We live in a fairly old apartment with old steam heat that flows via radiators and heat risers. While I kind of enjoy the smell of the heat when it comes on, it doesn’t quite make for a very safe environment when raising a child. These pipes get pretty hot and my son had become pretty inquisitive and mobile recently so I had to come up with a guard of some sort, especially in his nursery.
As with most projects, I weighed my options: commission someone or DYI. I recieved estimates versus the time I had plus resources and in the end, I said the fateful words, “I can just make it myself.” In the time I hee-hawed back and forth, I could of built this project several times over. As always, a project takes ten times longer than it should but there is true satisfaction when you keep walking into a place where your handiwork lives.
I had quiet a bit of scrap wood stored away next to my fridge (doesn’t everyone keep their lumber there?) I mitered a frame, installed brackets to side panels and added a radiator screen to help allow the hot air to escape. Stapled ticking fabric (of course it was ticking!) to the front, added a decorative molding to keep the screen in place and covered it with Benjamin Moore no voc paint. Wah-la. No burns and no money spent!
Before
Steam riser cover, bare bones.
After
Detail of top.
