Let’s be honest, radiators aren’t the most attractive items in our homes, but we let them slide because they provide us with heat in the winter and most people have them, whether they like the look of them or not.
With most people not liking the look of radiators and the copper pipes coming from them, it’s not surprising that when one of our plumbers in Bolton visits clients’ homes, they’re commonly asked “how can I cover radiator pipes?”
There are three common ways of covering your radiator pipes, these include boxing them in, using skirting boards and using pipe sleeves.
In this article, we’ll discuss the three main methods and talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both.
How to cover radiator pipes by boxing them in
Boxing in your radiator pipes is probably the most common way of covering your exposed radiator pipes. It’s also one of the cost-effective ways of covering copper piping and chances are you might have seen this method being used in other people’s houses.
If you want to keep costs down, then you can ask a carpenter to box your radiator pipes in with small pieces of wood. This wood will be cut to size and then glued around your pipes to hide them. You can then just simply paint the wood to match your interior.
The only disadvantage of boxing them in is that it’s quite a clumpy method of hiding pipework and can sometimes lead to your room looking smaller. It also creates harsh edges which can be sharp or dangerous to smaller members of your family.
Covering your pipes with skirting board
A more elegant solution is to use a skirting board pipe rebate. This sounds a little bit complicated but it’s a clever way of hiding any copper pipework. The only disadvantage is that you’ll need to get rid of any existing skirting boards first. If you’re fine with that, then a skirting board with a pipe rebate is the best option for you.
So, what is it? A rebate in the skirting board is a cut of recess made so that your pipes can be covered with the skirting board. You can also use this method to hide ugly wires inside your home.
If you’re happy to remove your existing skirting and fit a brand new one with a 40mm pipe rebate, this is a great way of hiding your pipes.
Purchase some radiator pipe covers
Pipe covers are another cost-effective option to cover your pipework and they come in a wide variety of colours to fit the style of your home. A pipe cover simply slips over your pipes and can make an instant, effective change in the aesthetics of your home. Radiator pipe covers are cheap and can be changed quickly and easily if you ever want to change your interior.
If you don’t want to open up any walls, risk damaging plasterboard or remove the skirting, this is the option for you. It’s quick, easy and they look smart.
Painting your pipes
If your budget is very small and you don’t want to go with any of the options listed above, the cheapest and quickest method for covering exposed piping is simply painting them. If you do decide to go for this option, you’ll need to make sure the paint you use is suitable for pipes.
Benefits of covering your radiator pipes
It’s not essential to cover your pipes at all, some people may like the look of exposed piping, but other homeowners don’t like them, especially if they’ve paid more for a more stylish radiator. The benefits of covering your pipework are purely aesthetic and it won’t improve your central heating system or make your system more energy efficient.
If you’ve recently hired someone to install a radiator and you don’t like the look of your pipes, covering them up with one of the options above will improve the aesthetics of your home.