Baseboard heat covers

Brad White_34

Having done similar things...

Whatever wood you use, back-prime, end-prime and paint all sides to inhibit moisture absorbtion. Expect some warping/contraction and allow for it with normal woodworking practices.

Inlet air space and outlet air space should be approximately as wide/tall as the finned element width. In-ee equals out-ee. Keep tolerances to the fins tight to minimize bypass air around the element.

If you can afford to make the cover taller you can get a nice chimney effect that will increase heat output. Think foam and foil insulation behind is always a good idea.

Here is an example of this:
I designed a job for a friend. His house had cabinets floor to ceiling in some places (kitchen and library). We ran the element around the walls and set the cabinets off the walls about 2.5 inches, enough to enclose the fins with 1/4" to spare. Open toe grille, open top grille with clearestory windows above the casework. Basically a continuous strip of window all around.

The radiation is run at very low temperature so that 80 degree air comes out above the cabinets, gently on the coldest day. When the wall cavity behind the casework is warm, near room temperature or above a bit, heat loss from the room is cancelled out.

Just an idea of what can be done with creative casework.

Cosmo*1

Baseboard Heat Cover

We have just remodeled our first floor and have removed all the Slant/Fin hot water baseboard heat covers. My neighbor will be making custom covers for them out of wood. Never made them before and want to do it right. I want them to look nice as well as be efficient.

From reading through some of the forums and other websites, I should be making them out of poplar or oak, put reflective material behind the fins and I should have an opening at the bottom (1 1/2" or so) with a solid board in the center (4" or so without venting) and an opening at the top (1 1/2" or so).

Is this information correct? Any suggestions or opinions? Any place to get good information on building your own baseboard heat covers? I appreciate your input.