Cast rad plumb or not.

[BlindPete]

We are finally getting round to installation of the cast iron radiators in our old Yorkshire stone home. The external walls have been lime plastered.
The walls are far from plumb and straight. The question is plumb radiators or not. If plumb the radiators will be close to the skirting boards but about 120mm away fro the wall at the top. Do you lean the radiators back against the wall leaving about 40mm at the bottom and top. Any thoughts would be greatly received.


Kind regards Pete

 

[noj]

Plumb for the rads. Don't fight gravity!

It also shows off your 'feature' walls .

A rad designed to be floor standing and vertical is more likely to look odd at an angle than sitting solid and square...

Just my perception.

 

[LadyArowana]

Are you most likely to see it from the side or from the front? If you walk in the room and first see the side of the rad then the wonkyness is going to hit you very obviously and I wouldn’t want that. If it’s mainly seen from the front I could live with the gap at the top.

 

[Zebra]

My father used to say "halfway between what is right, and what looks right," which is advice I've often followed. Then again, he also used to say "a blind man'd be pleased to see it" so I don't know if it's really good advice.
In this case I tend to think that if it were a panel radiator I'd fit it flush with the wall, but this style of radiator I'd be inclined to fit it upright, and make a feature of the extra-long brackets you'll need to secure it.

 

[Todd]

Plumb to the wall pull the bottom out to match the top, regardless of house age or period features it looks a bit daft with the huge gap at the top

 

[malcolm]

I would go in the middle. If it's plumb it will look like it's leaning outwards. You can fool the eye and make it look plumb by leaning it in a little.

 

[Cubist]

The eye is always drawn to such irregularities of symmetry and the impact can become rather jarring. Better in my view to follow the walls slope and in that way deceive the eye of the observer.

 

[Lacan07]

The last photo for me - plumb to the wall

 

[CliffordPope]

"plumb to the wall"

But the wall isn't plumb, that's the problem.
I vote for parallel to the wall.
Imagine hanging a large picture on a similarly leaning wall - would you seriously have it dangling out an an angle? Or fasten it flat to the wal?

 

[mardinor]

Another vote to split the difference. A practical suggestion on how to achieve this: add a horizontal radiator stay attached to wall at back and screw this so it pulls the radiator beyond plumb (you should have this anyway. Then add a stack of pennies beneath the front legs to support, as belt and braces and to close the gap visually. I glued the pennies, look just like an extension of the legs.

 

[RBailey]

I'd go for parallel with the wall.
Just fit some tapered wood shims for behind the brackets. BUT if you go parallel with the wall you will also need to make sure the radiator still take the weight evenly so you may need to add some sort of spacer to the front feet.

Cheers,
Richard B.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Another vote for vertical/plumb - will look odd if set at an angle, and you'll need to engineer a solution involving shims, etc.

Wise to add radiator stays as well. You can get quite attractive ones. (example below, not mine)

 

[88v8]

Vertical.

And a tip... for floor-standers, don't stand them on the floor.
Make a hardwood plinth and sit them on that. Then if you ever need to take the carpet or lino up, you'll not need to disconnect and drain the rad.

Like this - oak - that I installed in our previous house....



That was cork tile behind it, a nod to insulation even 40 years ago.
I made the shelf and brackets.
On the whole I preferred wall-hung rads, but they were original oldies, not sure what the availability is in new ones.

Ivor

 

[BlindPete]

Vertical.

And a tip... for floor-standers, don't stand them on the floor.
Make a hardwood plinth and sit them on that. Then if you ever need to take the carpet or lino up, you'll not need to disconnect and drain the rad.

Like this - oak - that I installed in our previous house....



That was cork tile behind it, a nod to insulation even 40 years ago.
I made the shelf and brackets.
On the whole I preferred wall-hung rads, but they were original oldies, not sure what the availability is in new ones.

Ivor

The radiator looks great. Love the decoration too. Thanks to all for there thoughts and advice also. I’ve been busy connecting our radiators up and decided to go vertical. It’s not taken long to get used to it. We are really pleased with how they look. Yet to be connected to the boiler we are still keeping warm by the wood burner and eye watering expensive electric heaters. Fingers crossed they will heat the rooms!