Measuring for our covers
We will come to your home and take all the measurements required for your radiator cover, if you live fairly close by. If you do live far, far away, you will find the measurements we might require below. You will notice that there are lots and lots of measurements. The reason for that is that we do, indeed, make your cover a bespoke size. We make it just right. If you have two radiators that are exactly the same, but one has been mounted 100mm higher on the wall than the other, your radiator covers will be exactly the same, except one will be 100mm taller. But this sketch shows the four measurements we absolutely must have: height off the ground to the bottom and to the top of the radiator, depth from the front of the radiator to the wall, and width, including all pipes and thermostat. The fifth arrow on the drawing (from pipe to door facings) represents the measurement of "obstacles".
  Not all obstacles are immediately obvious to the customer. And the fifth arrow above represents the most often overlooked: the valves are tight up against a wall or skirting boards. If there is less than 25mm of a gap, we can still accommodate, but we will need precise measurements and photographs. Other obstacles, such as window frames, are more obvious. Here, the dado rail is just close enough to get in the way. We would have to make the cover end just under it or just over it. In this case we would choose just under, although the space under the shelf would then be half of what we would like it to be (70-80mm). A large gap allows the warm air to get out of the confined space before it get too hot and wastes energy heating up the underside of the shelf. But if this gap is larger you would be able to see through the radiator cover, over the radiator, to the back of the wall. That isn't so attractive.
  In this open plan house people regularly walk around this corner, cutting it sharply, and thus the shelf should probably not overhang much. Indeed, we would also aim to make the depth of the cover really neat. The cabinet should not cause any impedence to traffic. Alternatively, if the radiator and its cover were in a spacious hallway, and a phone and lamp were meant to sit on it, then the shelf would have a much larger overhang and we might give the internal depth an extra 25mm, making the whole cabinet much chunkier.
  Now, before you get out the tape measure, let's talk skirting boards. The measurement from the floor to the bottom of the radiator is what we use (we add 25mm) when make the cabinet's own "skirting board". In the case of the slimline radiator pictured above, we wouldn't want to match the house's skirting board size: it's too small. If we matched its height, the "skirting board" base of our radiator cover would be small and the cabinet would end up looking top heavy. In older houses, with lovely tall skirting boards, we still prefer to make our cabinet's skirtings taller. And this is why. If we make them the same size as those in your home you can usually see through the slats in the radiator cover under the radiator and to the wall behind. Here is an example of that sort of thing. Experience says that if your skirting boards are painted, especially if painted white, it is a mistake to try to match them in height.
   If your skirting boards are stripped or varnished in a dark colour, you might well wish the skirting around the radiator cover to match. This is asking for extra work, both in matching and fitting (it is difficult to scribe our mouldings to your mouldings). And it will cost extra. How much more depends on what degree of match you require. We can easily make our cabinet skirtings the same height as those in your house. And we have moulindgs in two stock shapes. If either is close enough for your liking, there is no additional cost. A perfect match will probably incur a £70 one off cost to make a cutter the same as your mouldings.
  Well, that's surely enough to help you get measuring. If not, feel free to ask questions.
 
radiator total height (from floor to top) _____________________________
height of bottom of radiator from floor _____________________________
width (maximum width including pipes) _____________________________
depth (from wall to radiator front) _____________________________
thermostat position and orientation of thermostat  left/right
thermostat orientation  vertical/horizontal
height to the top of thermostat from ground _____________________________
 
If you are trying to get a match for the skirting boards in your house
(remember this might cost extra):
skirting boards total height _____________________________
height (from floor) to start of moulding _____________________________
depth (usually 18-30mm) _____________________________
shape (supply sketch or cardboard profile)
 
colour and species of skirting boards or floor to match (e.g. original purpley french polish on Douglas Fir, laminate natural oak floor, stripped yellow pine)  _______________________
 
obstacles:
  dado rail
  door frame
  corner of wall
  window ledge
  power points
depth of top shelf desired (normally 40mm overhang over cover) _______________________
 
Of course, sending us a photograph of the radiator wouldn't hurt at all!