On such frosty winter days as now, heating saves our houses and apartments. Therefore, the presence heating radiators in dwellings - this is undoubtedly a plus. But often batteries become a stumbling block when you want to decorate a room beautifully.

So where to put the hated batteries? After all, no matter how modern they are, appearance rooms, alas, still deteriorate because of them ...

The problem with the design of radiators is especially relevant in children's rooms and rooms where children often play, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because kids run a lot and can hit the battery.

If modern radiators have such an appearance that they can easily fit into a high-tech or minimalist room, then Soviet cast-iron batteries look quite depressing. Therefore it is necessary disguise the battery so that it was not visible, but did not stop warming us in the cold.

How to hide the battery

Editorial "So simple!" prepared for you 14 practical ways how to hide the nondescript radiator and at the same time transform the interior. Now, looking at the batteries in the house, I get aesthetic pleasure!

1. The easiest way is to paint the battery. Use a special paint that is resistant to high temperatures for this. The color must be selected to match the interior of the room. This option is best applied to modern aluminum batteries. Painted cast iron products will stand out strongly.

   But if you decorate them various drawings- quite another matter! This is especially true in the children's room or in the kitchen. If artistic skills are completely absent, you can use special stencils.

   

2. Very original idea! To implement it, you must have several skeins of twine, 3 hours of time and perseverance.

   

3. You can close the heating battery with a cotton curtain. This option is only suitable for products installed in a niche.

   You can attach the curtain to the window sill with Velcro, the fabric should be matched to the tone of the wallpaper. Blinds can be used as an alternative.

   

4. And this idea is just 2 in 1! We hide the batteries and get a new place for reading or pleasant gatherings.

   

5. And you can hide them under special bars or perforated screens. These devices are made from various materials have a variety of shapes and designs.

   

6. Thanks to the screens, the battery can be used as extra bed for relaxation, as a shelf or stand for decorative elements.

   

7. How about this way?

   

8. Screens made of thick glass will successfully cover an unsightly battery. Such products look beautiful and very stylish.

   However, glass screens cover only the outside of the battery. They are fixed using screw holders with elastic protective gaskets.

   

9. Another interesting idea is a nightstand with lattice doors. Practical and convenient, right?

   

10. You can hide the radiators with the help of hinged grilles. Most often, these products are used for cast iron batteries located in a niche under the windowsill. And a nice bonus is that everyone can handle the installation. All that is required is to hang the structure on the heater.

    

11. Great idea for a kid's room!

    

12. Please note that the choice of material from which the screen will be made must be approached no less scrupulously than the design of the product itself. After all, the material must be resistant to high temperatures.

    

13. Another great idea: a battery hidden in a box with a perforated panel. Stylish and tasteful!

    

14. And finally decoupage. Using ordinary napkins and PVA glue, you can also decorate the heater. It is easy to do it yourself, special skills and expensive materials are not required.

    It is enough to pick up napkins to match, cut necessary elements and cover the radiator with them. On top, you can apply a special heat-resistant varnish.

    

Wondering what to close heating battery, you need to take care not only of the decorative side, but also of practicality. After all, no matter how beautifully and stylishly decorated the heating radiator is, if it does not fulfill its main function (heating the air in the room), it simply does not make sense.

And how would you transform unsightly batteries? I would be glad if you share your opinion with us in the comments. And do not forget to tell your friends about these ideas, perhaps for some of them it is very relevant!

Nastya practices yoga and loves traveling. Fashion, architecture and everything beautiful - that's what a girl's heart aspires to! Anastasia is engaged in interior design, and also makes unique decorations with a floral theme. Dreams of living in France, learning the language and keenly interested in the culture of this country. He believes that a person needs to learn something new all his life. Anastasia's favorite book is Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

How to close the heating pipe and is it possible to do this at all? How to close the radiator with drywall?

Will it affect the climate in the room? Or is it better to look for some other solutions?

Perhaps the designer will take over the head. However, from the point of view of the author, the photo shows the best of the decorative screens for the radiator. Pipes don't have to be closed at all.

Key points

Let's just point out one subtlety. The author is a former plumber with many years of experience. As a result, it is pointless to look for design solutions in the article: we will first consider how a particular project will harm the normal operation or maintenance of heating equipment.

Nuance: against beautiful design there is no objection to the premises. When the house is clean, beautiful and a rusty pipe or a battery with peeling and yellowed paint does not stick out before your eyes, this is wonderful. However, experience tells us that if the same thing can be done in several ways, the worst is invariably chosen. possible solutions. This is what we will try to fix.

So, how to close heating radiators without harming? What can our attempt to bring beauty in general affect?

Heat dissipation

A radiator heats a room using a combination of two heat transfer methods.

• infrared radiation transmits thermal energy directly to objects in the room. It is thanks to him that you feel that your cheeks begin to burn when you bring your face closer to a hot radiator.
• Convection currents lift warm air up and replace it with colder air. As a result, the entire atmosphere of the room becomes evenly warm.

When choosing how to close the radiators, you need to clearly understand that ANY screen in front of the radiator will limit the exchange of heat between it and the room. How more area its solid surface - the colder it will be in the house.

Service

As a heat carrier, the central heating system uses conventional process water, which is initially far from the ideals of purity. Having traveled a long way along the heating mains, the elevator unit, bottling and risers, the water, by the time it ends up in the battery, carries a large number of suspension. Guess where they stay?

It is because of the gradual silting that once every few years, radiators require flushing. It requires the actual flushing valve, located in the lower corner of the heater on the opposite side from the supply, and ... free access to the radiator.

If it is not there, you will either have to put up with the fact that the first two out of ten sections heat up, or break a decorative box or screen made by yourself.

Faults

When deciding how to close a heating radiator, it is useful to remember one more thing. Everything breaks sooner or later. Since, presumably, if the appearance of the radiator and pipes does not suit you, they are no longer new - most likely, there will be a bit of a breakdown. What can happen?

Plenty of options:

• The steel pipes on the threads in front of the battery are thinner than on the straight sections of the riser, and leak first of all.
• The risers themselves, welded from an electric-welded water and gas pipe, sometimes leak along the factory weld.
• A leak from under the lock nut of the radiator is a frequent visitor in apartments with cast-iron heaters.

Locknuts are one of the sore points of cast iron batteries.

• Finally, in spring and autumn, leaks between radiator sections are frequent. Paronite gaskets no longer provide tightness after several years of operation.

conclusions

Any decorative screen in front of the radiator:

1. Should create as few obstacles as possible to convection and thermal radiation. The ideal is a metal or plastic decorative screen in the form of a coarse mesh. First of all, solid boxes on top, where hot air rises, are unacceptable.
2. Should be easy to remove. It is best to be attached, without any permanent attachment.

Pipes should also be easily accessible if necessary. If, despite the above, you decide how to close the heating pipes with drywall - well, your right. At least provide a light plastic door near the radiator inlet. And, of course, be prepared to disassemble the structure you created at the first leak.

Solutions

So, how to close heating radiators, taking into account all of the above?

decorative screen

We have already mentioned the main selection criteria. Mesh wherever possible and no permanent fixing to the wall.

When choosing, you will surely come across several alternative options that you will really like in appearance. Alas, no matter how attractive the design and price of the product are, remember that in winter the house requires, first of all, warmth.

wooden lattice

How to close radiators if you want to put your own hands to work?

The instruction is simple: assemble an attached wooden grate. Thin mounting rails are easy to buy at hardware store, and stain and varnish will make your work truly memorable.

The Healthiest Decision

Finally, consider another option. Perhaps it is better not to think than to close the heating pipes in rust stains and flaky batteries, but to replace them with new ones? And aluminum radiator, and a snow-white pipe made of reinforced polypropylene will not spoil the design of the home at all. Rather the opposite.

More importantly, in this case possible problems with a heating system will remain in the past for a long time.

Conclusion

You listened to the opinion of the plumber and, we dare to hope, took note. The video at the end of the article will offer you a different point of view on the problem: the same question will be considered from the point of view of the designer.

Good luck decorating your home!

Unfortunately, the appearance of even the most modern heating appliances does not always meet aesthetic requirements, and sometimes it cannot fit perfectly into the interior of the room. The desire of the owners to eliminate this shortcoming is quite natural.

Before closing the heating battery, you should understand all the intricacies of the issue. Otherwise, the cost of heating your home can increase significantly. In our material, we will tell you how to do this without any special financial costs and heat loss.

Design under the "soft" window sill

Requirements for the decor of heating radiators

The availability of pipes and batteries is another important point in choosing a decor after the requirements of heat engineering. It is well known that a heating battery, and a nominal connection with a pipe, is the most weak point. In addition, the radiator itself, due to improper installation and operation, or for a number of other reasons, may leak.

In emergency cases, it may be necessary to have or replace. From a plumbing point of view, the overlay or screen should not have a fixed mount, ideally the use of attached screens.

Even if you decide to ignore the advice of a plumber, still listen to the gloss of reason, which suggests that any weak point in the system is the connection nodes. The presence of a revision plastic door) can significantly simplify the task of servicing the radiator and heating system in the future.

The decorative grille should provide the easiest and fastest access to the battery or to the connection point for the possibility of carrying out repair operations.

Ways to decorate heating batteries

There are a great many ways to close a heating radiator. Pick up the most best option though not easy, but quite possible. Let's start with the simplest and most affordable ways.

Option #1 - budget painting

From the point of view of the designer, the combination of colors is very important. Most often, a heating radiator is painted in White color, so on the walls of light colors it will be practically invisible.

If the walls have a solid dark color, then there will be no problems here either. It will be enough to choose a heat-resistant paint desired color and execute. If you don’t manage to perfectly match the tone, then there will be nothing to worry about, the difference of several tones against the general background seems almost imperceptible.

If the wallpaper on the walls has a pattern, then the radiator must be made to match them. Most often, one or two walls have an ornament, and the rest are finished with wallpaper of various textures in one tone.

In this case, from the remnants of all used wallpaper, it is necessary to cut strips and stick them on the radiator. The thickness of the strips and the alternation should be selected on the spot, empirically, trying to fit the resulting pattern most harmoniously into the interior of the room.

Heating batteries are painted with a heat-resistant composition that does not wear out and does not emit when heated harmful substances. The use of stencils, templates and ready-made stickers greatly facilitates the process of decorating a heating radiator

If we are talking about disguising heating radiators in the nursery, then you can give free rein to your imagination and paint them to match the surrounding interior. Ready stencils will come in handy in case of insufficient experience with a brush. Do not forget that you need to use only heat-resistant paints.

Option #2 - Applying Fabric

Another proven and very successful way masking the heating radiator is a "curtain to the floor." Previously, this method was the simplest and most popular due to the fact that heavy blackout curtains were in vogue. It is now customary to use dense fabric, which is attached with Velcro to the wall or window sill.

It is best to mount the curtain from wall to wall; it will look great behind a light curtain. You can do the same by replacing the curtains with vertical blinds.

Screens from metal frame and fabrics to match the wall decoration - an inexpensive effective solution that practically does not affect the heating technology of the device

Option #3 - Hard Screen Device

One of the most simple ways closing batteries is the use of attached screens. For their manufacture, the most different materials or whole combinations.

True, you need to take into account that the screen itself against the wall may look ridiculous, so you need to think through its appearance to the smallest detail and fit it correctly into the interior. It will not be difficult to find ready-made screens in the store and close heating radiators with their help.

If it is planned to install a screen, then when calculating the required power of the device, a correction factor is applied, depending on the method of installation of the structure

The following types of screens are most widely used.

Metal screens for batteries

As a rule, stainless steel is used for its manufacture or elements are chrome-plated. Such products are characterized by good thermal conductivity and durability.

With a relatively low cost and good functionality, their appearance leaves much to be desired. Without additional finishing, such screens are suitable for decorating a high-tech room.

Metal structures are characterized by high thermal conductivity and will not greatly affect the thermal performance of the device

Wooden grille for radiator

This option is considered the most win-win, as the tree fits easily into the interior of almost any room. It is best to purchase not a ready-made standard screen, but to make it to order. The appearance of the wooden screen should match the style and color of the furniture or be part of it.

The appearance of the wooden screen resembles a wicker lattice and looks impressive and stylish. Best of all, a wooden grill is suitable for masking a battery located under the window. Such a design with a sufficient number of holes does not prevent the penetration of warm air and provides good convection.

Wood is a material with high insulating properties. When choosing a wooden screen for a battery, it is better to prefer a design with a high degree perforations

Decorative glass screen

Decorative glass will give the interior of any room a look of lightness and ease. Rooms with a glass screen made of decorative glass take on the appearance of well-groomed and complete. True, along with a spectacular appearance, such a screen also has a significant drawback.

A screen made of decorative glass will fit perfectly into the interior of any room, however, the lack of perforation, even with gaps at the bottom and top, will significantly reduce heat transfer

When using a glass screen, heat transfer is almost halved. So you have to choose between effectiveness and efficiency. If you approach the issue correctly, then it is best to use a screen made of decorative glass panels - this will achieve the appropriate hiding effect and ensure maximum thermal conductivity.

Drywall Screen

If earlier we were talking about screens, how about finished goods, then the drywall screen can be made independently. A drywall screen is considered the most budget option. Everyone can make it, and fixing with subsequent finishing should not cause any particular difficulties.

From drywall, thick plywood or similar material, a battery screen can be made by hand

Since the version of the drywall screen device is considered the most versatile, we will dwell on its device in more detail. To create and install the screen, you will need the following tools and materials:

• screwdriver
• Perforator
• Stationery knife
• Metal shears
• Roulette
• Pencil
• stapler
• Sandpaper, level
• drywall sheet
• Profile CD and UD
• Lattice

Let's open little secret- drywall is not recommended for use without pre-treatment. This is due to the fact that this material does not have sufficient thermal conductivity. In addition, under the influence of heat, it collapses and crumbles.

You can correct the situation by treating a sheet of drywall with PVA glue 2-3 times. Such treatment will not only effectively prevent drying, but also significantly increase thermal conductivity.

Image Gallery

Work on the installation of a drywall screen begins with the installation of the frame. For its manufacture, it is necessary to cut off the guide UD profiles and fix them with self-tapping screws to the floor and window sill. In order for the surface of the screen to coincide with the surface of the wall, the frame must be drowned by the thickness of the drywall plus the thickness of the finish. Usually, this value is 13-14 mm.

Next, you need to fix the CD profiles, while taking into account that the distance between the vertical profiles should slightly exceed the size of the lattice. Armed with a pencil and tape measure, you need to put the dimensions of the blanks on the sheet and cut them out with a clerical knife.

Properly installed UD and CD profiles will help without any difficulties with the further installation of drywall under the radiator grill

Cut blanks should be screwed to the frame using self-tapping screws. Fastening must be done very carefully, since excessive penetration of the self-tapping screws can break the sheet of drywall. It remains to fix the grille and finish the screen.

Fastening sheets of drywall or plywood can be done using wooden slats. The figure clearly shows how to fix them correctly.

Option #4 - Build Battery Boxes

Boxes that hide batteries are best arranged when repairing or installing a heating system.

The following materials are suitable for the manufacture of the box:

• Drywall. One of the most common materials. It is low cost, lightweight and easy to handle. There are many ways to carry out finishing using drywall. This material can be puttied and painted, pasted over with wallpaper and film, decorated with stucco.
• MDF panels. Another a budget option decorative trim devices. MDF is not afraid of sudden changes in temperature and does not dry out. Usually, the design of MDF panels imitates the wood of exotic or rare species of wood, which makes it easy to fit into the interior of the room.
• Plywood. This material is very light and easy to process. With it, you can quickly make a durable and lightweight screen for the radiator. Plywood is easy to cut and decorate in the same way. As finishing varnishing, painting, gluing a film or wallpaper, decorative plaster can be chosen.
• Sheets laminated chipboard . This material is more difficult to work with, although it is never a problem to fix it.
• Wood. In favor this material evidence of its ecological cleanliness and naturalness. With the help of wooden bars and slats, without skills and special tools, you can make an excellent box that will help to perfectly close not only the radiator, but also the heating pipes. At the same time, it is much easier to work with rails, especially when working in hard-to-reach places.

The box can become not just a decoration and disguise for a heating battery, but carry a functional or aesthetic load. If we consider the option with functionality, then we can, for example, using chipboard sheets and guides to make the cabinet the entire width of the room.

The optimal height of such a cabinet should correspond to the height of the window sill if the radiator is located under the window.

The central part of the box cabinet effectively camouflages the radiator, while the rest of the box is used as a bookcase.

The aesthetic load of the box is more difficult to implement, but quite doable. A radiator located against the wall can be decorated as a fireplace. In this case, it is not necessary to use brickwork and the installation of a forged grate. You can do it much easier and make a box from a cut sheet of plywood or fiberboard.

Maintaining proportions and not deviating from the scheme, it is possible to make a frame for decorative fireplace from wooden slats and plywood and make its design

After fixing the wooden rack frame and installing the cut plywood sheets, it remains to paste over the fireplace with a film. You can go further and stick a painted flame or smoldering coals inside the fireplace, here it all depends on the flight of your imagination.

Image Gallery

Option # 5 - placing batteries in niches

One of the most time-consuming ways of masking radiators and heating pipes is implemented at the construction or construction stage. overhaul. This method supposes the placement of pipes and radiators not on the wall, but inside it.

Of course, this will inevitably lead to a decrease usable area rooms and an increase in heat loss, but there is no need to puzzle over the fact and heating pipes.

You can go even further and completely abandon radiators and pipes, replacing them warm floors. If the heating efficiency is insufficient, then the heating system can be supplemented with invisible convectors mounted in furniture, window sills, plinth, floor, etc.

Invisible convectors can compete with standard heating systems with pipes and radiators

Option # 6 - arrangement of radiators in the bathroom and kitchen

In the bathroom, it is best to hide radiators in any piece of furniture. Best suited for this wall cabinets. If for some reason it is not possible to hide the radiator in a cabinet, then it is better not to resort to the manufacture of hanging boxes. They will look awkward on the wall. In this case, it is better to just paint the radiator to match the walls.

As for placing the radiator on the floor, you can limit yourself to installing a screen. MDF and plastic are suitable for the manufacture of the screen, it can also be glass and chrome-plated metal - these materials go well with the sterile cleanliness and brilliance of ceramic tiles.

In the kitchen, radiators are most often masked under the countertop window sill. This technique allows not only to hide the radiator, but also significantly increase the working surface. If we are talking about a small apartment, then this technique can be considered a significant bonus. Here it is already difficult to argue which aspect is more important - functional or aesthetic.

The functionality of the kitchen is increased by installing an additional work surface in the form of a countertop and cabinet

There is another installation option folding table. In this case, the color of the countertop and the color of the walls should be the same. The disadvantage of this design is the inability to make the design of the countertop perforated. The presence of a gap between the countertop and the floor, as well as between the countertop and the window sill, will help ensure normal convection.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video review of masking structures made of decorative glass:

The painting of the heating radiator is shown in the video:

The video will introduce interesting options decorating heating appliances, the manufacture of which you can handle with your own hands:

When performing masking by any of the proposed methods, one should not forget about the main functional task of the heating battery - heating and spreading heat. Incorrectly selected material, installation scheme and decoration can increase heat loss several times.

Do you have questions or suggestions for masking radiators? Or maybe you built a screen for the heating battery with your own hands? Please leave your comments or additions to the material in the block below.

There are several options to disguise the radiator and make its decoration an exclusive part of the interior. It is also known that radiators emit infrared rays that are not harmless to human health, and the lining of the radiators scatters these radiations.
That's why decorative trim heating batteries serves not only as an addition to the interior, but also protects our health.

A variety of materials are used for finishing radiators:

• dye;
• natural wood;
• MDF board;
• perforated stamped stainless steel sheets;
• the cloth;
• drywall;
• powder paint;

Finishing batteries with MDF board

Finishing with MDF board with laminate imitating the structure valuable breeds trees, will ennoble your rooms. This decoration of heating radiators can also be used in offices, hotels, country houses.

Advantages of finishing radiators with MDF board:

• This finish easily tolerates temperature changes.
• It does not dry out and does not warp with changes in humidity and temperature.
• MDF board is quite strong and durable.
• Finishing with MDF board has a stylish and modern look.
• She has good performance.
• In the manufacture of MDF boards, toxic resins are not used, this material is environmentally friendly.

These characteristics of MDF material for finishing radiators were appreciated by numerous consumers.

Finishing radiators with natural wood

Finishing natural wood always beautiful and noble. This ecologically pure material can provide the widest selection of colors and structural patterns.

Wealthy clients most often order the finishing of radiators together with mahogany furniture according to individual design solutions. Finishing heating radiators with wood has a beneficial effect on health.
Indeed, when heated, wood does not emit harmful fumes into the air. And there are tree species such as linden, Canadian cedar, oak, alder and others that, when heated, emit healing aromas that are favorable for human health.
Decorating with wood radiators can radically transform the interior of your room.

Facing batteries with metal sheets

Finishing the radiator with metal sheets most often is a box, which is subsequently painted in a certain color.

This battery finish has a fairly low cost.
It is much more expensive to finish the battery with stamped stainless steel sheets. Such a finish looks more beautiful and elegant when a perforated sheet of metal with an original pattern of holes is used for it.
It is very easy to mount such a finish. In some cases, a stainless steel box is simply put on the radiator.

Cloth trim for batteries

The original solution is to cover the radiators with a fabric that harmonizes with the curtains in color and pattern. This type of finish looks very nice.
You can hang the fabric on the battery using various cornices.

You can also trim the battery in an original way wooden frame, inside which are intertwined strips of fabric. To wooden frame frame strips are attached furniture stapler.
This finish can simply be put on the battery.

Coloring radiators

The color of the batteries should carry not only protective properties, but also fit into the interior of the room.

For painting batteries, paints with the following characteristics are required:

• They must withstand high temperatures, not crack or discolor.
• Battery paint must have high anti-corrosion properties.
• When heated, the paint should not emit toxic radiation and unpleasant odors.

The following paints have such properties:

• alkyd enamel;
• water-based paint;
• acrylic enamel;

All these paints are well tolerated. high temperature, non-toxic, after drying they do not emit unpleasant odors, they have enough long term services.

Finishing radiator screens using thermography

In specialized stores, you can find screens for radiators, which are decorated with various patterns.

These screens are made of high-quality tin, on which a pattern is applied with powder paint using thermography. At the same time, a comfortable and beautiful product is obtained.

Do-it-yourself plasterboard decoration of a heating radiator

Such a battery does not fit into the interior of the room, it must be closed. This is easy to do with your own hands, using drywall for this purpose.

Before starting work, you need to determine the amount of materials that you need. To do this, you need to measure the battery.
In a hardware store, you will be offered drywall for various purposes and colors. It is advisable to choose wall, moisture-resistant drywall, as condensation may appear on the skin during heating.
The color of drywall can be chosen to your liking.
To do this job, you will need the following tools and materials:

• metal profile for 27 and 60, or wooden beam 40 by 60 mm;
• fasteners;
• screwdriver flat and Phillips;
• electric drill with hammer function;
• a hacksaw with a small tooth;
• metal scissors;
• glue "liquid nails";

Let's start building the frame. It can be made from wooden beam or metal profile.

Attention: the marking of lines, for fastening guide bars or profiles, must be approached very carefully. The slightest inaccuracy will lead to the fact that the entire lining will warp. Therefore, the installation of all profiles must be checked using a level.

We determine the distance from the wall to the farthest point of the battery and add 3 cm to it. This will be the gap between the lining and the battery.
At this distance from the wall, we fix the lower guide for the profile or the beam for the wooden frame strictly parallel with dowels. We attach the upper guide from the profile 27 to 28 or a wooden beam to the window sill.

There are three mounting options for this guide:

• If the battery protrudes beyond the window sill (see). In this case, the guide must be fixed to the end of the window sill so that it is at the level of the battery plus 3 cm for the gap.
• If the window sill is flush with the battery. In this case, the guide should be 3 cm thick and should also be fixed to the end of the window sill.
• In the case when the window sill is much wider than the battery, we attach the guide from below to the window sill at a distance of the farthest point of the battery from the wall plus 3 cm.

After that, we mount vertical jumpers from a profile 60 to 27 or a wooden beam.

Please note: the top and bottom guides must be in the same vertical plane.

At the ends of the battery vertically to the wall, we fix with dowels strictly vertical guides from the profile at 27. Then from the profile at 60 we install vertical jumpers at a distance of 50 cm from each other.

Please note: the extreme vertical jumpers must be in the same plane with the vertical guides that are attached to the wall along the edges of the battery.

After that, install horizontal jumpers. It will be enough to mount 2 horizontal jumpers - one near the windowsill, and the second below.

Vertical lintels must be connected to the guides, which are fixed to the wall, using L-shaped profiles. The frame is ready.
From a sheet of drywall, exactly the size of your frame, cut out all the details of closing the battery.
We make ventilation holes for good circulation warm air. Holes can be made with an electric drill with a “crown” nozzle.
Their diameter should not be more than 5 cm. Holes larger diameter will not look aesthetically pleasing.
After that, we install all the parts in their places and fix them with self-tapping screws. Hats of self-tapping screws must be drowned in drywall ha a depth of 1 mm.
Then, using putty, we process the joints and mask the screw heads. The finish of the battery box can be made according to your taste - it can be painted white or the color of your interior, you can paste self-adhesive film etc.

Advantages and disadvantages of using drywall in the decoration of radiators:

• It is an environmentally friendly material that does not contain toxins.
• Drywall is absolutely fireproof.
• It is easy to handle and install.
• The cost of this material is relatively low.

The disadvantages include:

• Drywall is a fairly fragile material and can crumble during processing.
• He has low strength, he is afraid of blows.
• After finishing, puttying and finishing is required.

Why do you still need to finish heating batteries:

• Various decorative finishes of radiators give the room a unique look.
• Protective panels on radiators protect against burns, especially in children's rooms.
• Screens mounted on radiators dissipate infrared radiation and thereby reduce their harmful effects on human health.
• Big variety finishing materials and design solutions will help you create an exclusive interior in your apartment.

When an unsightly radiator spoils the interior, there are several ways to solve the problem: replace it with a designer or underfloor model, or simply close it with a screen / box. The last way provides several benefits:

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

In the children's room, the radiator should be closed with a nice grill with a lot of holes, for example, carved as in this photo

• If the house is too hot and dry, then closing the battery will help create a comfortable microclimate for households, 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 closeness);
• Screens and boxes often make it difficult to maintain radiators, and sometimes completely 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.
• A screen or a box, at least a little, but “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 close radiators - 11 ways from a drywall box to a fabric screen

1. Decorative screen/HDF box

This option is one of the most popular because of the average price and beautiful appearance.

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

The screen, like the box panel, is made of perforated HDF sheet (Fibreboard high density 3 mm thick), but the profiles of the box 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 interiors, especially into classic .
• Heat resistance (the design 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 with 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 the pipe breaks, then the elements of the box / screen may swell. Therefore, any emergencies must be dealt with immediately.
• Perforated panels, despite their thinness, are quite durable due to the high density of fiberboard. However, they must be protected from shock and sharp objects.
• Perforation sections in factory screens are not painted, and therefore are visible.

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

Selection Tips:

• The size of the radiator niche must match the size inside screen.
• Screens and boxes for the battery can be either ready-made (assembled as a designer), or made according to individual 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. Drywall box

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

Advantages:

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

Flaws:

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

• As a rule, a GC box should be made at the repair stage, because its finish must match the wall finish.

In the following photos you can see the finished interior of the kitchen with closed battery and a drywall box under renovation.

Design and manufacturing tips:

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

A visual instruction on how to close the battery and pipes with a false plasterboard wall is presented in the video below.

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

3. Furniture

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

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

• The main condition: enough holes must be provided in the window sill / lid above the battery for air circulation, and the facade (if any) covering the battery should be equipped with a grill (see photo below). Otherwise, there is a risk of fogging windows and cold indoors.

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

4. Fabric curtain

This disguise method is good for rented housing or when you need to solve the problem of ugly batteries with minimal cost. 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 is always 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 heat storage capacity.

Flaws:

• The tree is capricious - a poorly prepared tree can swell from a leak or warp from heat;
• The wooden screen requires special care;
• High price.

Prices: from 3000 rubles for the simplest models and from 10 thousand rubles for premium wooden screens.

Here are some photos of beautifully closed batteries.

6. Glass screen

A glass screen is an excellent decorating solution, but from a thermotechnical 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;
• Absolute environmental friendliness.

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 screen for the battery must be made of tempered glass only. Only in this way will it be absolutely safe and shockproof.
• The glass screen is good for use in rooms with excess heat.

7. Metal box

Advantages:

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

Flaws:

• "Office" appearance, which will not fit into every interior.

Selection Tips:

• A metal screen for a battery can look very nice if you have it made by a company that specializes in laser cutting metal or forging.

8. Rattan box or screen

Most often, rattan cloth means a mesh made of artificial rattan, woven from cellulose-based fibers with reinforcement with nylon thread. Artificial rattan is very similar to natural, but unlike it is more practical and can be dyed in any color. Natural rattan screens have natural beauty and strength, but they cost 2 times more, and it is much more difficult to find them on sale.

Benefits of a rattan screen:

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

Flaws:

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

Prices: from 1700 rubles (artificial rattan screen).

Rattan fabric (both artificial and natural) can be used to make a do-it-yourself battery screen. To do this, you need to assemble a box with a frame on the corners, attach a 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 fixing.

Advantages:

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

Flaws:

• The ends of the battery remain visible;
• Almost always hanging screens are lattices without any decorative effect.

• There must be high-quality enamel, not scratched;
• Should be strong and easy to remove;
• The shield metal must not corrode.

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 will not work to hide the battery under the window behind the curtain without shading the room. Is it possible to hang a very light tulle as in this photo.

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

Affordable price.

Flaws:

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

How to close batteries correctly - technical rules and tips

Before closing the heating battery, it is necessary to take into account several technical nuances:

• Keep in mind that the heat transfer of a closed radiator is reduced in any case, no matter which masking method you choose. The main thing is that the change should not be 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, rinse (this is done at the end of the heating season) and paint.
• Keep in mind that the denser the weave of the grille, 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 radiator, it is very important not to block convective air currents, otherwise it will blow in the room, and the windows will start to fog up, which will eventually lead to mold on the walls. Ideally, the visor of the window sill should protrude above the battery by no more than 30 mm, the top and bottom of the battery 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 solve emergency situations, it is necessary to provide free access to the radiator. For example, the grate of the box can be removable, folding (see photo), opening on hinges or retractable on profiles.

At a minimum, for trouble-free service, the following should 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 on the wall behind the radiator, for example, fumisol. Often this is quite enough to fully compensate for the heat loss of a closed battery.