[AD] Shopping for a new radiator can be a tedious and somewhat confusing process if you’ve never done it before. You have to consider heat output, sizes, colours and most importantly, the shape of the radiator. Picking one which looks out of place or doesn’t match other radiators in the room can leave you frustrated.
Here we take a look at some of the most common, and then unique, radiator shapes you can choose from, and why some shapes work better than others.
Convector
The most popular radiator style you’ll find, as it’s the simplest for manufacturers to make. Convector radiators come as either a single panel or double panel held together with a zig-zag fin in the middle. They’ll either show the back and sides of the radiator or have a casing over to make it unit like one complete box unit.
This shape works best when you want to keep things simple.
Column
The type most people get confused about. Column radiators can be vertical, but the “column” being referred to is the number of columns you get on either side of the radiator. The double-column is most common and would mean your radiator has two columns which meet in the middle. The more columns you have, the more heat output you’re getting.
This shape works best when you want a radiator with a little character but would be limited by size and location.
Towel Rails
Not to be confused with vertical radiators, towel rails are their own thing. They’re essentially a radiator which would look like a ladder (some people refer to them as ladder rails) and would be installed ever so slightly higher on walls. Unlike most radiators, they actively encourage interaction and for you to place things on them.
This shape works best when you have enough wall space higher up and want to let the colour of the wall be seen too.
Flat Panel
All radiators are panels, so how can there be such a thing as a flat panel? This term applies to radiators which don’t have any fins/ indents on appearance when looking from the front. Instead, they will have a completely flat front and sometimes have a glass finish on top.
Most flat panel radiators will still have fins on the back side against the wall to increase airflow. It’s only high-end flat panels which will be completely flat, and you’d want to consider BTU output before choosing one to ensure it can adequately heat a room.
This shape works best when you want to have a sleek radiator that keeps things simple. Some people even go for darker colours to give a room some character.
Offset
A unique shape which is becoming more popular, offset is something of a hybrid between designer radiators and towel rails. The basic principle behind the design is that instead of the radiator having a valve at each end to meet pipes, it will instead have its entries right beside one another. This means you can “offset” the shape of the radiator whichever way you like.
In most cases, this style of radiator works best when you’re hanging a radiator on the wall and can hide pipework behind the wall; otherwise, you may end up with a long piece of pipework having to connect to the floor quite obtrusively.
Contemporary
I wish this term weren’t as broad as it indicates. Contemporary applies more to style than anything else, but pretty much any radiator made by a designer brand which doesn’t fall under the umbrella terms already used would be described as a contemporary radiator. You can see examples of contemporary radiators by checking out this post from the blog which looks at some models which would fit these criteria due to how unique they look.
This shape works best when you want something out of the box that can still function as a standard radiator.
Want to find the right radiator shape?
You can find examples of these radiator styles and many more by visiting a site such as https://www.traderadiators.com. They also show off the lesser-known styles like bay window radiators and heritage cast iron radiators.
Are you having problems with radiators?
Whether it’s a radiator cold to the touch when you know the heating is on, or one that doesn’t seem to want to let water in, radiators can pose their own unique problems when they need bled. Find out how to fix this common problem by reading this post on How To Bleed A Radiator.
Give your home that personal touch
Make any house into a home by reading the latest home accessories posts here, including tips on what retro accessories are back in style and sustainable design ideas.
Image credits: Shutterstock
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A unique shape which is becoming more popular, offset is something of a hybrid between designer radiators and towel rails