Making a towel radiator

[Russinating]

Would it be that difficult to make a towel radiator? Is there anything particular in terms of safety that I should consider?

We have actually bought a chrome one already but I just saw this on Houzz and something like that would suit what we're going for.

Is it any more complicated than a few lengths of copper pipe (22 or 28mm) and the required elbows/valves etc? I've plumbed the rest of the bathroom so not worried about that, more just the suitability of raw copper pipes as a towel rail and safety etc.

 

[snips86x]

No idea but Nice bathroom!!

Yours?

 

[FuriousGeorge]

Just buy one and save the worry over it leaking from each joint

http://www.tradscastironradiators.co.uk/towel-rail/beckingham-copper-finish

 

[Lopéz]

I love the copper finish but it would look totally out of place in my house - very steampunk. Bet it needs some polishing to keep it looking like that though.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Cooper will oxidise, especially in a high humid environment like a bathroom and it'll go green, like the statute of Liberty. It will need to be maintained to look that good.

 

[kaptainmarc]

That would be the most useless radiator

 

[Russinating]

Cooper will oxidise, especially in a high humid environment like a bathroom and it'll go green, like the statute of Liberty. It will need to be maintained to look that good.

Yep, fortunately a bit easier to clean than that though . We've got other bits of copper throughout so aware of the oxidisation but thanks.

That would be the most useless radiator

How come? Genuine question. But the room isn't too bad (or big) either so it doesn't need anything fantastic.

 

[moogle]

How come? Genuine question. But the room isn't too bad (or big) either so it doesn't need anything fantastic.

Probably won't output enough heat?

 

[Abyss]

How come? Genuine question. But the room isn't too bad (or big) either so it doesn't need anything fantastic.

Absolutely tiny surface area for convection heating. With a towel radiator like that you will also want underfloor heating or some other way to heat the room.

Think about the difference in surface area between the one pictured above and a similar sized radiator with fins etc.

 

[Lopéz]

I've only got a towel radiator for my 2mx2m bathroom and it's plenty warm in there, no need for any supplementary heating.

 

[Maccapacca]

Towel radiators are so 2000's it's all about heated walls now and slim towel rails now.

 

[boxman2000]

Towel radiators are so 2000's it's all about heated walls now and slim towel rails now.

And big electricity bills

 

[Maccapacca]

And big electricity bills

1 sqm at 150w on half the time will cost you about £5 a month

 

[arknor]

Yep, fortunately a bit easier to clean than that though . We've got other bits of copper throughout so aware of the oxidisation but thanks.



How come? Genuine question. But the room isn't too bad (or big) either so it doesn't need anything fantastic.

because it lacks surface area.



It's like expecting the pipes from/to your radiators to act as underfloor heating

 

[bitslice]

Copper pipe is quite thin, if you leaned on a towel radiator made from it it would just bend.

 

[Russinating]

Yep, fair points!

 

[Skiddley]

Where's the bleed valve?

Why are we assuming that the towel rail is the primary source of heating here? It shouldn't be!

 

[kaptainmarc]

Where's the bleed valve?

Why are we assuming that the towel rail is the primary source of heating here? It shouldn't be!

Fair point, I would imagine it has underfloor heating and that rail is just for towels and to look pretty