Advice on radiators, please!

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Bit of a long one!

My husband and I can't decide what to do about the radiators in our master bedroom. We are putting it / them on a brick wall (pictured) but are in disagreement as to whether we want one radiator or two, and then where we put them.

The studwork to the left of the brick wall will be wooden panelled and the bed will sit on this wall. This will contain a (small!) walk-in wardrobe. The brick wall to the left from the fireplace to the stud wall is 140 cm in length, and it's 175cm to the right.

Options are:

1. One large cast iron radiator on the right of the fireplace

2. One large vertical column radiator on the right of the fireplace

3. A radiator on either side that is the same distance from the fireplace, therefore having different amount of wall showing on the outer sides of the wall

4a. A radiator on either side that is centered on the wall either side of the fireplace. The visible wall is the same size on each wall.

4b. A radiator on either side that is centered on the wall either side of the fireplace. The radiator size is proportional the the wall length on either side of the wall, therefore the visible wall would be different sizes.

Featured Answer

Maths Wife

7 years ago

I'm with OnePlan, one rad as low as possible on the right. The more columns you have the lower you can have it. For instance these come in 6 and 9 columns Castironradiators4u.co.uk

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Comments (15)

laura_0
Original Author
7 years ago

Large radiator on right only

Vertical radiator on right
laura_0
Original Author
7 years ago

Radiators equal distance from fireplace

Radiators that are proportional to the space
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fast_ted
7 years ago
Does it have to be that wall? Personally think it looks busy with the fireplace too. A vertical column radiator can be quite discreet and provide more than enough heat for the room....
PRO
OnePlan
7 years ago
If this were me - I’d go for option one - the big rad on the right (away from the bed) and I’d put coat hook above it for dressing gowns and bath towel.
PRO
Brandler London
7 years ago
The very first thing that you need to do before you even look at deciding which radiators and how many, is to consider the heating requirement for the room. Too often have either insufficient or small radiators been installed for the sake of aesthetics at the expense of being capable of heating the space properly.

This is a website that will help you with this - https://www.bestheating.com/btu-calculator

Once you have figured out the heating requirement then apply this to the types that you like and the locations that will work for you.

I am however curious as what you intend to use the fireplace for? It look like there is a chimney so are you considering using this?

As an aside your brickwork is very curious; what type of building/house are you living in?
laura_0
Original Author
7 years ago
We do have another wall we could put a radiator on, but I was hoping to put a full length mirror on it and I'm not sure we could get both on.
Think I'm leaning towards one radiator on the right. I know what BTU need so it could be done, we already have some 3 column cast iron radiators in other rooms and they do look good.
laura_0
Original Author
7 years ago
Brandler London, we don't have plans to use the fireplace and are just putting the surround in as a feature. The chimney is useable however so we may change out minds and just put a small fire basket in. We prefer the bedroom to be cooler so don't think we'd ever get enough use out of a fire to go to the the expense of getting one installed properly.

We have a Victorian terrace house. It is slightly irritating that the curved brickwork goes opposite ways!
PRO
User
7 years ago
Option 2!
PRO
Feature Radiators
7 years ago
Hi Laura, quite a lot of options there to choose from!

As per Brandler, heat output is critical and working that our might narrow down your choice. Feel free to give me a call on 01274 515734 with your room dimensions and I can work out the heat output for you if that's easier.

Personally i would go with option 1, as I think cast iron would look great next to the cast iron fireplace surround. They don't make cast iron taller than 1m so that eliminates that tall option.

But then again a tall bare metal column rad would look fab against the brick. If you do prefer the tall option though, I would measure the height from the floor to the lowest part of the ceiling. Tall radiators come as standard at 1800mm high, so if you need shorter than this there your choice is a lot more limited.

If you email your images to helena@featureradiators.co.uk then I can photoshop you some options. Warm regards!
E D
7 years ago
We want to see the photoshopped options too F R!
PRO
Feature Radiators
7 years ago
Now you're testing me, lol. I will do first thing tomorrow! :)
Resh
7 years ago
To follow on from some useful posts here:

BTU calculation is absolutely your starting point. Better to oversize the rad rather than undersize, especially if you are using a modern condensing boiler that runs at lower temps for greater efficiency. So make sure that the BTU output quoted for the rad is at the temp you will have the boiler set to. A Pro like FR above can give you this info.

We used Revive Radiators' steel column rads throughout the house. Being steel, as opposed to cast, they can be tall, and come in a 1500 size, 1200 size as well as the standard 1800mm. We actually have them in 2000 in the pic below. Ordered from mrcentralheating.co.uk who are helpful and reliable (i've used them in all three of my renovations). The rads have been fitted in my flat for over 10 years now and perform perfectly, so they have been tested.

I'd definitely go with one tall rad, as it will free up floor/wall space for other stuff, like a feature chair or table, plants on the floor during the summer etc.

Not a great pic, but you can see a 2metre tall, 3 column variant in lacquered raw steel finish on the wall of our new house next to the living room door. Behind, in the hallway, is a white, horizontal variant. The ugly plastic device on the valves are Honeywell's Evohome TRV controllers, which I cannot recommend highly enough (apart from the plasticky design), for temp control for each room individually.

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Resh
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Here's a smaller version of the range against the brick in the sun room of our old house, just after the renovation was finished (and before we decorated and styled, hence the bareness!)
PRO
Feature Radiators
7 years ago
So I have done a quick photoshop of the images, but would be better with the raw finishes without Microsoft Paint graffiti lol if you can send these, but should give you an idea anyway. I can move the radiators about as well if you need me to.

For Option 1 I have used our best-selling cast iron radiator, Etonian in anthracite black to match the fireplace

For Option 2 I have used our vertical Core column radiator in lacquered bare steel as this would look good against the brick.

Hope this helps. Warm regards!