too many pipes!

[faycat]

Hi

Hope you can help. We have lots of pipes running from the boiler all along the top of 2 walls in utility room [a long and a short side of a rectangular room] Both walls have doors in them. The pipes run horizontally above the doors.

It seems a waste of time to box in the pipes, as they take up nearly all wall space between the top of the doors and the ceiling.

Does anyone have a better idea that would completely hide the pipes but leave me with a flat surface from the door to the ceiling and not look like boxed in pipes?

Thanks a lot.....

 

[kevplumb]

cut a chase in the wall and form a duct

 

[big-all]

carfull when channeling horizontaly you are very restricted in the depth you can take out somthing like a quarter or a third

 

[faycat]

Thanks for the replies. I'm a bit of a DIY dunce. I think you are suggesting that I make channels in the walls for the pipes.

How can I do this? The pipes are in the way. And they are quite big.

If I could manage to make "ducts" how do I shove the pipes into them?

I could get the pipes in, then how shoudl I cover them and which what?

Please explain as you would to a child!!!!!!

 

[mogget]

In all honesty, I think the best way to achieve what you want would be to dry-line the whole wall. First with timber battens then plasterboard and skim over.

It's a lot of faffing about, but easier than moving the pipes if you're neither confident with plumbing, or able to pay someone to do it.

 

[swidders]

Total coverage as mogget suggests is best, but if you aren't confident with plastering without the inevitable mess, use mdf, which bq will cut to size. May be worth insulating the pipes to prevent possible condensation in the enclosed space.

 

[faycat]

Thanks mogget and swidders. I was thinking along those lines myself. Wasn't sure whether I would need to do the whole of the walls-down the sides of the doors etc or if I could get away with just blocking off the top section above the doors all the way round and maybe incorportaing a shelf.

 

[Aquaheat]

I would just block off the top section if your thinking of incorporating a shelf.

This would be the simplest idea as you would not have to conside the door frames, sockets, light switches, skirtings, floor coverings etc etc

Dont forget one of the above posts which mention insulation or ventilation

 

[big-all]

if it where me i would make a fearute wall

possibilities are a series of units all finishing at the same height with the boxing in finnishing 1" above the unit height

the wall could be a mixture bought and made units

examples would be a central tv audio visual wall unit of say 12" deep with book shelves either side of say 9" deep

or as jonjb says a shelve thats say 4" deeper than the boxing in so you can break up the outline with trinkers ornaments ect

 

[faycat]

Hi everyone

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. The room is essentially a laundry room. The small wall has the back door in it and the big was has the kitchen door and an alcove [where I think the old back door used to be] so there is not much clear wall space for units....but that would have been lovely!

If anyone reads this post could you please tell me how to insulate the pipes and also should I put any perforations in the MDF to stop heat build up etc etc.

Thanks again, I'm now feeling much clearer about what to do.

 

[swidders]

Use standard pipe insulation (foam tubes) - split them as you go and wrap around with some insulation tape every so often. Available in any diy store.

If you want to allow for ventilation, a couple of small hit and miss grills at each end of the cover - although one will probably do if the space is small

 

[faycat]

Thanks a lot swidders.

By the way, I'm in Manchester too. Are you a plumber?

 

[mogget]

Use standard pipe insulation (foam tubes) - split them as you go and wrap around with some insulation tape every so often.

I find that cable ties work quite well, too. They're less fiddly than tape but probably more expensive, I would think.