hiding a large radiator and pipes coming from ceiling!

[spacekitty30]

Hi, Newbie here as you can guess! I have searched and searched google for an answer to no avail so thought i would ask you lovely people for some advice! anyways, I am about to move into a new home in 3 weeks time and the only downside i have is the largest radiator i have ever seen on the living room wall. Its ugly and the pipes come from the ceiling so very hard to hide, will take a picture when i move in i am just trying to think of a way to disguise it first!

My idea was to build a unit around it using the whole wall as a storage ideas! I was thinking of adding a false wall over the pipes and radiator with vaneered holes so heat escapes, I was also going to leave a vent at the top so heat escapes from there too (I have the whole idea in my head lol) as i was planning on making the cover into a sideboard for my sky box and ps3 and putting my Tv above it. I guess the main question is that i know a tv should not go near any heat really, but would the way i am suggesting work or would the heat still effectively rise onto it damaging the tv? The radiator is on one of the 2 largest walls so if i was to do this i could fit my dining table in too lol

 

[muggles]

Any kind of boxing built around the radiator will reduce its ability to heat the room, especially any kind of shelf above it, as radiators rely the movement of air to convect heat around the room. IE, cold air goes in at the bottom of the radiator and warm air comes out of the top, so if you stop or slow down the warm air coming out of the top your room won't heat up. If you manage to stop the heat rising up to the TV above it, you'll also stop the heat getting to the rest of the room

 

[Steve]

Don't cover the radiator. Your room will be cold . . .

You can cover the pipes coming down the wall with plastic trunking which you can sand and paint (well, maybe you aren't meant to but I do).

If the radiator is ugly because its old, get a new one - most are standard sizes, and new ones usually have "casings" around them to make them a bit more pleasing on the eye. I have Kudox rads in my house as I like the look of them and they are fairly cheap. B&Q sell these, and Screwfix do slightly cheaper.

Another option is a smaller radiator, but this depends on the size of the room, which way it faces, the type of wall, insulation, windows, ceiling height.

 

[spacekitty30]

ah bugger, back to the drawing board then! its not possible to box in the pipes either, its stupid the way they have done it smack bang in the middle of the wall! and I'm not allowed to remove it sadly as its housing association so thought i would try to make it look pretty instead lol also means i now have to fork out on a new sofa as tv wont go on any other wall and its too big for where i wanted it originally! Thanks for your help though!

 

[Norcon]

If it irks you that much just turn it off and box it in.
Then use an electric heater to warm the room. Job done.

 

[TCCHeating]

ah b*****r, back to the drawing board then! its not possible to box in the pipes either, its stupid the way they have done it smack bang in the middle of the wall! and I'm not allowed to remove it sadly as its housing association so thought i would try to make it look pretty instead lol also means i now have to fork out on a new sofa as tv wont go on any other wall and its too big for where i wanted it originally! Thanks for your help though!

I really feel for you mate. The housing association should have checked the size of your telly beforehand. Thats just unacceptable

 

[bazdaman]

ah b*****r, back to the drawing board then! its not possible to box in the pipes either, its stupid the way they have done it smack bang in the middle of the wall! and I'm not allowed to remove it sadly as its housing association so thought i would try to make it look pretty instead lol also means i now have to fork out on a new sofa as tv wont go on any other wall and its too big for where i wanted it originally! Thanks for your help though!

I really feel for you mate. The housing association should have checked the size of your telly beforehand. Thats just unacceptable

And he has to buy a new sofa. NOFA as PVD would say