Warning: Deadly dul...
 

Subscribe now and choose from over 30 free gifts worth up to £49 - Plus get £25 to spend in our shop

[Closed] Warning: Deadly dull DIY advice needed

24 Posts
15 Users
0 Reactions
58 Views
Posts: 17843
Topic starter
 

Apologies for subject content 😳

Here at C_G Towers, I need to remove some ghastly wallpaper from behind a radiator. How can I do this without removing radiator and, er quickly, cos I really need to ride my bike to alleviate this boredom 🙂

Thank you so much!


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 1:59 pm
Posts: 3082
Full Member
 

you'll never see it behind the radiator anyway
go ride


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:01 pm
Posts: 41395
Free Member
 

With difficulty...unless you can just wet it and pull it off (vicar!).

Pulling a rad off is not difficult though and v satisfying to do the job properly.


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:01 pm
Posts: 7848
Free Member
 

If you dont take the radiator off what are you going to replace it with?

Getting it off would be tricky depending on size and location od said radiator, painting or papering would be pretty much impossible!

Should be easy to take off.


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:01 pm
Posts: 17843
Topic starter
 

Gosh - such quick replies 😀

Thanks for suggestions but radiator is too big for me to lift off. Perhaps some improvisation is called for - I know, I can go ride my bike and think of something 😉


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:06 pm
Posts: 36
Free Member
 

if you drain the rad in situ (shut off valve and lockshield, open bleed screw, un screw compression nut at one end, catch icky water in baking tray, replace with other baking tray when full etc etc) then it will be much lighter and you can lift it off its mounts one at a time and walk it across the floor.

(dont forget to close bleed screw when refilling rad and bleeding system, and PTFE tape back on the compression fitting)

Or open the front door in your underwear and find a passing gentleman to help you 🙂


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:10 pm
Posts: 41395
Free Member
 

Or open the front door in your underwear and find a passing gentleman to help you

That never works for me 😳


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:13 pm
Posts: 3271
Full Member
 

Make a radiator cover to conceal the rad and offending paper from, say, a bicycle box. Do remember to remove the shiny new bike from the box first, and ride it to get it muddy so no-one knows you have another new bike.

Simples!


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:13 pm
Posts: 2836
Full Member
 

Yep, just drain the rad and take it off. It's the best and easiest way.


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:15 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Take it off - its not that difficult

Close the main valve and the other (balance?) valve and remove - have plenty of old cothes about and small pans / containers (apologies plumbers that's how I do it!)


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:15 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

As others have said taking it off is the best way but we have a massive double radiator in our old house that was impossible for one person to lift off so to presume it will be easy to take off when drained is wrong.

With soaking and a scraper on a stick you will get the paper off with the rad in situ but if you are papering again then you won't get a neat job done with it in place.

If I was papering I'd take it off, but if its a big rad you will need help as you might rip the bracket off the wall trying it yourself.


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:36 pm
 Olly
Posts: 5209
Free Member
 

set fire to it from the bottom, so it burns upwards?

any suggestion involving fire gets more marks imo.

or get it good and wet then scrub it off?
or paper over it?
or paint over it?
or paint over it then paper over it?


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:42 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

set fire to it from the bottom, so it burns upwards?

PMSL!

Or you could simply paper over everything hiding the rad behind kerwality anaglypta!


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 2:47 pm
Posts: 97
Full Member
 

I knocked out the wall to do this once.
Papering each brick as I put them back was a right pain.


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 3:52 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I was in a brothel once fixing the errr plumbing and was informed the decor was so bad they had decided to sell-up!


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 3:56 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

1) wallpaper - get you!
2) if you don't like it just buy a different house with some you do


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 4:01 pm
Posts: 31206
Full Member
 

Buy one of those reflective foil things that go behind radiators.

This will cover up the wallpaper you can't reach AND reflect heat back into the room, thus saving you money.


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 4:15 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

You either get a wallpaper scraper with a long handle or you loosen the nuts at each end of the radiator about half a turn then lift the radiator off it's hanger and rotate it out into the room resting it on a pile of something. Nip up the nuts so they don't weep.


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 4:34 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Nip up the nuts so they don't weep.

[b]WARNING:[/b] this does not work on men


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 4:35 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

simonfbarnes - Member

Nip up the nuts so they don't weep.

WARNING: this does not work on men

Now THAT'S funny! 😆

Although you should apply compound to their bare ends

'Matron take them away!'


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 4:38 pm
Posts: 17843
Topic starter
 

😀 Thanks for such entertaining replies guys!! Just what I needed today!!

Most sensible suggestion is the foil one so thanks for that, will just be painted. As regards the others ... well ... nipping the nuts sounds a hoot 😉

Cheers 8)


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 9:55 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

nipping the nuts sounds a hoot

and CG's dateability plummets 🙁


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 10:10 pm
Posts: 17843
Topic starter
 

and CG's dateability plummets

Just teasing 😉


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 10:19 pm
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

Laughing out-loud at SFB.....and assuning he does not have a trade account at B & Q 😉


 
Posted : 13/07/2009 11:44 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

and assuning he does not have a trade account at B & Q

assune what you like Clare - I know more than I care to recall about plumbing, wiring, joinery etc, but was released from that when my marriage ended :o)


 
Posted : 14/07/2009 12:05 am