sheet metal floor covering under radiators

amakarevic

i would like to set some sheet metal floor covering in the areas immediately under my radiators for both aesthetics as well as to make it modular to change the rest of flooring without needing to remove radiators. basically, it would just be a sheet metal rectangle with two holes for pipes and then i would put some trim molding around the edges where it meets either carpet or hardwood.

i was wondering if this is, for some reason, a bad idea. i can't see any. and which sheet metal should i use (thickness)? i was gonna set some 1/2" plywood under it on top of subfloor to make it flush with the surrounding floor covering (i figure hardwood is about that thick).

thanks

titanoman

They make nice looking floor protectors to go under free-standing woodstoves.

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Bud Cline

And the radiators will allow this?

titanoman

I'm not sure.

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Bud Cline

Never seen one around here that would. Raising a radiator 1/2" could be a very costly and torturous task. Just getting the metal under one could be difficult.

amakarevic

huh? why wouldn't they "allow" it?

amakarevic

huh? you twist the nuts off the union elbow, remove the radiator, remove the elbows, set the plywood, set the sheetmetal, then put the radiator back on. what's the big deal? done it many times. if you're concerned about needing to extend the pipe, the pipe was already long enough to provide for the padding i wanna put (as it had thick carpet before) but even if it didn't, you can wiggle the pipe a little to get some extension. they are not rigidly set.

Bud Cline

Then go for it!

wentzwood

I have seen this on east coast in old historical homes they were hand made out of aluminum mabe 3/16 thick good luck tom wentzwoodk .