bench.

The main condition: in the window sill/lid above the battery you need to provide enough holes for air circulation, and the facade (if there is one) covering the battery must be equipped with a grille (see photo below). Otherwise, there is a risk of windows fogging up and cold in the room.

Sometimes, to hide a heating radiator, it is enough to rearrange the furniture and cover the device, say, with a sofa, armchair or console. In order not to disturb the air circulation, it is better to place the piece of furniture away from the radiator (at least 10 cm); it is also advisable that it stand on legs - this way convective flows will not be blocked.

4. Fabric curtain

This method of disguise is good for rented housing or when you need to solve the problem of ugly batteries with minimal costs. The advantages of the curtain are obvious: a piece of fabric is inexpensive, and the choice of colors is very large (you can change the “screens” according to your mood), while the battery always remains available for repair and inspection.

5. Natural wood screen

Advantages:

Beautiful and expensive appearance even in the simplest design;
Environmental friendliness;
Good heat dissipation and ability to accumulate heat.

Flaws:

Wood is capricious - poorly prepared wood can swell from a leak or warp from heat;
A wooden screen requires special care;
High price.

Prices: from 3,000 rubles for the simplest models and from 10 thousand rubles for premium wooden screens.

Here are some photos of beautifully sealed batteries.

6. Glass screen

A glass screen is an excellent decorative solution, but from a thermal engineering point of view it is very controversial.

Advantages:

Design for every taste - the glass panel can be transparent and colored, matte and shiny, with or without a sandblasted pattern, with beveled or polished edges;
Glass can look neutral or very bright;
Glass visually looks light and adds airiness to the interior;
Ease of care;
Strength;
Durability;
Heat resistance;
Moisture resistance;
Absolutely environmentally friendly.

Flaws:

More suitable for modern rather than classic interiors;
“Eats” up to 40-50% of heat (infrared radiation);
High price;
Fingerprints may remain on the glass;
The panel does not cover the ends of the battery;
Screen installation most often requires the help of a specialist.

The battery shield must only be made from tempered glass. This is the only way it will be absolutely safe and shockproof.
Glass screens are good for use in rooms with excess heat.

7. Metal box

Advantages:

Practically do not interfere with heat transfer;
Low price;
Easy care;
Absolute moisture and heat resistance.

Flaws:

“Office” appearance that will not fit into every interior.

Selection tips:

A metal screen for a battery can look very nice if you order its production from a company specializing in laser cutting metal or forging.

8. A rattan box or screen

Most often, rattan fabric refers to an artificial rattan mesh woven from cellulose-based fibers reinforced with nylon thread. Artificial rattan is very similar to natural rattan, but unlike it, it is more practical and can be painted in any color. Screens from natural rattan They have natural beauty and durability, but they cost twice as much, and they are much more difficult to find on sale.

Advantages of a rattan screen:

Environmental friendliness;
Beautiful view;
Strength;
Elasticity;
Good heat dissipation.

Flaws:

The weaving of artificial rattan is quite dense, which can affect heat transfer;
The screen must be protected from water.

Prices: from 1,700 rubles (artificial rattan screen).

Rattan fabric (both artificial and natural) can be used to make a battery screen with your own hands. To do this, you need to assemble the box with the frame at the corners, attach the mesh to the inside of the frame, then install the box on the radiator using brackets.

9. Hinged metal screen

The metal structure consists of a cover and a screen and is hung on top of the battery without fixation.

Advantages:

Easy installation;
Simple dismantling, which facilitates radiator maintenance;
Profitable price;
Durability;
Does not reduce battery efficiency.

Flaws:

The ends of the battery remain visible;
Almost always, suspended screens are grilles without any decoration.

There must be high-quality enamel that does not scratch;
It should hold tightly and be easily removed;
The screen metal must not be subject to corrosion.

10. Curtains to the floor

Masking the radiator with curtains – great idea, approved by both heating engineers and decorators. The only problem is that it won’t be possible to hide the battery under the window behind a curtain without shading the room. Unless you hang very light tulle like in this photo.

Suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and toilets, that is, rooms with high humidity;

Affordable price.

Flaws:

It looks simple, no frills;
Over time, the plastic may turn yellow;
When heated, low-quality plastic can release toxic substances, such as formaldehyde.

Prices: from 300 rubles.

Selection tips:

Plastic battery screens are available in basic colors: white, gray, brown, beige. If desired, the screen can be painted in the desired color with alkyd spray paint for plastic;
Choosing plastic screen for the battery, make sure it is heat resistant and non-toxic.

How to close batteries correctly - technical rules and tips

Before closing the radiator, you need to take into account several technical nuances:

Keep in mind that heat transfer closed radiator is reduced in any case, no matter what method of masking you choose. The main thing is that the change is not significant. Ideally, the decrease in air temperature in the room should be about 1-1.5 degrees.
Before closing the battery, put it in order: blow it out, wash it (this is done at the end of the heating season) and paint it.
Keep in mind that the denser the grille weave, the better it masks the radiator, but the worse it conducts heat. Therefore, when choosing a screen for a battery, try to look for a middle ground or rely on heat saving.
To minimize heat loss, the screen can be placed on legs and a groove can be cut in the center.

When closing the battery, it is very important not to block convective air flows, otherwise it will blow in the room and the windows will begin to fog up, which will ultimately lead to the appearance of mold on the walls. Ideally, the window sill visor should protrude no more than 30 mm above the radiator; the top and bottom of the radiator should be as open as possible.
There should be a distance of at least 35-50 mm between the battery and the screen. There should be a gap of about 60-70 mm from the radiator to the floor and to the window sill.
To resolve emergency situations, it is necessary to provide free access to the radiator. For example, the box grille can be removable, folding (see photo), opening on hinges or sliding out on profiles.

At a minimum, for trouble-free maintenance, the following must remain in good accessibility: pipe connections, valves, thermal head and threaded connections.

You can increase heat transfer by 20-25% by placing a heat-reflecting screen, for example, fumisol, on the wall behind the radiator. Often this is quite enough to completely compensate for the heat loss of a closed battery.

For those who decide to save time and money on heating system reconstruction and replacement cast iron radiators for modern ones, we offer several ways to hide, disguise, decorate and update old unsightly batteries. You will be surprised how much these “cast iron heavyweights”, when transformed, can refresh the interior.

Successful camouflage is a simple but effective idea for those eyesores on heating radiators. Just choose a paint that matches the walls and paint the radiator with it. Alkyd and acrylic enamels, as well as water-dispersion paints.

Or you can do the opposite - use paint not to disguise the battery, but to focus on it.

At the height of the heating season, a radiator can become a potentially dangerous object in the house. To prevent a child from accidentally touching hot metal, special screens were invented that prevent direct contact with the battery and play a decorative role in the interior.

In addition, the screen will prevent dust and dirt from entering the battery. So cleaning will no longer be so burdensome.

The easiest way to fit batteries into the interior of a room is to hide them in a plasterboard box and cover it with a decorative grille. Of course, decoration should be done in such a way as not to disrupt the operation of the heating system.

Special perforated panels made of MDF - the most versatile of radiator screens. A wide variety of shapes, shades and textures allows you to choose them for any interior. Such screens are lightweight, compact, moisture-resistant, and environmentally friendly.

A screen with strict shapes is also considered a classic.

IN modern interior Laconic wooden screen models without elaborate decor will look good.

Similar decorative metal carcass for the radiator, you definitely don't want to hide it behind curtains. Because it will definitely attract the eyes of guests and will become the undeniable “highlight of the program.”

If you have carpentry skills, an idea decorative screen on a radiator can be developed into an improvised rack, console, cabinet. Functional furniture worth its weight in gold in small-sized dwellings.

Glass can also be used to make not just radiator screens, but also beautiful elements of functional furniture.

Some people thought of using a battery covered with a screen as extra space for relax. Warm, cozy, beautiful.

The radiator and heated towel rail can be turned into an art object. Sometimes it is difficult to guess what a heating system looks like.

The yellow square is not a painting, but a battery.

We suggest trying to solve the problem of unsightly batteries on your own, for example, using decoupage. Wash the battery thoroughly, make its surface smooth - old paint It is not necessary to remove it completely. First paint it with regular white enamel. While the battery is drying for 24 hours, take a decoupage card with a design you like. Measure the width of the outer surface of the battery section, cut the card into strips of the required size. Using PVA glue diluted with water in a 1x1 ratio, glue the motif so that it is located exactly in the middle of the battery. Finish the remaining part without a drawing on top and bottom acrylic paints. When the paint is dry, the entire battery must be coated with heat-resistant varnish.

You can cover the battery in an original way using a folding frame, inside of which strips of fabric are intertwined.

Needlewomen can sew some funny cover for the radiator. For example, let an unaesthetic metal battery turn into a sheep or other cute animal. The children will definitely be delighted.

A radiator curtain is a good alternative if you don’t want to use bulky frame screens. For a decorative curtain, choose a fabric that matches your decor. Sew one part of the fabric Velcro to the top of the curtain, and glue the other to the bottom of the window sill above the radiator. You can make several curtains and change them depending on your mood.

Simple and original way masking the battery - using a curved sheet of plywood 4 mm thick. The panel is attached to the wall with 4 screw hooks at a distance of at least 5 cm from the window sill, so as not to interfere with normal air circulation. In order to get a beautiful bend, the panel must be twice as long as the radiator, and its center must be placed strictly in the middle. Apply decorative self-adhesive furniture film to the front side of the panel.

It is easy to make a universal retractable panel from a fiberboard sheet, which, if necessary, can be easily moved to another room. It is installed behind the frame frame. The frame requires fiberboard boards 1.6 cm thick and 8 cm wide. The horizontal and vertical parts of the frame are glued together.

If the masking panel is first covered with dark paint and then varnished, you will get a drawing and note board for children. You can also decorate the panel with an applique, a picture, or cut out a school of fish in it.

In one of the Moscow apartments there is such a fake fireplace made of plywood, made with your own hands. It covers an old cast iron battery.

The transformation happened like this. From plywood they built the “face” of the fireplace with a window for the firebox, as well as a firebox with a picture of bricks. Then from polyurethane skirting boards Decorated the floor and cornice. A long LED lamp was installed to illuminate the firebox. The lamp housing was painted with splashes of orange and red paint. The coals represent large stones from the hardware store.