Radiator Cover Ideas: 12 Clever Ways to Hide an Ugly Radiator Before Winter Guests Arrive

Radiator cover ideas are suddenly everywhere, and it makes perfect sense: the heat comes on, the guests are coming, and that clunky metal radiator under the window is the first thing everyone sees. The good news is that you do not need a carpenter or a big budget to hide it. With a few boards, some cane webbing, a can of paint or even a cushion, an eyesore turns into a shelf, a bench or a cozy reading nook. These 12 ideas range from a ten minute paint trick to weekend builds that look custom. One rule for all of them: radiators need to breathe, so always leave open gaps for warm air, keep a little space between the cover and the radiator, and never box in an electric space heater. Grab a tape measure and let’s make that radiator disappear..

Radiator Cover Ideas: Cane Webbing Cover That Doubles as a Shelf

Of all the radiator cover ideas out there, cane webbing is the darling of home decor right now, and it is perfect for radiators because warm air flows straight through the open weave. A simple white wooden box with cane panels on the front hides the radiator and gives you a long shelf on top for plants, books and a little wreath. It looks like a boutique piece of furniture, yet it is a beginner weekend build. If you want proof these covers are trending, search DIY radiator cover videos and watch the reactions roll in. Which room would you start with..

You will need: Pine boards for a box frame, pre woven cane webbing, a staple gun, white paint, wood glue, screws, a drill, sandpaper. Adult help for power tools.

How to make it: 1. Measure the radiator and add about 2 inches on every side, then build an open backed box frame to those sizes. 2. Soak the cane, stretch it over the front openings and staple it from behind. 3. Paint, attach the top board and set the cover in place with gaps at the top and bottom.

Pallet Slat Radiator Cover

Some of the best radiator cover ideas start with free wood, and a pallet can become one of the coziest covers in the house. Take the boards apart, sand them smooth and screw them vertically onto a simple frame, leaving small gaps between each slat for warm air. A honey colored stain makes it glow like a vintage piece. It suits cabins, farmhouses and anyone who loves the rustic look. Choose pallets stamped HT, which means heat treated, not chemically treated. Do you have a pallet hiding in the garage?

You will need: One or two heat treated pallets, a pry bar, sandpaper, wood stain, screws, a drill, a saw. Adult help for power tools.

How to make it: 1. Pull the pallet apart and sand every slat well. 2. Build a frame a little larger than the radiator. 3. Screw the slats on vertically with half inch gaps, stain, and add a solid top board.

Radiator Cover Bench With a Cushion

In an entryway, a radiator cover that doubles as a bench is pure genius. Everyone gets a warm spot to sit and pull off their boots, and the slatted front still lets the heat out into the hall. Paint it a soft sage green, add a thick linen cushion and a couple of knit pillows, and suddenly the entryway feels like a cozy cottage. Make the top extra sturdy so it can take an adult’s weight. Who in your family would claim this seat first?

You will need: Plywood and pine slats, a sturdy two by four frame, wood glue, screws, a drill, paint, a seat cushion, pillows. Adult help for power tools.

How to make it: 1. Build a strong frame about 4 inches taller and deeper than the radiator. 2. Add vertical slats to the front with gaps for airflow. 3. Screw on a thick plywood top, paint everything and finish with a cushion.

Radiator Cover Ideas: A Floating Shelf on Top

Sometimes you do not need a full cover at all. A thick wooden floating shelf mounted on the wall a few inches above the radiator draws the eye up and away from the metal below, and it gives you a sunny little display ledge for herbs, vases and art. It is the easiest of all radiator cover ideas, done in an afternoon with a drill and two brackets. Leave at least 4 inches above the radiator so warm air can rise freely. What would you display on yours?

You will need: A solid wood shelf board, hidden floating shelf brackets, wall anchors, a level, a drill, wood oil or stain. Adult help for drilling.

How to make it: 1. Mark a level line about 4 to 6 inches above the radiator. 2. Fix the hidden brackets into studs or strong wall anchors. 3. Slide the oiled shelf onto the brackets and style the top.

Pegboard Front Cover

Pegboard is cheap, easy to cut and full of holes, which makes it one of the smartest radiator cover ideas for a home office. Paint it white or a fun color, set it into a simple pine frame, and the warm air streams right through. Better still, you can hang pegs, a small plant or a little basket on the front. It is ideal for a home office, a kids room or a laundry room where function matters. Would you go classic white or a bold color?

You will need: A pegboard sheet, pine boards for a frame, a jigsaw, wood glue, screws, paint, pegboard hooks. Adult help for power tools.

How to make it: 1. Build an open backed pine frame a little bigger than the radiator. 2. Cut pegboard to fit the front and paint it. 3. Screw the pegboard into the frame, add a top board and hang a few pegs.

Paint It to Match the Wall

Here is the fastest of all the radiator cover ideas, and it needs no cover at all: paint the radiator the same color as the wall behind it and it almost vanishes. Designers do this all the time because the eye skips right over it. Use a heat resistant radiator enamel, and only paint it while the heating is off and the radiator is completely cold. A soft blue, sage or warm white looks especially calm in a bedroom. It is a ten dollar makeover with a big effect. Which wall color would you match?

You will need: Heat resistant radiator enamel in your wall color, a small roller and brush, sandpaper, a drop cloth, a tack cloth, painter’s tape.

How to make it: 1. Turn the heating off and wait until the radiator is fully cold. 2. Lightly sand, wipe it clean and tape off the valves. 3. Brush two thin coats of radiator enamel, letting each dry fully before turning the heat back on.

Radiator Cover Ideas With a Brass Mesh Panel

For a dining room or living room that needs a touch of glamour, decorative brass mesh is the secret ingredient. Set the metal grille panels into a painted wooden frame, then top it with a marble or wood slab, and the cover looks like a high end sideboard. The mesh lets heat flow freely while hiding the radiator completely. Deep navy, forest green or black paint makes the brass shine. This is one of the radiator cover ideas that guests always assume you bought. Would you dare to try navy?

You will need: Decorative brass or gold metal mesh sheets, pine or MDF for a frame, a jigsaw, staples, paint, a top slab. Adult help for power tools and cutting metal.

How to make it: 1. Build a framed cabinet front with large openings. 2. Cut the mesh slightly larger than each opening and staple it in from behind. 3. Paint the frame, then add the top slab and set it in place with airflow gaps.

Bookcase Built Around the Radiator

Big radiator cover ideas can turn a whole wall into a library by building shelves on both sides of the radiator and running a slatted cover across the middle. The radiator becomes part of a built in look that adds value and storage at the same time. Keep books and baskets on the side shelves rather than directly above the heat. Ready made bookcases from a flat pack store, trimmed with molding, make this surprisingly affordable. Have you always wanted a wall of books?

You will need: Two matching tall bookcases, a slatted radiator cover or pine slats, trim molding, a nail gun or finishing nails, wood filler, paint. Adult help for power tools.

How to make it: 1. Anchor a bookcase securely to the wall on each side of the radiator. 2. Build a slatted cover to bridge the gap between them, leaving room for air. 3. Add trim along the top and sides, fill nail holes and paint everything one color.

Window Seat Over a Low Radiator

If your radiator sits under a window, this is one of the coziest radiator cover ideas: a dreamy reading nook. A low bench box with a slatted front goes over the radiator, and a thick cushion and a pile of pillows turn it into the warmest seat in the house. On a snowy afternoon with a mug of cocoa, there is nowhere better. Make sure the front and top have openings so the heat can still reach the room. Who in your home would curl up here first?

You will need: Plywood, pine slats, a two by four frame, screws, a drill, paint, a custom size foam cushion, pillows and a throw. Adult help for power tools.

How to make it: 1. Build a frame that fits the window recess and clears the radiator by a few inches. 2. Add a slatted front and a vented plywood seat top. 3. Paint, add the cushion and pile on pillows.

Radiator Shelf Topper for Vases and Plants

Even a plain radiator looks styled when you give it a simple wooden topper and a row of pretty things. A single board cut to length, sanded and oiled, sits across the top and becomes a display shelf for ceramic vases, dried stems or small plants that like a little warmth. It is a renter friendly idea because nothing is screwed in. Choose heat tolerant plants and keep anything delicate away from the hottest spots. What would you line up on your shelf?

You will need: A solid wood board a little longer and deeper than the radiator top, sandpaper, wood oil, small felt pads, vases or plants.

How to make it: 1. Cut the board so it overhangs the radiator by about an inch on each side. 2. Sand and oil it, then stick felt pads underneath. 3. Rest it on top and style it with vases or plants.

Cushioned Top That Doubles as a Cat Perch

Any cat owner knows the radiator is the best seat in the house. Give your cat a proper perch by adding a padded wooden top with a washable cushion, and you will hide the metal and win a very happy pet in one go. Make it wide enough for a stretch and fix a small lip on the edges so the cushion stays put. For more cozy home fixes, see these clever ways to hide kitchen eyesores. Does your cat already claim the radiator?

You will need: A wooden board, thin edging strips, wood glue, a washable cushion or folded fleece blanket, small felt pads.

How to make it: 1. Cut a board a little wider than the radiator top. 2. Glue thin edging strips around three sides as a lip. 3. Add felt pads underneath, rest it on the radiator and add the cushion.

Louvered Door Panel Cover

Old louvered closet doors make one of the most charming radiator cover ideas, and they are made for this job. Their angled slats let warm air pour out while hiding the radiator behind a classic, breezy look. Pick up a pair at a thrift store or salvage yard, cut them to height and join them with a simple top board. Paint them crisp white for a coastal feel or a soft green for a cottage look. It is a smart way to recycle something that would otherwise end up in the trash. Have you seen louvered doors at your local thrift shop?

You will need: One or two louvered doors or shutters, a saw, a top board, wood glue, screws, a drill, paint. Adult help for power tools.

How to make it: 1. Cut the louvered panels to just above the radiator height. 2. Join them into a front and two sides with screws and glue. 3. Add a top board, paint and set it in front of the radiator with a small gap.