Decorative grilles for radiators

As you know, not every home or apartment has modern batteries with an elegant look. Unfortunately, some old type heating radiators can significantly complicate the efforts of owners of to survive a room in some certain style. The decorative grilles or screens can come to the rescue.

Similar decorative grilles for radiators of heating, if they are cleverly selected, should not break the harmony of the of the updated design of the room. On the contrary, they can be an excellent addition to the overall design and an effective camouflage for old unsightly batteries.

Decorative grilles or screens can be made independently, by selecting the material and suitable for the curtains and wallpaper color. It is possible to order an exclusive sample in the workshop, and as the simplest version of - to purchase ready-made screens in the economic or furniture salon( shop).

To correctly choose or make grids, you should not forget about the main thing - about the functional purpose of the radiator itself. The batteries are installed to heat the rooms, and the

grille should not become a hindrance to efficient heat exchange in the room. Many homeowners refuse to install these decorative elements because of the fear of that they will delay heat, and heating the will cost the "a pretty penny."

Common sense in such reasoning, of course, is. However, I must say that is quite possible for to choose or make which will perfectly the battery, and at the same time is not the same, that will not close, and on the contrary , its configuration and layout of partswill increase the flow of heat into the room.

To purchase the correct grille , you need to understand the principle of the radiator and some laws of thermal physics.

Operating principle of the radiator and screen requirements( grating )

How does a standard radiator work?

When heated, the transmits the into the room in two ways: by means of heated air flows - this is called the convention process, and also through direct thermal radiation in the infrared range.

These two ways of transferring heat energy can vary in priority and efficiency, depending on the ratio of the coolant temperature and room, from the design of a particular battery and from external factors - interference and , .

For example, cast-iron batteries in not very strong colds heat the room for the most part with the help of a convention. But with the output of the heating system to the maximum, when the heat carrier is heated to 70- , degrees and more, then comes heat mainly for account infrared radiation.

Modern aluminum radiators work on the same principle, but they have the property of more flexible adjustment to the influence of external factors. For example, if heat enters a room with difficulty( this can happen, if batteries are closed with dense curtains), then the heat flows in the battery move closer to the outer front planes of the sections. In this case, the radiator switches to work in the heat-radiating mode.

In any case, in order for the radiator to be as efficient as possible, it is necessary to provide both heat exchange possibilities. For example, it is necessary to install grids on converter radiators, which do not have an upper horizontal panel. This is necessary for free circulation of heated air.

If a screen is to be installed, it must be fitted that will ensure free circulation of heated air flows and the passage of direct infrared radiation. Similar conditions can only be met by in the case, if there are enough large holes( at least 50% of the total area) on the front panel of the screen and free space above the radiator for convection flows.

In addition, there are other conditions that must be met to achieve the most efficient heat transfer.

Combination of physics and design

To ensure that the grille or screen does not interfere with the radiator function properly, should be provided with a couple of additional points:

The outer cladding material must have good thermal conductivity so that infrared radiation does not remain in the enclosed space,in the room.

The inside of the of the grate or the screen should be painted in with a dark color. This ensures good heat absorption and its further transfer. The outside can have any shade, the one that is better than the will suit the for interior decoration - this does not affect the heating efficiency of the . but the interior is recommended to coat with a dark brown or with black paint.

Video: decorative screens for batteries heating

Heat-reflective screening of the wall

Heat dissipation can significantly decrease from the , that a lot of heat energy is spent on the absolutely unnecessary heating in the of external walls in the places where the heating batteries are attached to them. In order for to direct heat towards the room, a reflective screen is fixed to the wall behind the radiator. This auxiliary element is usually made of a roll foamed insulation with an obligatory foil surface. Shiny side of the screen is fastened in the direction of room - this "mirror" will effectively redirect the outgoing heat from the battery towards the premises.

. Sometimes, before installing the radiator, a foam is fixed to the wall, also has a reflecting layer, and only then the battery is mounted. This option will help to save heat and save considerable funds at the expense of energy.

Efficiently working grille

In order not to be mistaken when choosing or manufacturing grating or screen, you need to consider some points.

• A very unfortunate version of the screen is a solid panel that has very small holes at the top and bottom or all over the surface.

They will not be able to provide the necessary circulation of heated air masses, even if the internal surface of the grate is covered with black paint. In this case will have to spend a large amount of fuel to heat the rooms, and means - will be followed by a large expense.

• Another, more acceptable but still not very effective option grilles - is a wide frame made of wood that closes the battery around and has grilles on the front side of the rails far apart.

This variant gives a good heat transfer only on one side - with direct infrared radiation, but does not create a heat curtain and does not block the flow of cold air coming from the window.

In the design respect, this model looks good, because the tree is suitable for any interior. In addition, the upper part of the frame can be adapted to accommodate indoor plants. However, given the insufficient circulation of warm air - is not the best option lattice .

• The optimal screen option in all respects will be lattice , which will simultaneously direct warm air upwards, thus blocking the way cold flows from the window, and means , on top of lattice should be orholes, or directed slits.

In addition, very good will be the design, which provides aerodynamic visor .Especially it is convenient, if the radiator hides under the under the window. Manufactured by their narrow stripes of metal or even a thick cardboard, they do not ck aplivatsya heated air on top of the radiator, will redirect it to the side of the room.

Another is one very effective addition to the design - the so-called thermal injector. A lot of warm air is collected in the space between the front wall of the screen and the radiator itself. If you install two directional blades, they will collect these accumulated warm masses and send to the side of the room a powerful stream. It's completely invisible when the radiator is barely working, at low temperatures. But as soon as a strong heating of the coolant starts, for a full "winter" mode, the effect of such an injector is impressive - the flow of hot air becomes very noticeable.

The figure shows the screen-grid , which practically completely satisfies to all with the listed requirements:

• From the external wall the heating radiator is fenced with a thermo-insulating layer with foil-coated( A ).
• The aerodynamic visor ( B) is installed on top of the wall and up to the sill trim.
• Two blades of the upper front part form a thermal injector( IN ).
• The front panel of the screen is a lattice construction( D) with large cells.

Cold air( blue arrows, poses .1), penetrates from below, heats up, rises up , without stagnating under the under the window, due to the installed visor, is directed to the room( brown arrows, pos. 2 )

At high heating temperatures, the injector comes into play, bringing its weighty contribution to the process of creating a directed hot convection flow.

Direct thermal radiation is indicated by dotted red arrows. Its rays, directed back, are reflected from the "mirror" of the foil insulation and are redirected to the front.

Here, the thermal energy rays either freely pass through the holes into the premises, or are absorbed by the material of the lattice( as we remember, it must be internally colored black color).If the material has a good heat capacity and heat transfer( for example, metal), lattice itself becomes the source of thermal radiation , not only without reducing the heating effect of the room, but even exaggerating it.

Types grilles

Decorative grilles for radiators are divided into several groups, based on the types of construction and materials of manufacture.

By the way, there is more two important requirements for grids and screens that should not be overlooked:

• Any radiators of heating always create powerful convection airflows. This means that on the way to the battery, cold air moving along the surface of the floor carries with it particles of dust and dirt( as if there was no at home purely, this can not be avoided early).Hence, on the edges lattice or on the surface of the screen will eventually accumulate dirt. Conclusion - the surface should be hygienic, easy to clean, including, if necessary, and using detergents.
• In addition to the decorative function, the lattice or the screen is executed more and the protective mission - cover the sharp corners and edges radiators, reducing the chance of accidental injury( especially if in the house or apartment have children).Hence, the material must be strong enough that lattice itself does not become a source of danger, and the design is desirable without sharp angles and protruding parts.

Basic designs gratings

By dividing the screens and of the lattice by the design features, the following main varieties can be distinguished:

• The lattice-box is used in those cases when it is necessary to close not only the ugly look of the radiator, but the pipes to it.

• Suspended grilles having a top cover. They are used to disguise batteries that are not closed from above by the windowsill and are not recessed into the niche of the wall.

• Hinged grilles without the lid installed on batteries that are installed in the niche of the wall or under the under window.

• Flat screens or grilles are intended for radiators fixed in the niche of the wall or even simply on the wall surface.

Varieties based on the material of manufacture

grids and screens are made from various materials, and to choose the one that is suitable for design and characteristics for a particular room, you need to consider each of them. It is very important to take into account the heating temperature of the batteries in winter, the resistance of the material to thermal fluctuations and its environmental friendliness.

• Metal of lattice

Metal grating is often a panel made of perforated metal sheet with various mosaic patterns from the holes. This screen has good heat dissipation, it is neat and elegant in design.

Also to this type of decorative gratings can be attributed the screen in the form of a grid with cells of different shapes and sizes.

In addition to simple modest variants of gratings , metal panels are produced, which are covered with a thermogram that simulates the texture of different types of wood. Also it is impossible not to mention the combined screens in which other materials are used together with the metal.

Painting on metal panels is often applied using the powder spraying method, which keeps the metal from being damaged by rust and from minor "injuries" in the form of accidental scratches, and coating - from fading.

Metal decorative elements are easy to install and dismantle. Due to the variety, they can be selected for almost any interior. They have quite affordable prices, and therefore grilles are very popular among owners of both their own houses and city apartments. I must say that the metal version of lattice can be repainted, if will need it, for example, if there are any design changes in the interior.

It's quite difficult to make such itself, and it's unlikely that it will turn out neat. Therefore, if it is decided to apply the metal elements of the interior, masking the batteries, then it is better to buy them in a ready-made form. The table for an example shows the average for metal gratings , made from a sheet 1 mm thick( for better heat transfer):

Grating size in mm( height × width)	Estimated price in rubles per unit
400 × 600	800
400 × 900	1000
400 × 1400	1400
400 × 2000	1900
600 × 600	960
600 × 900	1200
600 × 1200	1400
600 × 1400	1500
600 × 2000	2000
750 × 600	1000
750 × 900	1300
750 × 1200	1500
750 × 1400	1600
750× 2000	2000
900 × 900	1800
900 × 1200	1950
900 × 1350	2000
900 × 2000	2300

gratings are manufactured as well as individualorders, as in some cases, these dimensions are not suitable for radiators of exclusive forms, configuration or location.

• Lattices from PVC

The grilles and PVC screens are made either entirely of this material, either on a metal base or using for insertion into the frame of natural or artificial rattan. Screens are decorated for different materials - it can be a tree of different breeds, cut stone or metallic .The thermal conductivity of these panels is much lower than that of metal or wooden lattices , so they will cover most of the heat transmitted by infrared radiation, and means , it will take more fuel to heat the house, that will cause the to unnecessary costs.

PVC - is a sufficiently heat-resistant material and will last a long time. It does not emit toxic substances for humans when heated. Screens and gratings always, while new, have an aesthetic appearance and can be executed in different shapes and colors.

The grilles and screens made of PVC have a more affordable price than products made from other materials. The picture of approximate prices for these products looks as follows:

Lattice size in mm( height × width)	Estimated price in rubles per unit
600 × 300	250
600 × 600	260
600 × 900	330
600 × 1200	460
600 × 1500	490

• Lattices from wood

Wooden grilles will bring into the house an atmosphere of special comfort, so many prefer this particular natural material. Well-treated and tinted wood fits perfectly into any interior, since grids of can be manufactured by in any architectural style.

It should be noted that screens and grilles made of wood have a rather high price, especially if they are exclusive - made to order, as an author's work.

The grilles are made of different wood, and this is why the is mainly formed on the .For example and comparison - an overview of the average prices for wooden screen grilles.

Estimated price per m²: ash - 1050 rubles, beech -1200 rubles, oak - 1350 rubles
Height	Length
1300 mm	1600 mm	2000 mm	2500 mm
Oak	Beech	Oak	Beech	Oak	Beech	Oak	Ash	Ash
600 mm	1053	936	1296	1152	1620	1440	2025	1800	1575
700 mm	1229	1092	1512	1344	1890	1680	2363	2100	1838
750 mm	1317	1170	1620	1440	2025	1800	2532	2250	-
800 mm	1404	1248	1728	1536	2160	1920	2700	2400	-
900 mm	1580	1404	1944	1728	2430	2160	3038	2700	-
950 mm	1668	1482	2052	1824	2565	2280	3207	2850	-

Finished parts for gratings are necessarily covered with several layers of water based varnish. This coating will reduce the effects of temperature changes on wood.

Do not install wooden grilles on batteries that use the converter principle, since the design of the shields from this material assumes that the top panel will almost completely close the battery, except for small holes that will not be enough to allow the radiator.

rattan screens are very beautiful. Many people prefer grilles made of rattan, stretched on a frame made of wood. They have a rather aesthetic appearance and good thermal conductivity, and these materials are environmentally friendly and never will not harm in any way to the residents of the house.

Instead of rattan, panels from MDF are installed in the frames. On this fiberboard plate, which has a small thickness, it is possible to cut out drawings that will give the lattices a kind of attractive appearance and allow the heat to flow freely into the room.

. The drawings cut out on MDF boards are quite numerous, and all of them to are attractive to their .But, despite this, it is still worth choosing panels that have grating with large holes.

The MDF grate, mounted in a wooden frame, can perfectly replace the wooden grille, but it will cost much less. Decorative screen, made of MDF, is able to withstand more significant mechanical loads compared to natural wood. The material has good thermal conductivity and perfectly withstands temperature changes. These gratings of the are easy to mount and remove, if necessary.

Colors, which can have screens made of MDF, are quite diverse. This table contains only some of them.

The estimated price level for gratings from MDF is as follows:

Grid size in mm( height × width)	Estimated price in rubles per unit
400 × 600	1020
400 × 900	1220
400 × 1200	1420
400 × 1500	1620
600 × 600	1015
600 × 900	1270
600 × 1200	1565
600 × 1500	1900
Lattices made to order and having non-standard sizes( price per m²)	2755

• Glass screens for radiators heating

Perhaps somepeople such screens causeAsen, but they are completely unfounded. For manufacturing, the super-hardened high-strength glass with a thickness of 6 to 8 mm is used, it is very difficult to break it even if desired.

Typically, these screens are a flat panel, reinforced on the wall with racks and completely covering radiators. Above and below necessarily there is space for free convection flow. The transmission of thermal directional radiation in the to this is significantly limited.

Advantages of these glass screens:

• Relatively low, compared, for example, with wood, the price.
• Ease of installation - it can be done by any means.
• High decorative qualities - in addition to transparent , translucent or matt glass in various shades, you can buy or order screens with thermal prints or pictures - for any chosen interior style.
• Such screens, repeat, safe, easy to clean, have good heat resistance.

Now that the reader has received the necessary information, he can more judicious approach to choosing the necessary for the interior protective decorative screens or gratings .They will help to hide the unaesthetic radiators, protect the batteries from various contaminants, to relieve to some extent the parents from constant concern for kids, who can get injured or burn if the heating devices are left open. It is not necessary to doubt - lattice or battery screens, especially - old designs made of cast iron, just are needed. Especially, in modern stores for sale is a fairly wide range of these products, and the means the is able to choose those that are optimal for all parameters.

Video: a variety of screens and gratings for radiators heating