Radiator in Kitchen corner - ideas please!

dinofabio

Need some ideas folks!

I have a small kitchen. I'm trying to use all the available space.

As it stands a central heating radiator is positioned in the one corner. There is nothing else in this corner but this radiator.

I would really like to put some cabinets and a worktop in this corner but I don't know what to do because of this radiator.

1) Can a worktop bit fitted over a radiator if there is sufficient clearance?

2) Could I position a cabinet alongside the radiator provided I left sufficient clearance?

At the moment I just have a 'dead' area in the corner that is not used.

I have tried turning the rad off to see if I could do without it (and therefore get it removed) but the kitchen was always chilly.

Anyone got any ideas?

A neighbour has suggested fitting a worktop but fit a grill (of some description) over where the rad is so the heat can rise, but I cannot find any products on the market - so would probably end up looking like a botch!:D

Really want to utilise this space but I can't think of anything

BertieUK

In our kitchen we also have a radiator in the corner and we have fitted a worktop over the radiator and created a breakfast bar for my wife and I, it is supported by a central leg onto the floor as well as brackets holding it to the wall.


First thing on a cold morning it is very comfortable. The worktop is 42" long and 24" deep. It was an off cut when we had the kitchen renewed earlier in the year.

We use a couple of high stools to sit on and it works just fine for our needs.

regards

dinofabio

BertieUK wrote: »

In our kitchen we also have a radiator in the corner and we have fitted a worktop over the radiator and created a breakfast bar for my wife and I, it is supported by a central leg onto the floor as well as brackets holding it to the wall.


First thing on a cold morning it is very comfortable. The worktop is 42" long and 24" deep. It was an off cut when we had the kitchen renewed earlier in the year.

We use a couple of high stools to sit on and it works just fine for our needs.

regards

Thanks for the reply. Did you leave lots of clearance between the top of the radiator and the underside of the worktop to allow the heat to circulate etc?

pstuart

If you look at radiator shelves, said to throw the heat out into the room, you will see that they actually sit on top of the rad.

In one of the bedrooms, I have spanned a wall with kitchen worktop (it looks nicer than it sounds) to make a large 'make up ' area for the blonde. This passes two to three inches above the rad - super warm in there and no warping etc. in fourteen years.

Go for it!

BertieUK

Our radiator is around 3" above the top of the radiator making the worktop/breakfast table the same height as the fitted worktops which makes it fit in perfectly.


pstuart... and I agree that it is super warm and makes for a very comfortable area for many uses. I was going to fit the worktop with a gap at the wallside to allow the heat to rise but the joiners that fitted our kitchen said that was not required as the worktop would not warp if supported as I described earlier. So pstuart has proved that over the past fourteen years.


Give it some thought anyway as it has worked in these two examples...

Jonesya

You can get wet-type fan heaters that are mounted into the plinth under cabinets, they're like a regular fan heater only they're driven by the central heating system, a space saving alternative to a normal radiator, I guess exactly for this sort of job.

http://www.dealec.co.uk/acatalog/smiths-space-saver-plinth-heaters.html

Dark_Star

You can also get independent plinth fan heaters so you need only put it on when its cold.


We ditched our kitchen radiator years ago & have never missed it.


Not linked to the central heating - such as this...


http://www.screwfix.com/p/winterwarm-wwfh20-plinth-fan-heater-2kw/42217?_requestid=45931

ariba10

We have a kick-board fan heater fitted under one of the cabinets.

Run off the wet C H with an electric fan to blow out the heat.

When we come on a cold day it is where everyone congregates to to get warm quickly.

Keith87glass

I think there is no harm if a radiator has enough clearance around 4" at the top as well as at sides of it.

TheRTAStore.