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I have a bunch of radiator covers to make and I was wondering what kind of wood would be acceptable for dealing with the heat that the cover will be exposed too. I also don't want to spend a fortune on lumber. I was wondering if select pine or popllar would be able to hold up without twisting or bowing.

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I made a couple a few years ago out of poplar.  One I stained and the other that I painted.  The one in the living room has stereo equipment on it, so I put a reflective piece of styrefoam insulation on the top piece.  My brother suggested in to reflect the heat down and out instead of up.  I don't see any signs of bowing on this piece.  The other one in the kitchen however did not have the insulation and I do see signs of it sagging.

They were the first things that I had ever built so I wasn't sure what would to use.

Ray,

All wood is subjected to warpage---more so with softer woods.

 A minimum of 2 inches clearance, in all three dimensions.

Install ''heat resistant'' spacers, between the radiator and the wood, so as to provide the clearance.

  DO NOT allow the wood to have intimate contact with the radiator.

Adding insulation will not reflect heat away from the wood.

(insulation will slow down the heat transfer).

NOTE:  adding a finish, paint, or the like, will be affected by the elevated temperature.

Treat the wood surfaces, nearest the radiator, with a heat-resistant paint, or the like.

  Thank you for giving these matters your consideration.

You don't want to be liable for injury to property or persons, with this under taking.


PS---poplar will suffice nicely, for the radiator covers, that are intended to be painted.

Thanks, Ken.  What are heat resistant spacers?  I have about 5 inches away from the radiator itself.  I just realized that the one that one that was bowing did not have as support piece in middle like the one with the sterio equipment on it.

i stained a polyurathaned the one with the stereo equipment and painted the other one.  Neither of them did I prtect the wood nearess the radiator. 

 

Thank you again because I have multiple radiators in this house to cover.

 

Chrissy,

Metal, stone, brick, are heat resistant.  

Visit your local home center and see what's available that you can purchase, and custom fit, to as to suffice.

Cement backer board is readily available---

it does not rot, warp, grow mold, or deteriorate.

It's mainly used as a sub-surface for tiling.

thanks for the replies, I am going to make them out of poplar and line them with backer board, these are going into a rental property so i don't need the extra liability.

 

Ray, 

Additional comments---

You could insulate the inside of the cover with a ‘’reflective’’ type insulation, so as to block radiant heat from damaging your cover.

  The cement backer board material could be used on the inside of the top section.

  Installing reflective type insulation on the back side of the radiator, so as to reflect the radiant heat back into the room.  (A lot of energy is wasted warming an exterior wall).

  What plans do you have for air to enter thru the bottom and front, of this unit?

  The front of the radiator cover, should have openings, so as to allow heat to escape/radiate outward.

  There should be a space at the floor to allow for cooler air to enter.  Adjustable feet will allow for leveling.

  Here’s a photo of a simple to make model, and use Kreg joinery.

Ken, thats pretty much what I have in mind for three of them, three others are already kind of built in to the wall one is a unit in a bathroom that is built in it just has a removable front there is also a built in one under a set of bookshelves that has a removable front and then there is 4 that are free standing that are going to need the covers. I'll post pictures when I'm finished

Thanks again for all your help

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