tiling round radiator

[mike s]

im tiling a bathroom floor to celing and wondered if i should undo the rediatior or just tile around it as close as possible
I think im gonna tile as close as possible ,or ill have to re drill it and thats a nightmare.
It's a reg rad not a towel rail,and ceramic tiles so not real thick .

what does everyone else do?

 

[jonathanandmary]

Close both rad valves. Undo unions and drain the rad. Lift it off the brackets, the tile up to the brackets....unless your rad valves are knackered, your unions rusted up, can't get at them with a spanner etc etc. :furious3:

If a job's worth doing......

Jon

 

[grumpygrouter]

You have to take it off or at least move it out of the way! It will look awful if you tile up to it!

 

[bigandy]

the other option is if there is any play in pipes,turn the valves off,crack the valves keep finger tight but keep connected then try lifting and allow the rad to drop to floor still connected abit more awkward to work round but saves draining and refilling. then undo screws but keep in then simply tile under. lift back and retighten.

 

[White Room]

When you undo the valve nut to the rad use a second adjustable spanner to stop the valve from twisting otherwise the pipe coming from the floor boards into the valve will bend the pipe and your'll be ringing a plumber to mend a leak.

 

[DHTiling]

Much neater to tile behind........

 

[DEN]

would you not ask the customer to have the radiator removed prior to starting the job? or would you be prepared to remove it yourself?just thinking if you knack the valve while trying to remove it will add cost to replacing it..

 

[theyomper]

Just had an akward rad to tile behind last week. Normally would, as said, shut off valves and disconnect. However I just couldn't release the joints must have been there years. Luckily there was plently of play in the pipes as they were surface fixed. So took off rad from brackets and used a pair of baton stands to support the weight and to keepthe height right so as not to put pressure on the soldered joints, a pair of cramps to stop the stands slipping. Tiled behind and re set rad. What I thought was going to be a pain turned out nicely.

 

[robbo]

Agree with Den, if your unsure about removal/spacing back of the radiator just call a plumber in to do the job.

 

[muffinman]

always carrie ptf tape and joint compound with me , and a rad key, ajustable spanner and a set of grips ,

 

[bishbosh77]

Will your insurance cover you to remove the rad?

 

[pjtiler]

is this any help bud


12) TEMPORARILY REMOVING A RADIATOR

Turn off valves at both ends of rad. if you have a thermostatic valve one end then take the head off and fit the decorators cap to turn it off if you have one.

At the locksheild end try to count the turns it takes to close it completely.

Once both valves closed put down plastic sheet and/or dust sheet under valve nut. Put small plastic tray under valve nut. Undo valve nut between valve and rad slowly until water runs out. When water stops open air bleed on rad to let more water drain out.

When water stops running out lift one end of rad and drop over empty plastic tray to empty last bits of water, careful here as this will probably be black and/or rusty water.

When finished draining do up air bleed, undo other end valve nut, remove rad and turn upside down to eliminate drips from valve bodies.

Fitting is a reversal of above except that after fitting you will have to top up system pressure via combi filling loop or filling link built into your boiler.

 

[CJ]

As bish said.............u have to watch your liability cover............springs a leak..........and your stuffed.

It does look much much better tiled behind.

 

[pjtiler]

As bish said.............u have to watch your liability cover............springs a leak..........and your stuffed.

It does look much much better tiled behind.

good point misses

 

[Deleted member 1779]

I'd take it off.

When you have tiled the wall and come to re-drill it we provide a diamond drill kit which includes the radiator pipe. Its called the BFKMX and has a 16mm core for a radiator (15mm) and then a few 6mm and 8mm to make the holes at the back for the fixings.

Our kits make the drilling very easy to do. Each hole will take less than a minute.

As for the job with the radiator if you can totally remove all the pipework fittings to get back to the "tails" then you can slip a tile over the pipework and it will leave a great finish. If the central heating is isolated or drained down its easier. If not. IE the system is loaded you may have to avoid going that far or use a pipe freezing kit at the point of disconnection.

This is a Cut hole in a tile for a radiator pipe.

Depending on your job will depend on how much "is on view" behind the radiator. Above its clear there is a lot of wall on show so a neat job is critical. The radiator must be completley removed and the tiles placed on the wall. The pipe work or "tails" are then cut into the tile.

Above is the result of drilling a tile for a radiator pipe. Doesnt matter if its ceramic, slate, marble, granite or porcelain. Same thing.

It does involve a reasonable amount of time, prep, plumbing and interference with other systems (IE the central heating) so should be done in conjunction with a plumbing team or by a competent all-rounder.

Arctic do a little pipe freezing kit if the system is loaded. You probably need to freeze each pipe twice. Once on removal. And again on installation. A bit tricky but possible.

The diamond drilling kit for a radiator pipe