Decorate around radiators the proper way

Plan, remove, decorate behind and repaint your radiator, then refit and bleed it safely over a weekend without damaging your heating system.

Guides in this project

01Take a radiator off the wall to decorate 02Paint behind a radiator 03Wallpaper behind a radiator 04Refit a radiator after decorating 05Paint a radiator 06Bleed a radiator

RD-01Plan the job and buy what you needDecide upfront whether you're painting or wallpapering behind the radiator, and whether the radiator itself is getting repainted, since this changes your shopping list. Buy dust sheets, masking tape, a radiator bleed key, and your paint or wallpaper before you start, so you're not stopping mid-job. Set aside a full weekend: one day for removal and decorating, a second for paint to cure properly before refitting. For a single radiator, paint-only usually costs £40-£90; add wallpaper or radiator enamel and it rises to roughly £90-£150.

2 each · Dust sheets

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1 roll · Masking tape

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1 each · Radiator bleed key

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1 each · Bucket

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RD-02Take the radiator off the wallFollow "Take a radiator off the wall to decorate" to isolate, drain and lift the radiator clear of the wall. If there's a socket, thermostat wire, or TRV cable behind the radiator that needs moving, that's a job for a registered electrician - moving a socket or light on an existing circuit isn't notifiable in England, but it's still electrical work, not DIY. If you're repositioning the wall brackets, check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling, and still expect to find something. Keep towels and a shallow tray handy for the water that drains out, and label the valves so they go back the right way round.

RULES

1 each · Shallow tray or basin

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1 each · Adjustable spanner

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1 roll · PTFE tape

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2 each · Old towels

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling new bracket holes, and still expect to find something. Any socket or wiring behind the radiator that needs moving is work for a registered electrician.

RD-03Decorate the wall behind the radiatorWith the radiator out of the way, follow "Paint behind a radiator" if you're painting, or "Wallpaper behind a radiator" if you're papering that section. Work the full width behind where the radiator sits, with a little extra above and below the brackets, so no bare patch shows once it's back up. Let paint or paste dry fully before refitting - rushing this is where people trap damp or leave a visible tide line later.

1 litre · Emulsion paint

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1 roll · Wallpaper

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1 each · Roller with extension pole

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1 pack · Wallpaper paste

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RD-04Paint the radiator itselfFollow "Paint a radiator" to clean, key and repaint the radiator while it's off the wall and easy to reach. Work in a well-ventilated room, and leave it somewhere flat to cure fully - most radiator enamels need at least 24 hours. Don't turn the heating back on until the paint has properly cured, or you'll get a lingering smell and a soft, easily marked finish.

1 tin · Radiator enamel paint

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1 sheet · Fine sandpaper

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0.5 litre · Metal primer

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1 each · Paintbrush

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RD-05Refit the radiatorOnce both the wall and the radiator are completely dry, follow "Refit a radiator after decorating" to rehang it and reconnect the valves. If you repositioned the brackets, check for cables and pipes again before drilling any new fixing holes, even if you checked earlier. Open the valves slowly and check every joint for drips over the next hour - this is the most common place a slow leak shows up.

RULES

1 set · Wall brackets

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1 pack · Wall fixings

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1 roll · PTFE tape

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling any new fixing holes, even if the position was checked before.

RD-06Bleed the radiator and check the systemFollow "Bleed a radiator" to let trapped air out once the heating is back on and warming through. Check the boiler pressure gauge afterwards - if a sealed system has dropped noticeably low and you're not confident topping it up yourself, that's a job for a plumber or heating engineer. After a day with the heating running, check the valves again for leaks and confirm the wall behind the radiator has dried evenly.

1 each · Radiator bleed key

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1 each · Cloth

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KNOW THE RULES

Before you start: What gas work can I legally do myself?

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