Hi there! So I’ve finally started on the radiator cover for the hall. As you may remember I put that shelf up there as a temporary solution so we would have somewhere to put keys and stuff when entering the house. All along I knew I wanted to cover that radiator up and here’s part one on how I’m doing it.
I wanted a large frame with caning to cover the radiator yet let hot air out. Unfortunately the caning doesn’t come in the wide width I needed so my solution was to build a frame with a brace down the middle. That way I can get away with using two narrower pieces of caning.
Anywho, here’s how I built the frame; I started out by measuring the inside of the nook where the radiator is and cut the horizontal strips of wood accordingly. Then I figured out how tall I needed the frame to be and I chose to leave a gap at the bottom and to go just above the top of the radiator. Then I cut my four pieces with a hand saw and laid them out on top of each other.
I didn’t want the frame to be double the depth though so I merged the two ends by sawing and chipping away half of the ends as in the photos above. Once you’ve sawn the cut against the grain of the wood it’s easy to chisel away the wood lengthwise.
Here’s what it looks like after half the ends have been removed. Like two puzzle pieces slotting into each other.
That obviously needs doing in all corners and in this case also down the middle. Six times on this frame.
I used a straight edge to make sure I would assemble the frame perfectly square. I’d put one foot on one side and the other foot on the other side to make sure everything stayed put and then I drilled pilot holes and screwed it all together. I used two screws in each corner so the frame can’t shift.
Here I’m trying out the frame in the nook and the shelf too. Hmmm. That’s not a shelf, that’s a propeller. I only have myself to blame for that. I stupidly leaned the shelf against the radiator when I brought it home from the lumber yard and left it like that over night and the heat bent the slightly damp wood. I should have laid it flat on the floor and let it dry there I guess, but what’s a girl to do when she’s blonde?
She recycles a piece of double MDF that used to be the table top in her craft nook at the old house, that’s what!
I made a long shelf bracket that runs all along the nook and the shelf will be screwed into the wood there at the back so it can’t shift.
I want to be able to open the radiator cover by tilting the top of it so I’m using magnet locks at the top and hinges at the bottom.
Not a very clear photo but it’s to show you how I’ve attached a 2”x2” to the bottom of the frame with hinges (one hinge is just visible under the L-bracket to the left) and I’m using L-brackets to attach the bottom of the frame to the sides of the nook.
Hi there again! The frame has been attached to the sides of the nook (after filling gaps and sanding everything down), the top is in place and this is how far I got on Sunday. Still to do; prime and paint the frame, touch up wall paint where I’ve had to remove some bits and pieces in order to fit the frame and attach the caning to the back of the frame. I’m pretty pleased so far. It’s all worked out better than I expected which is always nice. Hopefully I’ll be able to show you the finished result next week. Stay tuned!
40 Comments
jipihyeah! What a nice morning surprise! I was looking forward to this project of yours and happily your radiator position is exactly the same i have with one of my 8 radiators to cover in the house, so I can follow your instruction step by step. Thats very good for I am a DIY-Beginner 😉
Have a nice day,
Greetings
Barbara
Very clear instructions 🙂 R u going to add horizontal slates to the frame n paint them in white?
I especially like that you covered the whole width of the nook. So much more peaceful than a narrower cover. Will you leave the caning it’s natural colour?
I think i saw the rolled up mesh in one of the pics. Sorry for jumping to conclusions.
Yes, I’ll be using the caning to cover the frame from the back.
Yes, it’ll stay natural.
Thanks for the instructions. We have the same type of radiators, so the tutorial may come in handy. Looking forward to the final reveal.
What about the heat going upwards? I have always been told that you must leave some holes on the top part even when using mesh/caning/rafia.
The radiator cover is quite big but not very deep at all so I skipped holes or a gap at the top so the air will filter out through the mesh. You could add a gap if you wanted to though!
Beautiful project! you are very capable,because I could not do this myself without ruining it! I love it.
what is wonderwoman compared to you?
amazing project!
your woodworking skills are so inspiring! my father renovated our house around us on weekends for twenty years, but i didn’t study with him as much as i wish i had. in fact, my grandfather built musical instruments! yet i seem to have missed the gene for precision, which you clearly have – but i can be inspired to it! xx
Your blog is incredibly inspirational. I have never done so much as change a light bulb and seeing you turn your hand to so many projects with such amazing results is awe-inspiring. I find I am now looking around my house with completely different eyes – your eyes. Thank you!
There is a tool called the pocket hole kreg jig that would make framing projects even easier 🙂
Ah, that’s the one John of Young House Love uses, right?
You are unbelievable, Benita… You truly are a miracle girl.
Nice tute! And I love how you wave and smile for the camera. Gave me a chuckle. 🙂
And a REAL saw and chisel to do those joints – I am very impressed! It will look great!
SUPERwoman!!! You need a cape and a red tee-shirt with an S on it!
Like someone mentioned before, I would have added a gap in between the vertical/front cover and the shelf (like you plan on having a gap at the bottom). The heat going up should really escape, as a radiator not only works by radiation (duh), but also by creating a heated air flow. The shelf will get warm, and, even though MDF can have some of that, you will loose a good deal of heating capacity of that radiator.
But I must say it does look good! It really amazes me how handy you are with wood, and the great solutions you find for everything! And it’s nice to see you in the pic as well :).
A cabinet placement can b an option for it..but this one is pretty impressive.
WOW! You are my hero! I am impressed and inspired. Can’t wait to see the final result. 🙂
It’s going to look great – Christmas cards on the mirror already?
The hinged base and magnetics are brilliant! Love that design! We don’t have a radiator in our house, but I am so thankful for this DIY because I have another project and you have just inspired a new direction for problem solving! Thank you!! (And, I agree with Devil: the pix of you in the mirror are so cute!)
Haha!
Nope, not yet, those are just other random cards that will come down soon :).
ha! skilled designer & laborer! you are truly a woman of many talents. BTW – who did you learn your DIY skills from? your dad? a colleague? intuition? You ROCK & fear nothing!
So far so good- always impressed with your handy work Benita.
You are very skilled and so funny, too! I loved the blonde joke and your small portrait in the last picture.
I learned by doing and watching too many home improvement shows. Mr Google also had a major part in teaching me :).
Hmmm. Maybe I should drill a few holes in the top after all…
After a few more comments on the heat not escapng upwards I’m considering drilling a few holes in the top after all :).
love the almost shaker-esque aesthetic of hanging the skateboard in the foyer.
also, i have been reading the zen chef, edward espe brown, who says fiascoes teach us how to cook. thanks for including the propeller saga.
love your daily updates!awesome job.
just started reading your blog at my wife’s recommendations… neat blog, thanks for sharing!
had you thought of ‘rescuing’ the “propeller board”? you could probably get it straight again by wetting it down and then letting it dry slowly on the floor with some weights on top keeping it straight… once it is fully dry it might be straight again and dry enough that placing it on top of the radiator (where it will get warm)… no guarantees, but it might hopefully keep it from warping again in the future.
I would also second the idea of adding some ventilation to the shelf board to help encourage movement of the hot air – as you said, drill holes or maybe cut narrow slats (or use several narrow boards put close together to have several long narrow slats?)
good luck with the rest of your projects!
This way you wan’t loose any heat? Or maybe you don’t heat there much anyway?
Have a nice weekend!
Thanks, I’ll try that but will probably use the board for something else than the top. And I have bought a wide drill bit today so there will be holes :).
Tha radiator is on and it’s needed in this off-corner of the house so I’ve decided to drill some holes in the top for heat circulation. It won’t look as sleek but that’s ok. Have a great weekend you too!
I don’t know if you’ve thought about it, but if the top tilts open, you could place small hooks in there and hang damp socks or mittens. Or even laundry bits. (I’m guessing with the close weave of the cane cloth you are not overly worried about having that area super warm.) Or this could act as a scarf-warmer. Just an idea.
That’s the idea :). I’ll show you when it’s done.