Masking and design of heating batteries
Modern heating radiators have quiteacceptable design, so they do not spoil the interior of an apartment or house. But this only applies to bimetallic, aluminum and some metal models, while cast iron ones do not look very good. And there is no need to even talk about Soviet and home-made batteries, often you can’t look at them without tears. But, fortunately, the problem is solvable - radiators can be beautifully decorated or hidden (masked). The main ways of how this can be done will be considered in this article.
1 way - decoupage, coloring
The batteries are printed with a heat-resistant patternpaint or special stickers are glued on, which can be bought ready-made or ordered with the image you need. If the design is done correctly, the heating devices will perfectly complement the interior, but at the same time will not be too conspicuous. However, choosing the right pattern or color is not as easy as it seems.
If the decoration is done incorrectly, the batteries will stand out and look even worse than before the decoration (the examples below prove this perfectly).
2 way - screen closing
Unlike painting or decoupage, screens are notmake the radiators more beautiful, but simply hide them, completely covering them from one or more sides. Due to the complete or partial closure, the heating efficiency decreases, so this type of radiator masking is not suitable for rooms where it is already cold. The most common screens are of 4 types - metal, glass, plastic and wooden (wood or MDF). Each of the types has a lot of different implementation options, differing in a number of parameters (the full classification is extensive, if you are interested, look for it, it is on the Internet).
Metal, plastic and glass screens,in our opinion, have extremely low decorative qualities and are poorly suited for masking radiators. But wooden and MDF products look very good, if, of course, they are made carefully and adapted to the interior. But it's all a matter of taste.
Method 3 – creating a false wall
The third way to disguise heating batteries is to place them in a false wall and cover them with a screen made of plastic, wood or other material.
In this case, some of the heat is lost due toscreen, plus due to the thinning of the wall, the radiator in a sense begins to heat the street. Although you can get rid of the latter drawback by making a niche from plasterboard.
This method is only suitable for warm rooms with central heating, where the loss of heat output will not be strongly felt in the microclimate and gas costs.
4 way - use the cover
The cover for the heating battery disguises it well in the interior, and it looks interesting. In addition, it protects the psyche of parents whose small children like to knock on metal radiators.
But this method also has its disadvantages:
- First, the matter disrupts the natural convection of the air, so the batteries do not heat the room so efficiently.
- Secondly, the fabric from contact with the hot surface can catch fire or start to smolder, causing a fire.
People who constantly dry their clothes on radiators,may object and say that nothing will happen. And they will be partly right. Cases of fire are actually extremely rare, but once a year even a mop shoots out, so be careful and don't say that we didn't warn you.
5 way - battery replacement
Playing Captain Obvious, let's say thatThe best way to disguise old unsightly radiators is to replace them with new ones, especially since they are not that expensive. But if you don’t like the new radiators either, then it makes sense to pay attention to non-standard models with a higher-class design. Of course, they are not at all budget-friendly, but they look amazing. The so-called designer heating radiators are divided (conditionally, of course) into two groups: models with a classic shape, but a beautiful design, and batteries that cannot be immediately recognized as a heating device. The first ones are cheaper and somehow more familiar (habit is habit).
The second ones are very expensive (from $500 and up) and are perfect for premium housing.
Agree, such radiators do not need to be decoratedor hide, they themselves are a great decoration for any interior. However, it is worth considering that not all designer heating batteries heat well, some are incredibly beautiful, but with low heat output.
