DIY Radiator Bench Seat with Smart Home Integration

My wife recently decided she wanted to change our dining room layout to include corner bench seating, but we had a massive radiator right in the way. Since this is our only heat source in the room—a 20-section unit pushing about 53.4 EDR—simply boxing it in wasn't an option. We live in a 100-year-old home with a 2-pipe vapor system, and since moving in a year ago, I’ve been busy replacing steam traps and upgrading vents, so I didn't want a furniture project to ruin the system's efficiency.

With a bit of design help from AI, I built a bench that acts more like a high-output convector than a standard cover. The interior is fully lined with thermal foil so the wood doesn't soak up the heat, and I designed two arches at the floor to act as cold air intakes with a long rectangular exhaust vent at the top of the bench. To really move the air, I installed 10 ARCTIC P8 computer fans on a variable speed controller. I currently run them at 60% capacity to keep them whisper-quiet, which moves roughly 110 CFM. Using a temperature sensor in the chamber, the fans kick on at 90°F and shut down once it cools, with the chamber usually peaking around 125°F.

Regarding the data, the room is slightly slower to hit the initial setpoint compared to an exposed radiator, but I’ve noticed the time between heating cycles is now further apart. It seems the enclosure acts as a heat capacitor, providing a slower and more consistent release of warmth into the room. Between the bench design, the trap replacements, and general weatherization, my heating bills are down 20-30% this winter despite it being colder than last year. It’s been an awesome journey learning this system, and while I still have plenty more to do, I wanted to share this win with the community.