Battery screens are becoming an increasingly important interior item every year. If earlier they were used, in most cases, in public buildings, today, thanks to their excellent decorative qualities, they become a stylish decoration of apartments and houses. In this article we will talk about what panels can be that cover indoor batteries, as well as how to decorate them.
The purpose of the screens for batteries
Modern screens are designed to perform many functions, namely:
- Protection against accidental impact, as the bulging edges of the batteries can cause personal injury. Screens are often installed in rooms with a large crowd of people, in schools, clinics, gyms;
- Ensuring normal and effective operation of the heating battery;
- Protection of radiators from accumulation of dust and dirt, which greatly simplifies cleaning;
- Decorative function - a huge number of ways to decorate screens allows you to make them a stylish addition to the interior.
By installing a screen covering the unsightly radiator, you can completely abandon the long curtains, replacing them with modern rolled or Roman paintings.
Varieties of battery screens
Unlike in the past, when battery protection was a simple metal hinged panel, today's screens have a much wider variety of models. The entire assortment can be classified according to two main characteristics: by type of construction and material of manufacture.
Depending on design features
Screens for batteries are conventionally divided into several types, according to their design and method of use. There are three main types:
1. Flat panels for radiators "recessed" in a niche. Such screens help to decorate the unwanted rough appearance of the battery. They can be mounted or in the form of a mobile screen. Screens practically do not occupy the useful area of the room. Often in stylish interiors can be found paintings of this design, complemented by drawings or carvings, which automatically turns them into excellent decorations;
2. Hinged panels without covers - are able to provide the maximum distribution of warm air streams in the room;
3. Panels equipped with a cover (box) - most often made of metal. Screens with a chaotic grid look beautiful. It is noteworthy that this kind of screen box can also be used as an original stand, bedside tables. When purchasing a screen in the form of a closed box, you need to pay special attention to the presence of high-quality holes that provide good ventilation. If the panel has small holes, you should not buy such a product. In the heating season, it is not recommended to install any objects on the lid, so that it does not overheat and warm air can circulate freely.
Depending on the material
The material is of great importance for the choice of the screen, since it is not only good heat supply and reliable protection that depends on its quality characteristics, but also the decoration of the room. The raw materials for the manufacture of protection for radiators are:
1. Metal. Excellent material from which inexpensive designs are made. In production, a metal sheet is used, which is painted in steel color, as well as stainless steel. The panel acquires an aesthetic appearance with the help of perforation. For the first time such a product was born in the XIX century in Russia and to this day does not lose relevance, gaining new design features.The metal provides high heat dissipation, it is easy to clean, while providing reliable protection. Metal screens can significantly improve air convection, accelerating the heating of the room. Often, such models are installed in interiors in the style of minimalism, high-tech, loft.
2. The tree. This environmentally friendly material is endowed with a lot of advantages. First of all, it is worth noting the high heat transfer and aesthetics, which allows the panels to perfectly harmonize with the surroundings. Wood lends itself well to processing, so battery screens can have the most luxurious look with carvings.
The use of various species of trees, as well as the use of paints and varnishes help to make real masterpieces. Rattan panels, which have not only high aesthetic, but also strength characteristics, have gained great popularity today. In terms of ease of care, it is better to choose models made of artificial rattan.
Wicker screens in combination with a box of wood or MDF look great. The wooden screen will be a great addition to the classic or historical interior, as well as for cozy Scandinavian rooms, Provencal chorus or eco-style rooms. It is worth paying attention to the fact that a wooden structure cannot be cheap, as this directly indicates its low quality.
3. Glass. Modern technologies make it possible to produce the most durable glass materials from which furniture, partitions and other interior elements are made. In addition, this material has many decoration methods. The panels are made of tempered or stained glass and laminated, making them difficult to break or scratch. At the same time, the corners of the products undergo additional processing to ensure their safety. A more budgetary option are acrylic glass products having translucency or dullness. The advantage of the latter lies in a wide color palette.
A special place among glass screens for batteries is occupied by stained glass paintings, which are based on triplex glass, obtained by combining several layers with a polymer composition. One of the techniques for creating stained-glass windows - the Tiffany method - allows you to get completely exclusive paintings. This method involves cutting individual glass parts of the picture with a glass cutter and then assembling them into a composition on a copper braid with soldering. The price of such products is perhaps the highest.
4. Plastic. This material is the cheapest and is used extremely rarely. This is due to the fact that when heated, plastic can deform and release substances hazardous to the human body. It is advisable to ventilate the room where the plastic screen for the battery is installed during the heating season as often as possible.
5. MDF. Plates of pressed chips are used, as a rule, for the design of the box and frames, and the screen itself can be glass or plastic. This design allows you to occasionally change annoying eye inserts. The material is not prone to deformation, but massive enough.
Battery Screen Design
Over the years, the canvases that hide the radiators have moved into the category of a stylish complement to interiors. There are various ways to make a real decoration out of the screen. First of all, this applies to wooden products, which are often complemented by carved elements in classic interiors. Graceful carving gives the decor some lightness and sophistication. Canvases matched to the color of the furniture look good. Glass screens are endowed with special decorative properties, which can be supplemented in the following ways:
- Photo printing - decorate the canvas with magnificent landscapes, panoramas of cities and any other images at the request of the customer;
- Handmade drawings are quite expensive, but the end result is worth it.This method of decorating the screen involves the application of an artist painting silicate paints. Then the stained-glass window is fired in a special oven;
- Sandblasting with the addition of paints allows you to create a wide variety of patterns;
- Decorating with lead self-adhesive film is an expensive form of screen decoration. Its cost is explained by the high cost of raw materials, but the drawings have a rich colorful palette.
Beautiful designs of stained-glass windows are created with the facet method. This is a rather complicated technology, in the process of which individual glass elements are first faceted, then wrapped with special glue and mounted to a metal profile. Absolutely unique screens are obtained using rhinestones, which are able to imitate the cut of precious materials.
If you plan to decorate the screen for the battery yourself, this can be done using elementary painting, for example, to match the interior color. You can apply the original drawing in the form of a piano. For work, you need white and black paints. The image needs to be carefully thought out in advance so that the keys are arranged realistically in the correct sequence.
Another interesting technique - decoupage - will give the panels some chic. To do this, you need to purchase multi-layer napkins with a pattern. Then everything is simple: the screen needs to be washed and dried (it can be painted). The upper layer of the napkin is separated, applied to the surface of the canvas and thoroughly smeared with a layer of PVA glue. At the same time, air bubbles must be removed. When the application is completely dry, it can be varnished to extend the durability of the picture.
Screens for radiators - photo
You can find a lot more solutions for designing screens for batteries in our photo gallery. Here we tried to collect the most interesting and practical ideas. Enjoy watching!