DIY Radiator/plaster?

Fabulouso

Hello,

I am on a very tight budget trying to redecorate. I need a radiator cover in the hallway and have found the cheapest are the MDF unfinished ones.

So I am wanting to buy one and paint it white. However, so it matches my d!cor... I would like it to have a few rose 'crowns' or swirls on it. The only ones I have found are made of plaster. Would I be able to bond this to the radiator cover and then paint it? I know it will be a slightly different texture but its the look I want.
Will it withstand the heat etc?
Any ideas?
Best way to attach?

Thank you :A

ValHaller

Personally, I would avoid this on a radiator cover. Plaster and mdf will almost certainly have different temperature coefficients of expansion, the temperature range will be wide and the whole assembly will be temperature cycled quite frequently.

Fabulouso

Thank you. Any advice on what I could instead?
:-)

southcoastrgi

unless you want it be colder in the hall why are you bothering just paint the rad

Stooby2

And MDF chips/breaks very easily - in a hallway I think you'd be repainting it all the time and it'll look rough fairly quick. I'd go for the paint the radiator option.

keystone

Fabulouso wrote: »

I am on a very tight budget trying to redecorate.

Then don't spend on single penny more than you have to.

I need a radiator cover in the hallway and have found the cheapest are the MDF unfinished ones.

There is a world of difference between "need" and "want" and "wouldn't it be nice if....." I suspect "need" is actualy the wrong word entirely.

Just paint the rad for now. If you have some spare dosh in a few months time then thats the time to think about a rad cover and how you would do it. If its a question of providing a shelf of some description just buy one that will fix above the top of the rad - either clips to it or fixed to the wall.

Cheers

Avoriaz

Fabulouso wrote: »

Hello,

I am on a very tight budget trying to redecorate. I need a radiator cover in the hallway and have found the cheapest are the MDF unfinished ones. ....

Do you really need a cover?

The cheapest radiator cover is paint and, unless you want a special colour, even that is not needed if the factory finish is reasonably unblemished.

Radiators work more efficiently when left uncovered and, in my opinion, look fine as they are with their usual white finish or a decent paint job. They do not look out of place in hallways.