Radiator under kitchen counter

rcrit

I'm starting a kitchen remodel and there is currently no radiator in the space at all. The current plan is to add one, and locate it under a countertop. I'm not planning on otherwise covering it, so no box. Should I protect the underneath of the counter at all? We're not planning on anything too fancy, just a laminate. I did this without problems at my last home, but that was a convector and hot water heat.



The space is small and we're constrained by windows, doors and other openings, so if we want a radiator we're pretty much going to have to stick it under a counter.

gerry gill

Could use a material called

thermablok which is 3/8th of an inch thick, and sandwich it between the counter and a piece of sheet metal..kind of a modern way of doing what was once done with asbestos pads and sheetmetal.

Boiler Talk

Radiant Barrier

If you don't want to buy $30 of the stuff from Lowes or HD, you can buy a solar shield for your dashboard at a car parts store.  It is mylar with aluminum affixed to it.  How stingy can you get?

Boiler Talk

ThermoBlok

I've never seen it available.  I touched the stuff at an astronomy club, but thought it was too exotic and not applicable.  Anyway, laminate needs to be protected from heat.  Never put a hot pot on it or it could separate from the core wood.  If you have a dish washer, the laminate should be on the bottom of the countertop as well to protect it from the moisture from the dishwasher.  The radiant barrier sold at local hardware stores probably is enough.  What is most important is the space between the aluminumized surface or sheet of aluminum and the counter top.  The radiant barrier sold in hardware stores tends to be the type with bubble in it or the space you need.  A piece of aluminum, which is probably old school, should be a quarter inch from surface.  Probably cheaper to use the radiant barrier and easier.  That's my take.  Thanks for providing the space for my expression.