How to attach wood to top of old radiator


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Old 03-31-19, 05:37 AM
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How to attach wood to top of old radiator

I have an small old non working heating radiator that I would like to re-purpose into an end table. I have a nice piece of wood 1.5 inches thick to use as the top, but I am really at a loss as how to attach the wood to the radiator itself. Any ideas?

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Old 03-31-19, 05:44 AM
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Build a box around it?
I'm assuming the heater has a decorative front to it. A pic might help us provide a few suggestions.
 
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Old 03-31-19, 06:11 AM
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Actually, I am going to snazz up the radiator itself and then simply attach a rectangular piece of wood to the top, kind of like I was making a bench seat out of it, except this radiator is too small for that, but you get the idea. I wondered if I could use some sort of brackets that would wrap around the upper part of the radiator and attach to the underneath side of the wood, but don't know how I would actually be able to tighten things down in such an arrangement.
 
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Old 03-31-19, 06:24 AM
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Can a [piece of wood slip through the length of the radiator near the top? You can attach your top piece to that.
 
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Old 03-31-19, 06:28 AM
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I'd probably just attach an apron (4 sided rectangle of trim... like a 1x2 or similar) to the underside of the top, it wouldn't have to be much, so that it sits over the edges of the radiator like a cap. A few dollops of silicone or construction ashesive on the radiator would keep it stationary.
 
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Old 03-31-19, 06:53 AM
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I thought about that, and that may be what I end up doing. My original vision was for something like the benches in this picture, but I have no idea how they fastened the wood to the radiators.

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Old 03-31-19, 06:56 AM
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I'm betting they used metal brackets screwed into the radiators
 
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Old 03-31-19, 07:44 AM
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Yeah they may have welded some big flat steel plates to the top first, then screwed up into the board.
 
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Old 03-31-19, 07:55 AM
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Duct strap slipped between the radiator top and the bolt. Screwed to bottom of wood top.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Basset-P...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
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Old 03-31-19, 08:06 AM
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Yes that would work also. Getting it tight and secure might be a problem.
 
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Old 03-31-19, 08:08 AM
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I thought about brackets attached to the radiator, but how in the world would I screw into cast iron? Welding brackets onto the radiator is outside my level of expertise and pay grade, although it sounds like fun and would no doubt do the trick. The duct strap I also pondered, but wondered how I would cinch it tight enough so that the table top would not wobble.
 
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Old 03-31-19, 08:10 AM
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If you start with a slightly longer piece of strap, you can tighten up by screwing into holes closer to the radiator. Attache the two ends as tightly as possible then screw into a closer hole on each side to tighten.
 
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Old 04-01-19, 05:20 AM
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The apron or cap idea should be suffiicient. The sides of the top slab should not overhang by more than a fifth (20%) of the radiator footprint width Otherwise, assuming and imagining the perfect top fastening, accidental imperfect weight loading of the items put on the "tabletop" could cause the whole thing to tip.

On the other hand, the ends of the top slab should extend at least a tad beyond all end projections below such as pipe connections to prevent tripping and stumbling over said projections.
 
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Old 04-01-19, 07:34 PM
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Some good ideas folks - thank you. If I opt for the slab with cap approach, what type of adhesive would work well to help fasten the slab to the radiator?
 
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Old 04-01-19, 07:42 PM
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A few dollops of silicone or construction adhesive on the radiator would keep it stationary.
You could also mix up some PC7 epoxy and put it on the high points of the radiator. But silicone might be better if you ever wanted to remove it.
?......................................
 
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Old 04-09-19, 04:23 AM
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I've come up with a new idea.

Thinking of getting an 8" X 12" steel plate, either 1/8 " or 3/16" thick, drilling some perimeter holes, screwing it to the underside of the wood slab, and gluing or JB Welding, etc, that to the top of the radiator.

What do you think? I can get the plate inexpensively but not sure what thickness to get.
 
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Old 04-09-19, 04:32 AM
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Either thickness will work.
 
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Old 05-31-19, 09:57 AM
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I've got the radiator spiffed up and the bowling alley slab which will be the top sanded and Danish oiled and the metal plate attached to the underneath side. Next step will be attaching the two together. I will post finished pics.

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Last edited by PJmax; 11-12-19 at 08:36 PM. Reason: resized pictures
Norm201 voted this post useful.
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Old 05-31-19, 06:11 PM
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So far so good. Those maple bowling alley slabs are great.
 
 

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