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Smaller Homes Renovating Design Dilemma

Building seating over a radiator

6 months ago

Hi everyone,

I am renovating my apartment and want to hide the radiator for my small (approximalty 13sqm) kitchen / living room under a built in banquet seat. At the base of the wall behind the radiator will be a boxed in area containing the pipes (including the gas pipe) to a boiler in a cupboard on the balcony. The windows are a super thermally efficient aluminium sliding doors. The kitchen cupboard next to the banquet contains the fridge

My concerns are:

1. That it will be too hot to sit on or that the heat will be too much for peoples feet and legs when sitting.

2. That it could build up a lot of heat that might be dangerous for the pipes behind.

3. That it won't heat my room sufficiently

Has anyone had any experience with radiators under seating?

Can they still heat a room?

I could maybe put a single panel convection radiator behind the back of the seat but it would be preferable to be under the seat.

I have attached images of the room with the radiator under and behind the seat and also the radiators I would potentially use use for each option.

Any help me would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (3)

Dee
6 months ago
Maybe consider a tall standing radiator
HU-411283776 thanked Dee
siobhanmcgee90
6 months ago
I have built in seating around radiators in both my sitting room and hallway and we have triple glazing and external insulation. The seats are designed to be able to lift the covers to let heat out if needed. It’s comfy to sit in and we have not had issues with heat build up. The rads are not as efficient this way for sure but we have had no issues with the areas being cold as a result.
HU-411283776 thanked siobhanmcgee90
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I definitely wouldn't replace with modern radiators, the tall ones.......wouldn't suit the room. I'd go for painting initially, i've painted all of ours in the same colour as the wall, admittedly just with paint mixed up the same as the emulsion. Valspar at B&Q do a great paint for indoor wood and metal, you can have it mixed whatever colour you like. I cleaned ours and painted straight over the top of what was there. Works a treat. I've always painted ours cold, not sure about painting when warm, never tried it.
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It looks like the feed for that rad comes down the side of the wall ( under the new conduit )., and I presume was the existing feed not the one below it. So why would the plumber think you would like the new pipes in the wall? Plumbers don't chase walls unless specifically asked to ( not really in their remit ), plus you have to then make the walls good, and paint / decorate. He would also have had to find out where the wiring for that socket was ( also not his remit ), so pay for an electrician first to remove and isolate with a view to putting it back afterwards. So, I stick by the above, as the existing pipes are on the surface, the plumber has followed suit, this is not wrong, It may not be perfect in today's world, but if exisiting pipework is of that ilk, why would a plumber think that you would like that one rad plumbed differently? Homeowners need to take some responsibility here. Yes the plumber could have asked first I suppose? However, all of the above to plumb in one rad with pipes in the wall, would involve two trades, and they'd probably charge for at least a day and half labour and you'd still have holes in the wall to fill and decorate.
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Jonathan
6 months ago
Radiators connect their heat because air can circulate behind them and then rise once heated. So the best option for keeping the room warm is to have the seat in front of the radiator not over it.
HU-411283776 thanked Jonathan

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