Modern design solutions allow you to fundamentally change the internal appearance of any room. The use of the latest building technologies and materials, the competent placement of lighting devices and the proper arrangement of functional furniture will provide a high level of comfort and aesthetic pleasure to residents. For example, batteries covered with drywall (photos of several options are presented below) give the room an original look.
What for
Living in our climate zone requires the availability of heating devices in each room of the home.
At the same time, the appearance of a cast-iron, steel or aluminum battery primitively fixed to the wall most often does not fit into the harmonious decision of the designer. But there is always a way out. You should hide this useful but unsightly device behind an externally attractive screen.
But you need to understand how to close the battery with drywall yourself. Photos will allow you to evaluate the achieved attractiveness of the screen. The main thing is that it does not affect the characteristics of the heating device - the ability to transfer heat to the surrounding area as much as possible.
Advantages
Materials such as wood, metal, plastic, MDF and drywall can be used to create a decorative screen. The screen built on their basis will have both certain advantages and characteristic shortcomings.
Many people prefer gypsum board, since this material, in comparison with the rest, has a higher indicator of the ratio of advantages / disadvantages.
Creating a decorative screen based on this material is justified by the presence of the following advantages:
- It does not emit harmful substances into the surrounding space, i.e. it is an environmentally friendly material.
- It features low cost, ease of processing and ease of installation.
- Provides ample opportunity to create a wide variety of shapes and designs.
- Perfectly in contact with a wide variety of finishes.
- It does not burn and does not support combustion.
disadvantages
However, despite these obvious advantages, the operation of a decorative gypsum board screen is not without certain drawbacks:
- The need for respect in view of the high fragility of the material.
- The negative effects of moisture. If the battery leaks, the screen will have to be done again.
Stages of creating a decorative screen
The process of creating a decorative screen contains several steps, each of which will help to properly close the battery with drywall. All steps should be followed exactly to get a good result, regardless of the type of room.
Markup
Not only design features of the product depend on correctly executed markup, but also the degree of heat transfer to the room from the heating device.
To correctly perform the marking, the necessary measuring tool should be prepared:
- Ruler.
- The corner.
- Roulette.
- Building or laser level.
- Marker or simple pencil.
Before proceeding with the markup, it is necessary to determine in advance what exactly the created screen will close. There are two options:
- Screen (box) only for the heater.
- The frame covering the part of the wall on which the battery is mounted.
The design of the box does not take up much space, which means that the implementation of the first option will require less drywall.
It should be noted that the dimensions of the created box must be at least 100 mm longer than the length and height of the heating battery. Otherwise, the removable screen cannot be installed on the front side of the structure.
Box marking
To close the battery and pipes with drywall, marking of the box is necessary:
- On the floor of the room in which the radiator is installed, you need to draw a horizontal line - the projection of the vertical plane of the battery. The length of this line must exceed the length of the heater by 100 mm at both ends.
- Parallel to the first mark on the floor, a second line should be drawn further from the wall, at a distance of 100 mm from the first. The magnitude of the first and second lines is the same.
- Using a corner, two vertical lines of the same height must be drawn on the wall, located at least 100 mm from the side faces of the radiator.
- Between the two vertices of the vertical lines you need to draw a connecting line.
As a result, a rectangle should be obtained, along the contour of which a crate of the future decorative box from drywall will be made.
Wall marking
In the case of creating a decorative wall, the layout procedure is as follows:
- Using the laser level, you need to draw several vertical lines on the wall with a step of 60-100 cm. Similar markings are also needed in the corners of the room.
- Using a corner from each vertical line, a continuation should be carried out into the plane of the floor and ceiling at a previously calculated distance. The length of these floor and ceiling lines governs the distance between the base wall and the decorative one.
- On the perimeter of the heating device, it is necessary to mark a rectangle, the sides of which should deviate from the battery dimensions by 100 mm.
Preparation of necessary tools and materials
To create a decorative screen, to close the heating battery with drywall (false wall), it is necessary to prepare the following materials and tools:
- Drywall.
- Metal U-shaped profile 60-70 mm wide.
- Dowels and screws 40-60 mm.
- Scissors for metal.
- Pliers.
- Drill or hammer drill.
- Screwdriver.
This list does not specifically indicate the number of units of consumables, because the wall and box have different dimensions. Accordingly, the number of profiles, screws, dowels and sheets of drywall will also be different.
After all the necessary tools and materials have been prepared, you can proceed with the installation of the frame.
Mounting the construction of the box
The installation process of the box structure consists of the following sequence of operations:
- From the U-shaped metal profile, it is necessary to cut vertical and horizontal structural elements, as well as jumpers.
- Fix the profile to be installed on the walls and floor with dowels.
- Assemble a structure having the same perimeter from the U-shaped profile as the elements assembled together and fixed to the wall.
- Using the connecting elements (jumpers) and screws, assemble the frame body.
- Fix the inside of the decorative grill to the metal profile.
- Cut drywall so that each of the resulting sites accurately covers the corresponding face of the box.
- Fix the drywall to the metal crate using screws.
- Install the front panel of the decorative grille.
Given the fact that radiators are most often located under the windows, the assembled box can later be used as an extended window sill.
Mounting a decorative wall
The progress of the lathing of the decorative wall is a more time-consuming process. It provides for the phased implementation of the following actions:
- Cut the U-shaped metal profile so that the length of each strip is equal to the distance from the floor to the ceiling. The number of such segments depends on the size of the wall to be closed, taking into account that the distance between two adjacent profiles should be 60-100 cm.
- Attach a section of the profile to the wall along the line of the previously made marking. Using a screwdriver, a number of preliminary recesses should be made in the wall from the ceiling to the floor in increments of 15-25 cm.
- Put the profile aside, then punch holes of the required depth. Holes of the same diameter and with the same pitch between them must be drilled in a piece of metal profile.
- Attach the profile to the wall opposite the corresponding holes. Insert the dowels and fasten the profile to the wall using a screwdriver. The adjacent and corner U-shaped metal profiles are fixed in the same way.
- From the U-shaped profile, you need to cut the required number of jumpers, providing the desired structural depth or the distance between the main and decorative wall. To perform this operation, use scissors for metal.
- At the final stage, it is necessary to fix the pre-cut profiles of the frame of the decorative wall to the profiles fixed on the main wall, using jumpers and screws for this.
- Fasten the inside of the removable screen to the assembled frame. It must be noted that the assembled structure must be stable. Even the slightest staggering is unacceptable, otherwise over time the drywall attached to an unstable crate will crack or completely fall apart.
- Drywall must be cut into pieces of the appropriate size and fixed to the frame using wood screws. The distance between two adjacent screws should not be more than 15 cm.
- Install the outer part of the decorative grill in the intended place.
Finishing work
To perform work related to the finishing of the structure, you will need the following tools and materials:
- Putty.
- Primer.
- Tape Serpyanka.
- Construction mixer.
- Hand or electric drill.
- Putty knife.
- Capacity for solution preparation.
Work related to the surface finish of the box or decorative wall is performed in compliance with the following procedure:
- Pour the dry putty mixture into the container for the preparation of the solution and add the required amount of water (in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions for use).
- Using a construction mixer mounted on a drill, prepare putty.
- At the joints between the individual sheets of drywall construction put a layer of putty and put on top a ribbon of sickle. Hide the sickle under another layer of putty.
- After drying the joints, using a spatula of the required size, treat the entire surface of the structure with previously prepared putty.
- Prepare the surface for finishing by treating the surface with two to three layers of primer.
Finishing both a decorative wall and a box is a painting of the surface or wallpapering in accordance with the principles of a harmonious combination of objects of the surrounding interior.
Conclusion
Judging by the reviews, each home master can close the battery with drywall (a photo of another design decision and installation is presented below). The main thing is to choose an option that is in harmony with the interior design of the room, and have the necessary tools and materials.
But if in doubt, it is recommended that you first consult with a specialist to avoid further alteration of the mounted structure.