Fits beautifully into new interior heating radiator is very rare. Batteries, especially old cast iron ones, stand out sharply against the background of fresh wallpaper and look ridiculous in a room if its design is not made in a retro style. Think about how and what to close heating batteries, it is necessary at the stage of planning the repair, and not after its completion, when some work can no longer be carried out.
Installation of new radiators
Owners of apartments in houses old building most often they are faced with the fact that rooms have installed cast iron batteries
. For efficient heat transfer, such a device is better. However, over the years of operation during the Soviet era, in conditions of shortage of materials of any kind, the only manipulations that were performed on the radiators were painting. Turning a monster covered in many layers of peeling paint into something decent is extremely difficult. In addition, cast iron radiators do not have ball valves, which allow you to turn off the radiators if it is hot in the apartment.
The easiest way is to replace the radiator on modern model and immediately install shut-off valves, which can be used to reduce the temperature in the room and shut off the water for repairs.
For the new radiator to work effectively, during installation you need calculate accurately place of its attachment:
- The heating radiator must be placed strictly in the middle of the window opening.
- The distance from the floor to the bottom edge of the battery should be within the range of 8–14 cm.
- The radiator should hang 10–12 cm below the window sill.
- The gap between the wall and back wall should not be less than 3 and more than 5 cm.
If these rules are followed, heat transfer will be maximum.
It's hot in the apartment
Complaints about heat in the apartment quite rare. Usually the temperature of radiators is regulated by shut-off valves, but they are not always installed. Therefore, if you need to reduce the heat transfer of a battery without taps, this can be done in several ways:
- A budget option is to cover the battery with a thick cloth or blanket. This method allows you to solve the problem of “overheating” here and now, until a special screen for the radiator is purchased.
- Another “quick” option to reduce the temperature is to cover the radiator with a shield made from a tabletop or board.
- A more expensive option is reflective insulation. As a rule, this is foil on a backing made of gas-foamed polyethylene foam, which is used to cover or wrap sections of a radiator that is too hot.
- If you want it to be not only cool, but also beautiful, the battery needs to be packed in a box made of wood, metal or plasterboard. The construction of the box will require not only financial costs, but also time.
If the room is cold
Much more often people complain that There is not enough heat from the radiators to warm up the room. To make the radiators warmer in the apartment, you can also use reflective thermal insulation, only in this case it must be mounted on the wall behind the radiator and on the floor under it. Other methods are more complex:
- It is advisable to install it on the battery Mayevsky crane, which allows air accumulated during the start to be released heating season and when filling the radiator with water.
- Careful removal of dust and dirt will improve heat distribution. You need to clean not only on the outer and upper sides of the radiator, but also in the space between the sections.
- In the battery itself, in addition to air, there may be dirt accumulate and rust. To clean the batteries you need to call a technician.
Ways to disguise radiators
If the temperature in the apartment is completely satisfactory, but only worries appearance batteries, then you can use one of the decoration methods. The main thing is not to harm the heat transfer process and observe several important points:
- The radiator may require repair or replacement, so you need to think through the decorative design so that in the event of an accident the battery can be easily removed. Plumbers who regularly encounter problems heating devices, in general, it is recommended to use only attached screens that simply slide to the side.
- The main threat from a radiator is a possible leak at the junction with the heating pipes. Therefore the second important nuance- accessibility of connection nodes, which can be ensured by providing a plastic door in box designs.
Using wallpaper
Typical heating radiators are painted in White color and look good only against white walls. If the walls are dark in color but without a pattern, the radiators can simply be repainted. Only heat-resistant paint can be used.
Drawing on the walls complicates the task. Using a stencil and paint, it’s easy to duplicate a simple pattern on a battery. If the pattern is complex, you can cut pieces from the leftover wallpaper that match the size of the sections and stick them on the radiator.
A special way to decorate a battery is decoupage. Craft materials stores sell stickers on vinyl based , which do not deform under the influence of temperature. For decoupage, you can use not only ready-made patterns, but also create your own from scrap materials: fabric, paper, hot melt glue and even beads.
Fabric screen
Women with good sewing skills often make their own fabric radiator covers.
An alternative way to decorate is to create a special curtain for the battery. They are made of loose fabric and attached to the wall or window sill using textile Velcro. Most often, a fabric screen is made from the same material as curtains.
The undoubted advantage of such screens: minimal impact for heat transfer and basic care - the curtain for the battery, which has collected all the dust, can be effortlessly cleaned when washed in a regular washing machine.
Mounted and attached structures
For lovers ready-made solutions construction and furniture stores offer screens from various materials. The variety of choices allows you to choose a design that will fit perfectly into any interior. The most popular screens are made of metal and wood:
- Metal decorative screens are made from stainless steel. Chrome structures fit well into a stylish high-tech interior. The main advantage of metal decor is high thermal conductivity, easy maintenance and wear resistance.
- Wooden screens are suitable for American or Scandinavian style. Most often, wooden screens are made in the form of a large-mesh lattice, which does not interfere with the normal convection of the battery.
- The decorative glass screen looks very elegant, and the design itself takes on an airy lightness. But decorating with solid glass reduces heat transfer by almost half, more effective method- use a screen made of several glass panels.
- Drywall screens are also very common because you can make them yourself. It must be remembered that the thermal conductivity of drywall is very low, and the material itself begins to deteriorate under the influence of high temperatures. Therefore, it is better to choose fire-resistant drywall and treat the sheets with a primer or PVA glue.
Masking boxes
More difficult to perform decor option- a box covering the radiator on all sides.
Most often, boxes are made from the following materials:
- Heat-resistant plasterboard - inexpensive material, which is on finishing stage painted, covered with wallpaper or film, decorated with decorative elements and even stucco.
- MDF panels are also inexpensive and successfully imitate rare wood species. The panels are selected to match the color of the main furniture.
- Plywood, like drywall, is very often used for self-production box, and on final stage decorated with various materials.
- Wood is used as a material for the box due to its high environmental friendliness, but it is more expensive and difficult to process.
- Plastic, although it is used as part of the box structure, is not particularly popular. When heated, plastic elements can release toxic fumes.
The box is often made not in the form of a simple box, but as interior items: an imitation of a fireplace, a false wall, or a section of a cabinet built under a window.
Hidden battery installation
One of the most difficult decorating methods is to hide radiators as if they were not installed:
- Installing pipes and batteries in the wall radically solves the problem of the appearance of heating devices. In this case, thermal conductivity invariably suffers, and in the event of a leak or breakage of the radiator, you will have to break the wall.
- In the bathroom and kitchen, you can successfully cover the heating elements with furniture. In the bathroom, cabinets are most often used, small kitchens the window sill is replaced with a tabletop, and false cabinets with lattice doors are installed under it.
Radical method
You can completely abandon batteries, replacing them with alternative heating systems:
- Warm floor. Electric and infrared floors are most often installed in apartments, but in a cottage this can also be water system. The point here is not efficiency, but the fact that it is impossible to obtain permission to install a water floor in an apartment. The disadvantages of heated floors include:
- a large number of building materials that need to be purchased and installed - pipes, pump, mixing unit.
- Heat transfer losses due to floor coverings(carpets) and furniture.
- High accident rate of the system: laminate (or parquet) laid on top of a heated floor can catch fire; the water system, like conventional batteries, has a risk of leaking.
- Difficult to regulate heating temperature.
- Film electric heaters. They belong to infrared heat devices and work by flowing electricity through resistive elements, the heat from which is transferred to an aluminum screen. Film heaters are good because they can be mounted as decoration in any part of the room: floor, ceiling or walls, or stylized as a painting, for example. The advantages include durability (up to 50 years of operation), absence of combustion products, noiselessness, ease of installation and low weight of the structure. Among negative traits This heating method should be noted that it is effective only in rooms with good thermal insulation, it requires high power supply, and its operating costs are higher than that of gas equipment.
Planning a room renovation a certain style Apartment residents try to think through all the little details. And then the question arises of how to close the battery. In the interior of a classic and retro style quite appropriate detail in the form cast iron radiator. Other design styles include ribbed cast sections and even plates bimetallic heating don't fit. You need to install a box or cover the battery in the room with a screen. Then there is a risk of freezing. Decoupage practically does not change the power heat flow. You can do it yourself.
Difficult choice between heating efficiency and beauty
The number of sections of the heating battery takes into account the area of the room. The rules for installing a radiator strictly regulate the distance to the floor, wall and window sill. Compliance with these rules is necessary for normal temperature in the room in winter time. The heated air should rise freely. A cold one takes its place. Radiation from the heated metal goes to the sides.
If you completely close the batteries, you get big gas savings. The water returns to the boiler room hot and can be brought to the required temperature with minimal heating. The room remains cold because the path to heat flow is closed. The interior has beautiful view. The heating does not perform its function, the room is cold.
For normal heating of the room it is necessary to provide maximum conditions heat radiation.
- The gap between the wall and the radiator to allow air to rise upward.
- The distance from the floor to the battery is 3 times greater than to the wall. Cold air should freely enter the place of rising, heated air.
- The convection flow of hot air rises freely. The distance to the window sill is more than 10 cm.
- The front part of the radiator should be as open as possible to infrared radiation coming from the front panel of the sections.
Closing the radiators means losing heat. We need to find best option, beautiful decor and minimal losses.
Boxes, grilles and screens for heating radiators
Closing the radiators of the heating system
The box completely blocks all flows and heating is ineffective. The exception is the manufacturing option in accordance with the requirements:
- the box does not have a bottom bar and hangs at a distance from the floor;
- in the upper part there are holes for air outlet;
- The area of the holes on the front panel is larger than the remaining body of material.
Such a box is easy to make with your own hands if you know how to work with metal. You can make a structure from plasterboard by taking fire-resistant sheets and treating them with a primer. The parts are made according to the size of the cast iron radiator:
- 2 side posts, at the same time legs on which the box rests, and other parts are hung;
- Front Panel;
- top panel.
Hanging screens are sold in the store. They are made of metal and reduce heating slightly. The heating radiator is closed and has an aesthetic appearance.
When placing the battery in a wall niche, it is convenient to make gratings with your own hands. The simplest option is narrow wooden slats. They are installed at a great distance from each other. The area of infrared radiation decreases slightly. The convection current circulates freely. The room is warm and the radiator is nicely camouflaged.
Screen from frosted glass With beautiful design looks stylish. It can imitate a fireplace and simply decorate a room with its design. The area of infrared radiation is completely closed and half of the heat flow is lost.
Attention! Do not use plastic to create the box and screen. When heated, it releases harmful substances and quickly breaks down.
Decorative batteries
We cover the radiators of the heating system with decorative grilles
For apartment owners who have the opportunity not to save on repairs, construction stores designer radiators for sale. They are made of pipes with high heat transfer, beautifully intertwined in a basket or waves. The surface of the heater is chrome-plated or painted in the selected color. The radiation area is completely open. The room has a beautiful bright decor made from a heating radiator.
Among the design options is a bench with pipes under the seat that encircle the legs. Polished metal looks great in modern interior. The bench under the window has a practical use.
Decoupage - the optimal transformation of a radiator with your own hands
Decorative grilles for heating radiators
Creating battery decoupage with your own hands is not only a budget option for decorating heating systems. You can fantasize and create any compositions and drawings. The radiation area does not change. Air convection remains the same. The room is warm and beautiful at the same time without extra costs for heating.
Decoupage is created from any materials that can withstand the heating temperature of a cast iron radiator and plates bimetallic battery. Available for sale for those who cannot draw vinyl stickers. Decoupage turns out beautiful, but when heated too much it is harmful.
I use colored fabric. I choose natural material from cotton and linen. I cut out flowers on it and glue it to the surface of the radiator. Pipes can turn into branches. I additionally screw leaves onto them and plant butterflies. Everyone can invent and create their own decoupage using paints, fabric, hot glue and other items at hand.
Installing a reflector on the wall increases the efficiency of the radiator
Decorative grilles for batteries
When closing the radiators, care must be taken to increase the heat flow in the room. The first is the location on the wall of a special shielding thermal insulation material. The simplest and cheapest consists of a sheet of foam rubber covered on one side with foil.
Foam rubber glued to the wall represents good heat insulator. It does not allow cold to reach the battery. Shiny foil reflects heat and partially returns it to the radiator, the rest is carried upward by the air flow. The heater sections become even hotter.
Decorative screens for radiators have firmly taken their place in the design of modern interiors. They help maintain a consistent style in the interior and disguise the unsightly appearance of the batteries.
In addition to the aesthetic component, the screens eliminate the possibility of burns and injuries, which is especially important for families with small children. In our article we will talk about the most popular and practical ideas using battery screens.
1. Hinged screens with covers
Such hanging screens are most often made of metal; they do not require professional installation and can be installed by simply hanging them on a heating device with your own hands. Such protective panels do not interfere with convection and heat transfer at all. Wall panels are manufactured with rectangular or rounded edges, as well as for double-sided or single-sided pipe connections.
2. Flat screens for heating radiators
Most in demand flat screens. This is due to the fact that such screens are used both for decorating radiators built into niches, and for decorating various decorative elements of the interior of premises. Today, such screens come with carvings, drawings and various forgings; some examples can be easily equated to works of art.
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3. Screens made in the form of a box
A screen for the battery in the form of a box allows you to completely decorate the often scary heating radiators with many layers of paint sticking out in all directions. And even modern “beautiful” radiators, as a rule, do not fit into general interior premises.
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You can also use a classification based on the material from which the screen is made.
4. Metal screens for batteries
A variety of protective canopies made of stainless steels They are quite practical and, subject to certain rules, look aesthetically pleasing both in the interior of a living room and in a swimming pool or common area. Metal screens on radiators will help complement the design in the hi-tech or techno style. 
5. Decorative screens made of wood
Wooden screens are great for decoration purposes as they look quite attractive. Wooden screens for heating radiators can be purchased ready-made, or made to order so that they match the color and style of your furniture and doors. The main disadvantage of wooden decorative fences for batteries is the ability to deform and dry out under severe temperature changes and even slight fluctuations in humidity levels. 
6. Screens made of MDF panels
The most important advantage of products made from MDF is that in their technical specifications this material is not inferior natural wood, and the cost is 60-70% cheaper. 
7. Plastic grilles
Despite their affordability, plastic grilles are a poor choice for residential premises, this is due to the fact that when heated strongly, products made of plastic can release harmful substances that are dangerous to the human body. Plastic gratings good for non-residential premises and offices. 
8. Glass screens
Glass screens are usually a rectangular sheet of thick translucent glass on steel holders. It covers the radiator only from the front, leaving free space below and above. 
I would also like to talk about the now fashionable photo printing on glass screens for batteries. 
- Combination various colors screen frames, color range and types of perforation makes it possible to carry out countless variations in the interior.
- If the battery that needs to be hidden is not initially located in a niche, then it is better to choose a radiator screen with a box.
- Screens made from natural materials are more suitable for classic and vintage interiors. Artificial materials are more typical for interiors with modern design.
The cold weather is just around the corner, and it’s worth paying attention to the heating radiators and thinking about how they can be hidden so that they do not spoil the interior. There are quite a few creative ideas, which will allow you to turn batteries into a decorative element and use them practically.
Disguise as interior style
In a beautifully designed interior, all objects and elements should somehow resonate with each other and form a single style. Heating generators in this case are also no exception. They, of course, simply must fit into the common space and only decorate it, and not spoil it. Therefore, you should worry in advance about adequate masking of the batteries. IN classic versions Screens in an elegant style, made in light shades, would be appropriate - Ivory, beige, noble white. Laconic wooden models without elaborate decor will look good in a Scandinavian or modern interior.
Choosing the right material
The choice of material from which the screen will be made must be approached no less scrupulously than the design of the product itself. First of all, the selected material must be resistant to high temperatures. Today, such screens are made of metal, plexiglass, wood, plastic and plywood. The most reliable and popular of them are metal and plywood. Wood can deform over time, and it is expensive, plastic is only suitable for offices and non-residential premises, glass can interfere with the transmission of heat during heating.
Warmth or beauty?
When choosing a screen, there is another dilemma: what to put first - beauty or to be more concerned about warmth. Here you need to start from how severe the winters are where the apartment is located. If you want to reduce the flow of heat and it is hot in the apartment in winter, then you should take a closer look at closed options. If heating the room comes first, then you need to choose options without additional grilles, as well as those that are as light and patterned as possible.
Practical use of the radiator
The most interesting thing is that thanks to the screens, the battery can be used as extra bed for rest, as a shelf or stand for decorative elements. Thus, you have two birds with one stone in your hands - the battery is camouflaged, the interior looks great and at the same time it has additional element, performing practical functions.
Modern interior design involves the use various elements decorations in a house or apartment. And very often decorative elements are used to eliminate imperfections in rooms or hide devices that have an unsightly appearance. These include heating devices, which cause the entire interior design to suffer. Therefore, you need to know how to properly close radiators and at the same time minimize heat losses.
Hide all the flaws of the battery, creating aesthetic beauty in your home
Important Terms
It is clear that no matter what method is used, heat loss is inevitable in any case. Therefore, before closing the battery , first you need to take into account several important conditions:
- The air flow must circulate freely. Fulfilling this condition will not only uniformly warm the air in the room, but will also help prevent windows from fogging up.
- All taps and connecting elements heating systems must have free access for various repair work.
Both conditions can be easily met if you listen to experts who advise using removable devices or structures with special windows.
From this video we will learn how to close the batteries:
Basic ways to hide radiators
If at the construction stage for some reason the radiators were not hidden in the walls, then in order to prevent the radiators from spoiling the appearance of the room, you will have to mask the heating devices. But not everyone knows how to cover a radiator in a room to make it beautiful and convenient. There are many ways to help cover radiators:
- Hinged screen. This device has significant advantages. Firstly, installing the screen is very simple, and even a non-professional can handle it. Secondly, the design features allow free circulation warm air. And thirdly, hanging screens are completely safe due to their rounded corners. And safety comes first, especially for those who have children.
- Wooden frame . Any decorative element made of wood looks noble, rich and elegant. The same can be said about wooden frames, which will fit perfectly into almost any style of room. A wooden frame looks especially stylish in combination with furniture made from the same material. Depending on the design, the wooden frame can be made in the form of a shelf or rack. The only disadvantage of this method is that the device may become deformed over time from exposure to high temperatures.
Wooden frame is the simplest and most economical way hide batteries
- Glass screen. The method is considered one of the most original, because photo printing or various designs can be applied to glass. But at the same time you will have to pay a decent amount, so this method is not so widespread among the population. And for those who still decide to cover the battery with a glass screen, it is worth remembering that such material will almost halve the heat transfer.
- Built in furniture. One of the most original ways is to disguise batteries using furniture (chests of drawers, cabinets, shelves, seating areas, tables, and so on). And since such furniture is mainly made to order, you need to be prepared for hefty expenses.
- . The material, although it has a number of disadvantages, has nevertheless gained great popularity. At the same time, most of all, of course, plasterboard attracts with its low cost. This material is ideal for sealing radiators under the window. But we must not forget that plasterboard structures may suffer from external influences, it can easily be broken through carelessness. And if a leak occurs, you will have to replace the entire structure.
Drywall has a low cost, but do not forget about its flaws
- Curtains. The simplest, fastest method that does not require any installation work is to disguise the heating under curtains. Thanks to large selection, you can find curtains of various colors and shapes on sale. This means that you can choose appropriate curtains for any interior. In addition, they are very often used to hide cast iron pipes.
- Painting. This method is used if for some reason other options cannot be used. In this case, the batteries are painted to match the color of the walls.
A wide variety of methods allows you to disguise heating radiators in any room.
Design solution
It is possible to use unique design methods. For example, the battery itself can be made into an interior element by building a forged frame or any other product around it. You can also cover the heating radiators in the apartment with fabric. And the material, in turn, should fit perfectly into the design of any room. Another interesting option, which allows you to hide heating pipes, is decoupage and painting. This method is distinguished not only by its simplicity, but also by the unlimited imagination of the apartment owner.
In any case, before deciding how to close the heating radiator in a room, you need to consider all the methods, weigh the pros and cons, and only then settle on one of the options you like. And for those who are not afraid of difficulties, it is worth considering the option of heated floors, in which batteries are not needed at all.
