Heating saves our apartments and cottages on frosty winter days. Therefore, the presence of heating radiators in homes is undoubtedly a plus. But often batteries become a stumbling block when you want to decorate a room beautifully.

The radiators and heating pipes themselves in houses are located either under the windows or along one of the walls, that is, they stand out strongly. These massive elements spoil general form rooms, therefore both designers and ordinary people They often think about how to close the radiator.

The problem with the design of heating radiators is especially relevant in children's rooms and rooms where children often play, and not only for aesthetic reasons, since they can run and hit the radiator.

If modern radiators have appearance, which will easily fit into a room in a high-tech or minimalist style, then old Soviet cast-iron batteries look completely depressing. Therefore, we need to take care of how to disguise the battery, and in such a way that it does not stop warming us in the cold.

Common methods of disguise

The presence of any problem always leads to its solution, and masking heating radiators in apartments is no exception. Designers and builders have developed several solutions to this problem. Let's look at the most popular of them:

– One of the most common ways to solve the problem of closing a heating radiator is to install a metal screen. These screens are usually mass produced, but are produced for certain types radiators. Their advantage is high heat transfer, durability, absence of the slightest deformation under temperature influences, as well as low price. But the minus probably outweighs all the advantages of this type of disguise, since this one can hardly be called beautiful.

You can solve the issue of the aesthetic component after purchasing such a screen: decorating or painting a metal screen yourself is quite feasible for creative people.

– Another method to disguise a battery indoors is to install a wooden screen. A custom wood craftsman can make such a model, masking a radiator in the house. Ideal option There will be a screen made in style and shape reminiscent of the furniture in the room.

Wooden screen for a radiator in the interior

Most often, lattice screens or mesh screens are made from wood, which cover the battery from view but allow heat to pass through well. Such screens are not cheap, especially if they are made to order, but they look very impressive, and they also provide additional space for sitting or placing certain items: toys, decorative elements, vases, etc. The disadvantage of wooden screens is that under the influence high temperatures they may become deformed. You can create a screen model from wood yourself by first measuring the area of ​​the radiator and its thickness.

– Next option What can be used to cover the battery is a plastic screen. It is relatively cheap, but it is sometimes noted that when exposed to high temperatures, some types of plastic can release toxic substances, so it is better not to risk it and choose another way to hide the radiator.

Decorative plastic screen

– Another common method for covering a radiator is custom-made furniture or built-in furniture. This could be a chest of drawers that hides the heating system, a long bench or a console table that hides. The only thing, when you are planning such furniture with a craftsman, you need to ensure that heat can penetrate into the room. To do this, you can make carved cabinet doors or carved vertical surfaces.

The heating radiator is built into the furniture

As an option, you can consider making decorative fireplace in place of the battery, which will be not only decorative, but also a real warm cozy place - a kind of hearth in the room.

– Now designers are offering new models that are not embarrassing to show to others. It's carved beautiful models, often custom-made, with three-dimensional images or patterns. Of course, this is not a cheap pleasure, but for classical-style rooms these models are irreplaceable.

Decorative screen for the battery in the interior

– Disguising radiators in the bathroom can be done behind a children’s playpen net or clothes dryer (this will also be a rational way). The mesh is attached between two shelf boards above and below the radiator so that it itself remains behind the mesh. Then you can hang washcloths and towels on hooks on the mesh, which will hide the massive radiator.

– One of the most extensive options for masking a battery is a special heating installation system. In this case, the radiators are installed not in front of the wall, but inside it. This will significantly reduce the area of ​​the room and make repairs more difficult. heating system, if necessary, but the batteries will not be visible at all, although the thermal effect will not disappear anywhere.

– Another way to disguise batteries is to dismantle them and install heated floors or certain invisible convectors, which can be mounted in window sills, furniture, floors, plinths, etc. This method is considered the most expensive, but is beginning to gain popularity among those who want to have beautiful apartment without sacrificing the warmth in it. The heating battery can be hidden in a bench under the windowsill. This will be the warmest and most comfortable place in the apartment!

The heating battery is built into the window sill

– The simplest way to cover a radiator is with curtains or drapes. Since childhood, many remember how they did not notice long curtains, who carefully hung mothers, radiators and filled a lot of cones.

Heating radiators can be hidden by curtains

This method is still popular today, although it has been somewhat modified. It is now customary to hang thick curtains directly under the windowsill using Velcro or fishing line. In this case, the curtains always hide the battery, and not just in the evening when the thick curtains are drawn. Curtains for masking the radiator are matched to the main curtains or furniture upholstery.

– Another option for solving the problem of how to cover a heating radiator is to install low decorative screens that you can make yourself. If you decorate the screen with photographs, clippings from their magazines or drawings, it may turn out original art object in the house.

– One of the less traditional ideas on how to decorate a heating radiator is painting it. This method has several options: the battery can “merge” with the wall or can become the object of attention in the room. In the first case, it needs to be painted the same color that is intended for the walls in the room.

The second option is more creative: if the walls are bright, the battery can be painted in pastel colors; if the walls pastel shades, we make the battery contrasting and bright.

An original way would be to paint the radiator in different shades of the same color: from the lightest on top to the darkest on the bottom. Gold and silver paint are also popular, however, in any case, you will have to paint the heating pipes in the same color, and not just the radiator itself.

Original solutions

Disguising heating radiators opens up scope for creativity for those who like to invent all sorts of useful and beautiful things for the home. Perhaps some of the creative ideas suggested here will awaken your inner... creative personality and a dreamer.

How can you close heating radiators after repair? This is a question that puzzles everyone if they don’t like the appearance of the radiators. Well, how to close radiators so that it is beautiful, elegant and at the same time without loss of heat transfer - today we will talk about this.

The principle of operation of any heating radiators is achieved through the movement of air - cold air enters them from below, and warm air rises to the top. Therefore, it is necessary to correctly install the heating network, ensuring proper convection.

Even the most modern radiators do not have a very attractive appearance, often standing out against a wallpapered or painted wall. Another component is child safety: screens covering radiators help prevent burns in children and protect against injuries.

How to avoid heat loss

To begin with, before determining how to close the radiators, it is worth understanding what is possible and what is not, since any incorrect action will lead to disruption of circulation warm air and room cooling.

Firstly, you cannot completely cover the radiator, even with the most modern materials that conduct heat.

Secondly, heat loss also increases when using a solid cover with a minimum number of holes (for example, a glass screen).

Thirdly, you need to take into account that warm air rises, and a box or too wide window sill will certainly cover this part, which will lead to a deterioration in heat transfer. And no matter what foremen or window sill manufacturers say, perforation does not help retain heat, simply because there are not enough holes.

A little trick: to increase the amount of warm air entering the room, place a reflective screen made of ordinary foil behind the radiator.

Another option for removing warm air from under the window sill is to install a special canopy that directs the warm air out.

The key to good heat transfer is the use of maximally perforated screens with holes on the sides, at the bottom for cold air to enter, and at the top for warm air to escape.

How to safely close batteries

Preserving heat transfer is not the most important, although important task. No less concerning is the issue of accessibility of the radiator itself and the pipes suitable for it.

Even the most new radiator may leak, not only due to old pipes or poor-quality pipes. Defective materials, water hammer, human factor in the form of improper installation - all this can become a problem for the residents of both this apartment and the room below.

Also, the quality of the water that fills the heating system of the house leaves much to be desired, and it may happen that in order to increase heat transfer, the battery will have to be removed and washed, which will become impossible if access is closed.

Therefore, for decorating and closing batteries, it is more practical to use attached or removable structures, without rigid fastening.

Advice: if, as a decoration, you plan to sew a radiator into a plasterboard box with an overhead perforated panel, an inspection hatch should be left where the pipes join the radiators (as in bathrooms) so that you can check for leaks at any time.

How to beautifully decorate radiators

Installation of a decorative box for covering heating radiators is not only decision, and not everyone can come up with something and do it on their own. There are several more ways on how and with what to decorate radiators under the window.

Radiator painting

One of important issues The design of the room is a combination of colors. Well, how can a white radiator look, for example, on dark wall? Although for some reason white color is considered ideal for batteries...

Selection of heat-resistant paints on a modern construction market huge, all that remains is to choose the right shade and tint it white base. Even if you don’t guess the shade by a couple of tones, it’s okay, such a difference seems not noticeable at all. But it will still be better than just white. Well, if you wish, you can also manually paint the batteries, especially if there is an ornament on the wallpaper. To make the work easier, you can use a stencil.

Remember: if you decide to paint the radiators in your apartment, buy only heat-resistant paints.

By the way, you can paint not only ordinary cast iron radiators, but also steel, bimetallic, and aluminum ones.

Another decor option is sewing and attaching a fabric screen screen. This masking method has been tested and is quite effective in terms of minimal heat loss, since the fabric, even the densest, still allows warm air to pass through (unlike a hard screen).

Previously, when heavy curtains were in fashion, all the radiators and the pipes suitable for them were hidden behind them. And now, when Roman or roller blinds that do not reach the floor are used everywhere, we have to invent something. A practical solution is to attach Velcro to the bottom of the window sill and sew the other half of the adhesive tape to the fabric to create a removable fabric screen. You can choose the material for it according to your taste and financial capabilities- from thin curtains, to natural linen or cotton, or vertical stripes blinds. The only condition is that the fabric can withstand temperatures up to 60 degrees.

Well, having arranged the space under the window in this way, you can choose roller blinds or window blinds as protection from the sun, without worrying about the unsightly appearance of radiators.

Heating battery box

Most often, such structures are either mounted on the wall or are attached, making it easier to maintain communications. Such boxes are made mainly from MDF, chipboard, wood or plywood. The first option is the most practical, since MDF does not dry out and is not exposed to temperature changes, and it can be given any shape.

A prerequisite for such a design is the presence of perforations (holes), and the larger they are, the more heat will enter the room. There must be a hole at the bottom for the influx of cold air, and at the top for the exit of warm air.

You can use ordinary wooden blocks as a frame for the box, and if you have the skills of a carpenter, you can build a box according to individual dimensions: it can be either a structure the entire width of the room, covering both the radiator and pipes, or a box covering only the radiator.

Usually, the installation of a box that hides radiators is accompanied by dusty work, so you need to think through the design and create a sketch at the beginning of the repair. A decorative box can not only hide unnecessary nondescript radiators, but also become an element of interior decoration.

Hard screen

The most common (but, unfortunately, not the most practical) solution is to install a hard screen; hardware stores even offer ready-made solutions from the most different materials. Each of them has its own disadvantages and advantages over others.

• Made of metal. Typically used for production stainless steel followed by painting or chrome elements. Such structures look like ordinary mesh boxes. Of course, a metal object under the window is not suitable for every room; the ideal style for such a solution is hi-tech or loft. But this design conducts heat well and will last a long time.
• Made of wood. Wood has always been considered a win-win option, as it fits into almost any interior. Wooden screens are a structure in the form of wooden lamella panels, horizontal or vertical, located at a sufficient distance from each other. Thanks to good perforation, such a grille does not interfere with proper convection; a wooden screen for a heating radiator will be a reasonable solution. The only condition is that it must fit perfectly into the environment. This can be achieved by making a custom-made design with tinting to match the furniture.
• From glass fits perfectly into the interior of any room. The glass can be frosted or colored, almost completely covering the radiator, or it can have a pattern that matches the style of the room. However, along with the elegant and airy appearance, there is one huge drawback - heat loss in the absence of perforation will almost double. Even the thermal gap at the top and bottom of the screen does not help the situation. You can improve air circulation by using not solid glass, but glass panels, located at some distance from each other.
• From plasterboard. Certainly, we're talking about, rather, about drywall as the basis of the screen itself, and with the help of other materials you can make decorative panel- a cover covering the batteries flush with the box itself. When installing such a structure, you need to remember all the laws of heating engineering and safety, leaving access to communications in the event of a leak or the need to replace batteries.

Metal screen for radiator


Using a wooden grille you can cover the battery

Radiator installation in the wall

This option is only possible at the stage of construction or major renovation due to a lot of dusty and dirty work. All pipes leading to the radiator are sewn into the wall, leaving only small areas for connecting radiators. By the way, they can also be sewn into the wall, leaving a hole for convection, which is covered with a decorative grille. This solution is not without drawbacks: in addition to reducing usable area the room itself inevitably suffers a loss of heat, however, all this is compensated by its elegant and beautiful appearance. If such heating is not enough, then you will have to take care of warm floors, as an additional source of heat.

How to make a plasterboard box to mask radiators - step-by-step instructions

Since such solutions are becoming more and more popular and universal, let us dwell in more detail on the question of how to make a screen from plasterboard with your own hands. To arrange the structure we will need the following materials and tools:

• Drywall sheet required size and thickness (it is better to take no thinner than 10 mm);
• Profile UD and CD;
• Galvanized sheet or foil sheet for thermal insulation of the wall behind the radiator;
• PVA construction glue;
• Screwdriver;
• Self-tapping screws for metal;
• Pencil;
• Stationery or construction knife;
• Metal scissors;
• Fine to medium grit sandpaper;
• Construction level;
• Decorative overhead grille.

Work on installing the box begins with preparatory work. Firstly, we need to treat the plasterboard sheet itself a couple of times with PVA glue - this will make the sheet resistant to moisture and temperature changes, the gypsum will not dry out and crumble. Secondly, you need to take all the necessary measurements and mark the future box on the wall with a pencil.

From metal profile build the frame of the future box. Use at work building level and the window sill - so that the structure is not skewed.
Cut a screen from a galvanized sheet and secure it behind the radiator - this technique will allow the heat not to escape into the wall, but to direct it inside the room.

Attention! The lower part of the box must be left open for the flow of cold air.

Sew up the sides of the box with plasterboard. In principle, you can stop there if the size of the grille matches the size of the box. But we will also sew the front part around the perimeter. Putty and paint the finished box. You can attach a beautiful radiator grille on top.

You can buy a grille for masking the radiator ready-made, or you can make it yourself from a picture baguette or door frames, sawn at an angle of 45 degrees. The center of the decorative grille can be made of non-flammable fabric, rattan or metal mesh.

In general, the appearance of the box depends only on your imagination and financial capabilities.

How to close heating pipes

All communications that go to radiators also often have an unflattering appearance and tend to stand out on a painted or wallpapered wall. If you do not plan to decorate the window with curtains that cover all the pipes, then the question certainly arises: how and with what to cover the pipes, or at least to disguise them?

The first method, which suggests itself due to its simplicity, is to paint the pipes in the color of the walls. Of course, this way they will still remain visible, but they will be less noticeable. You also need to buy radiator paint, heat-resistant and tinted it in the desired color.

Pipes can be hidden behind a box or sewn into the wall only after they have been completely replaced, in order to avoid leaks and flooding of neighbors. The pipe box is made in the same way as a plasterboard box for radiators is mounted (see above). Subsequently, it can be painted or covered with the same wallpaper as the entire room.

You can try decorating the pipes, for example, by wrapping them with jute rope or twine. However, this option will reduce heat transfer and will not suit every style of room.

If the pipes leading to the radiator itself pass from below, then they can be hidden under floor plinth. But you can’t do that with a boner.

Well, now, as promised, we present a photo selection of beautiful and original radiator screens.

In any case, no matter what method you choose, it is possible to hide a heating radiator; it all depends on your imagination, the availability of free time and the desire to change something. However, you should not think about how to hide pipes and heating radiators if we are talking about old houses and poorly heated apartments, as this will inevitably lead to a deterioration in heat transfer.

Heating radiators, especially old ones, are the most unaesthetic element in the room. However, everything is not as hopeless as it seems.

For those who decide to save time and money on heating system reconstruction and replacement cast iron radiators for modern ones, we offer several ways to hide, disguise, decorate and update old unsightly batteries. You will be surprised how much these “cast iron heavyweights”, when transformed, can refresh the interior.

Successful camouflage is a simple but effective idea for those eyesores on heating radiators. Just choose a paint that matches the walls and paint the radiator with it. Alkyd and acrylic enamels, as well as water-dispersion paints, are best suited.

Or you can do the opposite - use paint not to disguise the battery, but to focus on it.

In the midst of it heating season The radiator can become a potentially dangerous object in the house. To prevent a child from accidentally touching hot metal, special screens were invented that prevent direct contact with the battery and play a decorative role in the interior.

In addition, the screen will prevent dust and dirt from entering the battery. So cleaning will no longer be so burdensome.

The easiest way to fit batteries into the interior of a room is to hide them in a plasterboard box and cover it with a decorative grille. Of course, decoration should be done in such a way as not to disrupt the operation of the heating system.

Special perforated MDF panels are the most versatile of radiator screens. A wide variety of shapes, shades and textures allows you to choose them for any interior. Such screens are lightweight, compact, moisture-resistant, and environmentally friendly.

A screen with strict shapes is also considered a classic.

IN modern interior Laconic wooden screen models without elaborate decor will look good.

Similar decorative metal carcass for the radiator, you definitely don't want to hide it behind curtains. Because it will definitely attract the eyes of guests and will become the undeniable “highlight of the program.”

If you have carpentry skills, the idea of ​​a decorative screen for a radiator can be developed into an improvised rack, console, or cabinet. Functional furniture is worth its weight in gold in small-sized homes.

Glass can also be used to make not just radiator screens, but also beautiful elements of functional furniture.

Some have thought of using a battery covered with a screen as an additional place to rest. Warm, cozy, beautiful.

The radiator and heated towel rail can be turned into an art object. Sometimes it is difficult to guess what a heating system looks like.

The yellow square is not a painting, but a battery.

We suggest trying to solve the problem of unsightly batteries on our own, for example, using decoupage. Wash the battery thoroughly, make its surface smooth - old paint It is not necessary to remove it completely. First paint it with regular white enamel. While the battery is drying for 24 hours, take a decoupage card with a design you like. Measure the width of the outer surface of the battery section, cut the card into strips the right size. Using PVA glue diluted with water in a 1x1 ratio, glue the motif so that it is located exactly in the middle of the battery. Paint the remaining part without a pattern on top and bottom with acrylic paints. When the paint is dry, the entire battery must be coated with heat-resistant varnish.

You can cover the battery in an original way using a folding frame, inside of which strips of fabric are intertwined.

Needlewomen can sew some funny cover for the radiator. For example, let an unaesthetic metal battery turn into a sheep or other cute animal. The children will definitely be delighted.

A radiator curtain is a good alternative if you don’t want to use bulky frame screens. For decorative curtain choose a fabric that suits your interior. Sew one part of the fabric Velcro to the top of the curtain, and glue the other to the bottom of the window sill above the radiator. You can make several curtains and change them depending on your mood.

A simple and original way to disguise a battery is using a curved sheet of plywood 4 mm thick. The panel is attached to the wall with 4 screw hooks at a distance of at least 5 cm from the window sill, so as not to interfere with normal air circulation. In order to get a beautiful bend, the panel must be twice as long as the radiator, and its center must be placed strictly in the middle. Apply decorative self-adhesive furniture film to the front side of the panel.

It is easy to make a universal retractable panel from a fiberboard sheet, which, if necessary, can be easily moved to another room. It is installed behind the frame frame. The frame requires fiberboard boards 1.6 cm thick and 8 cm wide. The horizontal and vertical parts of the frame are glued together.

If the masking panel is first covered with dark paint and then varnished, you will get a drawing and note board for children. You can also decorate the panel with an applique, a picture, or cut out a school of fish in it.

There is one like this in one of the Moscow apartments fake fireplace made from plywood, made by yourself. It covers an old cast iron battery.

The transformation happened like this. From plywood they built the “face” of the fireplace with a window for the firebox, as well as a firebox with a picture of bricks. Then the decor of the floor and cornice was made from polyurethane skirting boards. A long LED lamp was installed to illuminate the firebox. The lamp housing was painted with splashes of orange and red paint. The coals represent large stones from the hardware store.

Beauty at the expense of warmth

At major renovation premises, you can, of course, hide the battery in the wall using a niche made of plasterboard, chipboard or plastic. Heat ventilation and removal from the battery, in this case, is carried out through a grille, which must be installed in such a niche. As a rule, such niches are decorated with a grating made of chipboard or wood. It is possible to select both the grille itself and its frame in the required color scheme. These grates are sold in a wide range, they are durable and transmit heat well.

Reading bench above the radiator

In addition, the issue of converting heating radiators can be solved by covering them with special decorative screens. Such devices can be installed directly in front of the heating radiators or in a hinged form.

Hanging screen made of thin wooden slats

Simple wooden grate, painted to match the wall decoration

A hanging metal screen slightly reduces heat transfer, is inexpensive and easy to install

These solutions cannot always be called optimal, since a very large part of the heat generated by the battery is wasted in this case. The effect is close to what would be achieved by hiding the battery behind the curtains.

Metal screen with openwork design

Any screen design must provide access to the radiator

At the same time, closing heating radiators serves the function of protecting small children from burns. Screens, boxes and niches are beautiful and can be matched to any interior. This type of decor is usually used in living rooms and is an ideal stylistic solution for them. Covering radiators in children's rooms with boxes and screens is the optimal solution both for safety purposes and for decorative purpose. A panel made of wood or chipboard can be decorated with bright patterns and used as a play element.

Screen idea for high battery

An old wooden bench used as a battery box in the hallway of a village house

Requirements for decorative elements

There should be a gap of at least 8 cm at the bottom for cold air circulation

Before hiding the battery, you need to take into account that there should be no obstacles to the circulation of heated air from above, below and on the sides. Therefore, boxes and shield screens are usually equipped with gratings.

The distance from the floor to the edge of the decorative element is important. It should be at least 8 cm. Through this gap, cold air rises up along the radiator section, heating up along the way. If the gap is blocked, heat transfer will be disrupted.

It is worth considering the formation of dust on screens and boxes during the convection process. For this reason, you need to select a product from a material that is easy to wet clean.

The decorative ceiling must be resistant to long-term exposure to high temperatures.

How to hide a pipe

An open method of masking a pipe

Sometimes it is necessary to hide not only the radiator itself, but also the pipe sections connected to it. Different methods are used for this:

• Open method. The fastest. The pipes are painted to match the color of the walls, making them almost invisible. The idea of ​​decorating with available materials, for example, painting a heating element to match the color of wood and attaching twigs to it, can also be interesting and original.
• Hidden broach. The pipes are hidden in grooves in the wall and covered with cladding. The downside is that in the event of a breakthrough, the casing will have to be opened, so this method is absolutely not suitable for old wiring.
• Packing in floor screed. This method of laying a highway is suitable if the concrete layer has not yet been poured. It also requires labor-intensive opening in the event of an accident, so a plan for laying communication lines should be kept in case of repair of the heating system.
• Covered with a wide plinth. This is possible if the heating pipes run along the floor. If a similar arrangement of the heating circuit is in the bathroom or kitchen, you can make a structure similar to a stair step and decorate it with tiles.

A good option is to use false walls. You can hide anything you want behind a decorative partition, including heating elements. But the false wall must be quickly dismantled to ensure easy access in the event of an accident. The easiest way is to create a frame bulkhead from timber or metal profiles and cover it with plasterboard, plastic or plywood. It is useful to place hatches with flaps at the places where pipes are connected to the heating device and where couplings and tees are located. It’s good if the area of ​​the room allows you to install decorative coating not close to the battery so that it does not heat up too much and does not release potentially dangerous substances.

Knowing how to decorate pipes or heating radiators in an apartment or private house, you can easily solve the problem of masking a utility junction. Decorative ceilings will improve the appearance without reducing the efficiency of heating the premises. Also, a beautiful screen will allow you to get rid of long, dust-collecting curtains in favor of modern roller or Roman curtains.

Using special screens

The screen for the battery must match the design of the room and allow heat to pass through well

To cover heating radiators in a house or apartment, you can use decorative screens. Choose the one that suits you based on two parameters - design and material of manufacture.

Design features

Masking shields are classified according to the method of fastening to the batteries. According to this principle, screen boxes and hanging products are distinguished.

The decorative box consists of a frame with a large-mesh lattice on front side. Such products are used when it is necessary to hide the unaesthetic appearance of the battery, and sometimes even the heating circuit pipes. The boxes are installed along the window sill or cover only the radiator. They can be equipped with opening doors, which makes cleaning and temperature control of the coolant easier.

There are two types of hanging grid screens:

• models in the form of a horizontal panel located on top, with a decorative grille built into it;
• options consisting only of the facade part, which are called shields.

The first option is used to hide radiators located in niches or not covered by a window sill on top, and is installed directly on the radiator.

Flat screens mounted to the wall are often placed on radiators under the window, not covered by the window sill. They are also used to hide batteries installed in niches.

Material of manufacture

Plastic screen

To choose a decorative element according to this indicator, you need to take into account the characteristic features of the material.

To mask batteries, screens made of the following materials are used:

• metal;
• wood;
• glass;
• plastic.

To cover unsightly heating radiators, apartment owners most often prefer simple white metal boxes. Such options cannot be called sophisticated, but they are inexpensive and give off heat well. If strength and appearance are important, and cost does not matter, it is better to opt for a stainless steel product, which is different for a long time operation and aesthetic design. Typically, such decors are used to hide cast iron radiators.

MDF is the most practical and inexpensive material, which has all the advantages of wood and at the same time is not afraid of moisture and temperature changes. Screens made of such material are less susceptible to deformation and bending. There are openwork options made from MDF on sale.

Glass panels for heating devices are distinguished by maximum design variability. They are made entirely from glass or with the addition of other decorative materials. The location of the corners must be such that it is impossible to get hurt or caught on clothing. Usually, drawings and patterns are applied to the surface of the product. To prevent glass from breaking or scratches, it is covered with a laminate. In addition to laminated glass, triplex or acrylic is often used.

Plastic screens are the cheapest, but at the same time dangerous option. The shield is subject to deformation from the heat of a hot radiator and releases harmful components into the air. It is not advisable to use such screens where people stay for a long time.

Battery screen

Screens come in the most various forms and are made from several basic materials. The most popular are metal, wood and glass. Screens made from each of these materials have their own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. If we talk about metal screens, their use has a very good effect on heat transfer from the battery.

In the photo above you can see an example of the placement of such a mesh-type hanging screen

It is very important when closing a heating battery to always understand that this reduces the efficiency of its operation, and accordingly increases energy costs during the heating season. And metal structures made from such meshes are the least likely to prevent the spread of warm air throughout the room, and therefore are recommended for installation if heating costs become a significant figure in the family budget

If a mesh on the wall instead of a battery doesn't seem like a good idea, then you can look for solid screens metal sheets with drawings made in them. These images are cut into the surfaces of the screen and make it permeable to warm air flows. Variations of drawings can be very different and choosing a picture that suits your interior will not be difficult.

Second after metal in terms of heat transfer efficiency is the glass screen for the radiator. It is installed on special mounts, which are closed with metal tubes.

The most important advantage of this option for hiding the battery is that absolutely any pictures can be depicted on the glass. Manufacturers actively take advantage of this feature of the material and place the most incredible images on glass screens.

Here we are not just talking about covering up an unsightly element in the interior of a room. Such a screen will be a great addition to the design of a room in almost any style and can even create a separate unique accent in one place or another of the room.

The next way to decorate batteries is to install a wooden box in the place where they are placed. Such a box can be completely different forms and colors, and his functional purpose may even hide the very fact of the presence of a battery on the wall.

After viewing these examples, it becomes clear how successful the idea of ​​​​disguising a heating radiator as a piece of furniture can be. Below are several more options for boxes made in the natural color of wood, which look great in the interior and, in addition to the task of closing the radiator, perform a certain function.

Another good way to keep batteries out of sight is to use a wooden screen with a window sill. With proper space planning, this combination can be used to place several house plants, or to create an additional resting place on the windowsill.

And finally, ideas for decorating a heating radiator without closing it. It is not necessary to completely hide the battery; you can include it in the interior elements if you correctly use the shape of the radiator in the process of decorating it.

When choosing a design for closing the battery, try to ensure that there is always access to air from below, and the top cover is equipped with ventilation holes. The air in the room moves along the radiator from bottom to top and this process ensures effective heat exchange in the room. Cooled air approaches the battery from below and, during the heating process, rises upward along its body. Therefore, when installing a decorative box or screen, always remember that in addition to the aesthetic component, its shape must take into account the peculiarities of heat exchange processes in the room.

The best solutions for the kitchen

The design of kitchens, not as strict as is customary for living rooms, gives free rein to imagination. In addition to the above-described ways to hide heating radiators, in the rooms where culinary masterpieces are created, designer delights are also created to decorate heating radiators. The radiator and the pipe connecting it to the heat source can be painted in the same color as the walls, decorated using the decoupage technique, or these two methods can be combined.

A battery painted to match the walls will be less conspicuous

An even greater effect can be achieved if you paint the battery to match the wallpaper

The battery can be displayed as part of an artistic composition

Many ideas are available on the Internet. Taking them as a basis, you can create a masterpiece on your own and without much labor or time, decorating the external elements of the heating system with an elegant or cheerful design. Battery decoupage involves transferring a design from a carrier onto the metal surface of a radiator. When decorated using the decoupage technique, batteries can be decorated using ready-made designs made on thin paper (both rice paper and ordinary decorative napkins are suitable). There are a lot of design options: flowers, wood decoration, geometric designs.

Khokhloma painting on a heating radiator

If you have artistic abilities, then you can do without ready-made solutions and apply paint directly to the surface. For such work you will need heat-resistant paints and varnish. The latter is necessary for those who decide to decoupage the battery themselves. For decoupage you will also need glue; regular PVA will do.

Common methods of disguise

The presence of any problem always leads to its solution, and masking heating radiators in apartments is no exception. Designers and builders have developed several solutions to this problem. Let's look at the most popular of them:

One of the most common ways to solve the problem of closing a heating radiator is to install a metal screen. These screens are usually mass produced, but are made for specific types of radiators. Their advantage is high heat transfer, durability, absence of the slightest deformation under temperature influences, as well as low price. But the minus probably outweighs all the advantages of this type of disguise, since this screen can hardly be called beautiful.

Metal screen for radiator

You can solve the issue of the aesthetic component after purchasing such a screen: decorating or painting a metal screen yourself is quite feasible for creative people.

Another method to disguise a battery indoors is to install a wooden screen. A custom wood craftsman can make such a model, masking a radiator in the house. The ideal option would be to make a screen that is similar in style and shape to the furniture in the room.

Wooden screen for a radiator in the interior

Most often, lattice screens or mesh screens are made from wood, which cover the battery from view but allow heat to pass through well. Such screens are not cheap, especially if they are made to order, but they look very impressive, and they also provide additional space for sitting or placing certain items: toys, decorative elements, vases, etc. The disadvantage of wooden screens is that they can become deformed when exposed to high temperatures. You can create a screen model from wood yourself by first measuring the area of ​​the radiator and its thickness.

Screen-grid for heating radiator

The next option for covering the battery is a plastic screen. It is relatively cheap, but it is sometimes noted that when exposed to high temperatures, some types of plastic can release toxic substances, so it is better not to risk it and choose another way to hide the radiator.

Decorative plastic screen

Another common method for covering a radiator is custom-made furniture or built-in furniture. This could be a chest of drawers that hides the heating system, a long bench or a console table that hides the radiator. The only thing, when you are planning such furniture with a craftsman, you need to ensure that heat can penetrate into the room. To do this, you can make carved cabinet doors or carved vertical surfaces.

The heating radiator is built into the furniture

As an option, you can consider making a decorative fireplace in place of the radiator, which will be not only decorative, but also a real warm, cozy place - a kind of hearth in the room.

Simple ways to protect your summer veranda from snow and rain

Typically, the meaning of a veranda is the additional area of ​​a house or cottage, which often plays the role of a balcony or open area.

Quite often this is something like a greenhouse or winter garden. Often the veranda is an additional extension of the cottage.

Today, few standard projects involve the construction of a veranda simultaneously with the construction of a particular house. For this reason, many people build verandas on their own.

Most often, such a structure is already a closed roof or canopy, since it is much more convenient to enjoy fresh air and the landscape when the hot rays of the sun are not shining from above and the rain is not dripping.

Sometimes it all starts with creating such a site or simply trying to expand the living space. Open verandas look extremely tempting in the summer, allowing you to have a good rest and enjoy the freshness of nature.

However, with the onset of colder evenings, its use becomes extremely difficult and inconvenient.

That is why many resort to solutions such as closing verandas from unfavorable factors and even insulation, which provides this building with the actual status of part of the house.

Today, there are a large number of ways that allow you to close the veranda from a wide variety of adverse natural phenomena.

In addition, it is better to think about the possibility of insulating the veranda at the stage initial construction. Subsequent conversion of the basic project into an insulated one may require additional costs and be much more labor-intensive than the original design.

How to Hide a Battery Disguise Ideas

A popular solution for masking batteries

The most common way to hide a battery is to cover the wall with plasterboard. This method has its advantages (quick, easy and inexpensive) and disadvantages (reducing the area of ​​the room)

It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that, without practical knowledge and experience in working with drywall, masking batteries can become a real pain. It should be remembered that it is not recommended to completely cover heating appliances with plasterboard.

To ensure proper air circulation, slits are made in the material, which are subsequently closed with special decorative screens. The use of such screens also helps to maintain radiators.

Another advantage of drywall is the ability to hide not only radiators, but also the pipes leading to it. Along with this, it is more expedient to cover the entire wall with material when renovating the entire room.

How to hide a battery - easy and simple!

An easier and less expensive way is to cover the batteries with a hanging screen. Today there are a huge number of different models:

• hinged screen with cover;
• screen boxes;
• metal screens;
• wooden screens;
• MDF screens;
• glass screens.

Hanging screens will help hide radiators when renovations in the room have long been completed. Installation of such models does not require special knowledge and effort; they are installed by hanging them on the battery. The hanging screen does not interfere with air circulation and heat exchange, performs a decorative function and greatly facilitates the process of maintaining the heating device. Such screens are produced with two options for pipe connections - one-sided and two-sided.

Box screens are most often used to mask batteries installed in hallways and along blank walls. Such models not only perform a decorative function, but also serve as an excellent piece of furniture. They can be used as small shelves on which you can put your favorite trinkets, and if you have a cat in your house, believe me, the surface of such a box will become its favorite resting place during cold weather. The boxes also differ in size, so if you have fairly low radiators, use small-sized products that can easily be turned into cozy and comfortable benches. Their finishing can also be done in various techniques, this is both openwork carving and decorative overlays, and the possibility of applying any image to the front of the box, the main thing is that such a screen does not disturb your interior, but becomes a real addition to it.

Metal, wood and MDF screens for batteries can also be made in the form of a box or have a flat shape, which is ideal for masking batteries built into niches or hidden by drywall. The screens offered today have an original design - these are carvings, drawings and forged decorations, thanks to which you will not only hide radiators, but also preserve the interior of the room.

How to hide a battery - an original approach

Don't want to install screens and deal with drywall? Show your creative qualities - visually dissolve the battery in the interior. Paint the radiator in the color of the walls or, conversely, make the radiator the main highlight of your room. Today you can use the services of a printing company that will print the image you choose on self-adhesive paper - later you can easily place it on the radiator and make your interior unique. You can paint the batteries yourself - some draw with colored pencils, some give the batteries the color of their favorite animal, and some prefer to imprint their favorite flowers and patterns on it.

Crafters can experiment with different textures and shapes, giving the batteries original look. Today you can easily find master classes on decorating heating devices with various covers in the shape of animals; you can also use the remaining yarn and wrap it around the radiator (it is not at all necessary that the yarn be of only one shade).

If you know how to work with beads and beads, prepare a frame according to the size of your battery and create an original bead curtain or curtain of woven beads, which you attach to the frame.

Everything is in your hands and depends entirely on your capabilities!

How to close batteries correctly technical rules and tips

Before closing the radiator, you need 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 what masking method you choose. The main thing is that the change is not 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 it out, wash it (this is done at the end of the heating season) and paint it.
• Keep in mind that the denser the grille weave, 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 battery, it is very important not to block convective air flows, otherwise it will blow in the room and the windows will begin to fog up, which will ultimately lead to the appearance of mold on the walls. Ideally, the window sill visor should protrude no more than 30 mm above the radiator; the top and bottom of the radiator should be as open as possible.
There must 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.
For solutions emergency situations It is necessary to provide free access to the radiator. For example, the box grille can be removable, folding (see photo), opening on hinges or sliding out on profiles.

Decorating a battery in the bathroom

Not every bathroom has separate radiators, except for the one that serves as a heated towel rail. Modern products are quite aesthetic. The need for decoration arises if the battery has not been replaced for a long time, as a result of which it has lost its appearance. The easiest way to give heating device Presentable appearance is a matter of coloring. The paint color is selected according to the color of the room. Of course, the product to be painted is thoroughly cleaned. However, decoupage in the bathroom is just as appropriate.

An example of successful use of a battery as a bright accent

In addition, it is possible to cover the battery in the bathroom with a mesh, which can act as a storage system.

Protective screen with storage shelves

The battery can be hidden in a stylish cabinet

Or leave it in plain sight, covering it with a shelf on top

To summarize, it should be noted that decorating a radiator is a creative process. When choosing a method for transforming heating radiators, the main thing is not to overdo it with decorative elements, keeping general style room decoration

It is also important to take into account that the main functional purpose of the radiator should not be affected - heating the room in the cold season

They decorate both old cast iron batteries and modern products made of aluminum and bimetal. The latter are especially amenable to drawing, since the external design consists of flat plates on which it is convenient to apply a design.

When choosing paint, you should remember that special paints are produced for heating radiators that can withstand high temperatures.