rich34 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Hi all, strange one i know, but does anyone have any advice on how much clearence above radiators is best to leave for baseboards to avoid warping etc. Im going to get my baseboards from whiterose modelworks so they will be mdf. Any advice gratefully recieved Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Don't know about warping but sod's law says leave enough room to get at / bleed / remove and replace the radiator. It would be a ###### to have to dismantle your layout to rectify any future radiator / heating fault. Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Good evening You could always turn the radiator off or fit a thermostatic valve and have it set very low. I don't know anything about Whiterose Baseboards or more to the point how they are supported. My previous layout used chipboard and was supported on 'L' girders with a clearance of around 10mm / 1/2" over the radiator. There were no problems over ten years. My present layout uses 12mm MDF on a similar construction - but no radiators. Without adequate support MDF will warp especially in damp conditions. Five years later and so far so good. Regards Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2012 So long as the boards are well supported and there is a couple of inches above the rad to aid the free flow of air warping shouldn't be a problem, is there any way you can have the boards off the wall above the rad so that the air can freely rise and heat the room ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 The other thing to do for protection is to apply some form of reflective coating to the underside of the layout. Either offcuts of the 'silver' insulation [bubble wrap type] or even baking foil stuck to the board. This should reflect the majority of the heat [ie in the winter months when you will want some heat in the room!]. Cheers, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Chambers Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Good question! If like me,you cannot avoid having a rad under layout I would suggest one or more of- A respectable height above rad for layout,one foot plus? A thermostatic valve on rad,turned down low.(with a fan heater in the room if it's welding weather) A layer of foamboard or similar tacked under layout.I like Jeff's idea of something reflective. Best wishes, Tim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I have had a rad under the boards for ages, about a 6" gap with no probs at all. They are made from 3/4" mdf with 1" mdf frame work, so I wouldn't expect them to. I guess it all depends what wood they use, and how well seasoned it is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich34 Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 thanks, thats all very usefull, didnt fancy no heating in the most importent room of the house lol, do want the boards against the wall for added strength, like the foil underside idea too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 ... sod's law says leave enough room to get at / bleed / remove and replace the radiator. It would be a ###### to have to dismantle your layout to rectify any future radiator / heating fault. Seconded on this one, having once had to help a friend years ago on a radiator which had perforated - they do, they do - to which the access was significantly constrained by very robustly fitted furniture. What should have been the usual half hour to an hour job took all day to accomplish, what with only being able to move spanners through a very small arc, and the new brackets having to be positioned within a millimetre, and all done in very confined access. The two plumbers who had looked at the job both required the furniture out... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 6, 2012 thanks, thats all very usefull, didnt fancy no heating in the most importent room of the house lol, do want the boards against the wall for added strength, like the foil underside idea too In which case make sure you have between 50-75mm clear space above the rad, and I would attach some 1 inch thick insulation (celotex/kingspan) to the underside of the baseboard (a thin batten with a screw through it should do the trick) for the length of the radiator + half the length each side. This will prevent your baseboard becoming a "heat sink" and reflect the heat out into the room where you need it. And as 34 tlb B & D says make sure you leave some room for future maintenance, sods law says if you don't then you'll need it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tel2010 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Hi If you got enough room,how about having a stand off from wall/radiator of a couple of inches.That way heat would be able to escape up.To do this i would make a open frame to fastern to wall,the the baseboard attached to this.If you see what i mean. Tel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich34 Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Hi If you got enough room,how about having a stand off from wall/radiator of a couple of inches.That way heat would be able to escape up.To do this i would make a open frame to fastern to wall,the the baseboard attached to this.If you see what i mean. Tel Hi i do understand what you mean, unfortunatly the rooms only six and a half feet wide so i need the baseboards fitted tight to the wall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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