Last Updated on March 21, 2024
Cast iron radiators provide steady, reliable heat for your old home. But sometimes these radiators just need to be hidden. Online there are a plethora of photos showing charming “DIY” radiator covers, yet few of these photos also provide accompanying instructions. Grrrr!!!! How frustrating!! So today I’m sharing 10 DIY radiator covers WITH instructions from around the web.
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Backstory
Our home has its original cast iron radiators. And in the 10 years we have lived here, we have debated their pros and cons, learned how to clean them, and considered painting them with fun colors. (FYI – I chickened out and stuck with white.)
Our house only has one cast iron radiator that is covered. It’s located in the kids’ playroom and I was concerned about our toddler twins tripping and hurting themselves. Plus, we needed more space to organize toys.
The rest of our cast iron radiators are either completely bare. Or have a metal shelf sitting on top. And every fall, I debate covering them.
But I never do.
Maybe it’s laziness. Maybe I’m worried we are going to lose energy-efficiency.
This fall, while prepping the house for winter, I decided to actually sit down one night and research DIY radiator covers. And it led me down a rabbit hole…
5 Reasons to Cover Your Radiators
Agreeably, the biggest con of covering your radiators is potentially trapping heat. Which leads to decreased energy efficiency and higher heating bills. However, setting aside the energy-efficiency debate, there are still several compelling reason to cover your radiators. Old House Web suggests these 5 long-term benefits for radiator covers:
- Reclaim lost space (shelving for books, pictures, etc..)
- Child-proof to reduce risk of injuries and burns
- Reduce noise
- Beautify a room
- Double as benches/ furniture (for long, low radiators)
10 DIY Radiator Covers with Instructions
While I was down that online rabbit hole I found some amazing photos of GORGEOUS DIY radiator covers. But the majority of them didn’t have instructions! How can I build something if I don’t have the instructions? So frustrating. You must understand, I’m an engineer. I NEED instructions. Otherwise, my DIY projects go south FAST!
And chances are I’m not alone. Other homeowners might want instructions too…. So read on and make your DIY radiator cover dream a reality ?
1. Jenn Blogs Here
Based in Minnesota, Jenn and her husband tackled covering two obnoxiously tall cast iron radiators located side by side. Her DIY radiator plans are super simple. And instead of the traditional metal mesh, she secured pieces of scrap wood vertically to the frame.
Website: https://jennblogshere.com/2018/10/diy-radiator-cover/ (website currently under maintenance)
2. DIY Mom
Rebekah Higgs, turned her cast iron radiator cover into a statement piece and a focal point for her room. How did she do it? First she created a custom wooden frame that included practical shelving space on either side. Then she was inspired to add texture to the space by covering the radiator portion with cane webbing. Yup, the same sheet cane webbing I’ve used to restore vintage chairs.
Website: https://diymom.ca/blog/radiatorcover
3. Canadian Home Workshop
This DIY tutorial is straightforward with instructions for a traditional cast iron radiator cover with metal mesh. This plan works especially well with longer radiators. Why? It includes inner styles and an option to build an inner leg for support.
4. Quirk Madame
This project has a plethora of photos so you won’t get lost! Carla and her husband Alex spent only $65 to create this radiator cover. And throw in a few pillows and this radiator cover easily doubles as a bench. Imagine coming in from shoveling the driveway to sit on this bench sipping a hot chocolate while warming up your buns.
Website: http://hammersandhighheels.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-steps-to-build-your-own-radiator.html
5. Instructables
There are a few things I really like about this mission-style DIY radiator cover with instructions. First, the designer incorporates tips for potentially increasing efficiency using foil insulation. Since most radiators are located against exterior walls, heat is wasted warming up that exterior wall. This tutorial includes insulating the backside of the radiator with a foil insulation to reflect the radiant heat back into the room.
Second, this radiator cover design includes a vent where the front piece meets the top. This encourages better convection currents and potentially directs more heat into the room versus the cold exterior wall.
Website: https://www.instructables.com/Energy-Efficient-Radiator-Cover/
6. This Old House
Of course the gold standard website for homeowners of old houses has a DIY radiator cover with instructions! Their plan is categorized as “Easy”, takes about 6 hours and costs between $50-$100. Like the plan detailed in Instructables, this one also includes foil insulation behind the radiator to help push heat into the room.
Website: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/heating-cooling/21016731/how-to-build-a-radiator-cover-cabinet
7. Christina Maria
Christina Maria took inspiration from the plans at This Old House to build her own DIY radiator cover. Her radiator rests in a corner that takes up valuable space. Space used a lot more efficiently with this radiator cover that doubles as another surface.
Website: https://christinamariablog.com/diy_radiator_cover/
8. Brick + Beam Detroit
Another take on a traditional DIY radiator covers with a mesh front. The instructions are actually based on a Hunker post (written by DC-based interior designer and blogger Shannon Smith) which incredibly detailed and clear. But Brick + Beam take it a step forward and modifies it to increase airflow underneath the cover
What I like especially about this tutorial? It’s geared towards beginner DIYer who won’t make perfect corners. They recognize that imperfections will be made. For example, they point out “Don’t worry about the corners completely touching — these can be filled in with wood glue.”
Website: https://www.brickandbeamdetroit.com/resources/radiator-cover-diy and
https://www.hunker.com/12127816/how-to-build-a-radiator-cover
9. Projectophile
Clare, based outside of Chicago, loves to scavenge and find usefulness and beauty in other people’s trash. She was inspired to create a cover for her cast iron radiator when she spotted gently-used IKEA bed slats sitting in an alley.
And it’s ingenious.
Website: https://projectophile.net/2014/08/26/radiator-makeover-with-bed-slats/
10. The Carpenter’s Daughter
This DIY radiator with instructions is incredibly detailed from start to finish. There’s two elements I especially like about this tutorial. One is the accompanying video (at least on the desktop version) that shows Vikki building her radiator cover step by step. Second is the level of detail that Vikki gets into – whether it be the different products and tools she used or tips and tricks to get the project completed. It makes me wish I lived next to her so that she could help me with some of my home improvement projects!
Website: https://thecarpentersdaughter.co.uk/woodworking/diy-radiator-cover/
Buy a Raditor Cover?
Perhaps after reading through the above DIY options you realize you don’t have the time or patience to build one. And that’s OK.
If you don’t want to forego the DIY route, here’s a few options on Etsy that might be up your alley…..
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