Tricky drywall + trim + baseboard rad problem
I have a midcentury modern home with cast-iron baseboard radiators. (For the purposes of this discussion, the rads are not movable in any way.) Previous owners have added unsightly trim cap to the top of the radiators to hide a gap. As you can see from the photos, the drywall stops approximately 5/8” above the height of the radiator, which also creates a 1/2” gap from the back of the radiator to where the drywall could be if it continued to the floor.
What is the best solution that will allow me to fill these gaps? How can/should I:
a) continue the drywall down the wall far enough to screw through the venting holes in the front of the radiator, in turn providing a flush wall;
b) then block the 1/2” gap between the back of the radiator and the drywall for a flat trim-like finish for the top of the radiator.
What challenges will I run into with blocking between the cast-iron radiator and the drywall? Can you suggest materials and a process that will allow me to obtain a flush, seamless finish for the top of the radiator? Obviously, I will need to caulk/silicone the seam between the cast-iron and the blocking, but maybe there is a better solution.
I welcome your (helpful) thoughts and solutions.
Comments (6)
3 years ago- 3 years ago
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- 3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
This is from the installation instructions from Weil-McClain company for cast iron base board. It appears that the use of some sort of molding was the standard installationl
They also showed a recessed installation which may be what you have
- 3 years ago
Thanks for all of your feedback @palimpsest.
Yes, I am certain the (current) trim was not done at the time of the original build as all of the trim has manufacturing stickers with barcodes on the backside. I am not at all concerned about dust, so trying to find the solution for a clean 90-degree angle at the radiator top and wall is paramount. As the radiators already rise to 9 inches above the floor, I would like to entirely avoid adding another plainer trim on top of the radiator. And actually, the link you provided is a good illustration of how I would like it to look. If it was as simple as welding (grinding, priming, etc.) a 1/2” piece of cast-iron to bridge the gap from the radiator to the wall, I would have done it already.
The radiator covers themselves will not work as my (and maybe most) cast-iron baseboard rads do not have removable/replaceable covers. The radiator is one molded shell that includes fins and hydronic/convection guts on the inside of the shell. Sigh.
Your observation on purists is acute. I know the challenges that come with renovating a home to its genuine state. And because there is nothing historically or architecturally important about my home, there is little reason to over-extend myself on ambition and costs. That isn’t to say that I do not want to respect the authenticity of the midcentury modern period with details that complement the style of the house, which is all I’m hoping to achieve at the very minimum.
palimpsest