Question Electric Radiators for Home Cinema Cabin

[sean_t]

Hi,

Looking for some advice on electric radiators.

I am going to be using a Cabin in the garden as a Home Cinema - this will be a dedicated space using a projector.

As it is at the bottom of the garden there is no Central Heating - at the moment the electric radiators in there are gloss white...

With the aim of keeping warm but minimising reflections I am hoping to fit radiators that are painted matt black (or similar). Am looking for advice on a few points:

1) Any experience/recommendation for sourcing electric radiators that are already matt black ? I am not sure painting a already gloss radiator will work that well.

2) Placement - if matt black would 2 radiators be best on one of the following (in terms of reflection)
a) on the wall next to the screen (one each side around a foot away from screen edge)
b) the opposite end of the room facing the screen
c) on the 'side walls' around the centre (roughly in the middle of the room), circa 2 to 3 m away from the screen

c) is where I initially planned but am worried this could rebound light?

All advice welcome!

 

[Peter Parker]

In my cinema room I have a 2kW oil filled radiator that I use in the winter months for when I want to watch a movie. It has a thermostat so isn't on continuously but does warm the room up nicely - seems to work a lot better than I expected to be honest, and doesn't cost much in electric either. Add the heat generated by the equipment and people to that and the room can get toasty so I turn it off after the first movie if a second is going to happen. Room is approx 1300 square feet but has insulation type room treatments all round which probably helps, along with a reasonable amount in the ceiling and soffits.

You can get them in black, but what may work better is some black speaker grill cloth or stretched Spandex made to cover it so that you don't get any reflections (don't try that with the bar type heaters!). Mine is placed to the side of the second row of seating in the aisle so it's out of sight of the front row (equivalent to your 'C' option), but not that visible for the second. I would try and keep it out of eyeline so that it's not visible and a potential distraction when the movie is on if it's not covered in black velvet or similar. My room does have a white central heating radiator to the side but back a little from the screen, but I boxed that in with a removable frame that is covered in the same black velvet as the rest of the room, so it's hidden and invisible. You could do something similar with the heaters in your cabin - it does give you the option of leaving the covers off when you want to warm the place up, then cover them during the movie. The heat should still filter through and the added heat from people and kit will top it up.

 

[sean_t]

Thanks for the ideas Peter Parker! I had not thought of boxing the radiator in . To keep out of eyeline makes a lot of sense, this rules out next to the screen.

I need to have a bit of a measure on placement but will give the frame idea a go first I think.

 

[Peter Parker]

I built my frame out of thin wood I got from Wickes - may only have been 10mm x 25mm or something, but it only needs to be lightweight and enough to stretch and staple the cloth around. I made mine in two parts - the main part to go around the rad, and a 'lid' that went on top. Just seemed easier to wrap the material that way - the rad is wall mounted so the bottom part didn't have a back, just a front and sides, but the top could be made with all four sides and sat on to pf the 'C' section. I attached them together from the inside IIRC so it can be removed as a single item.

 

[ristac]

Milano Alpha Electric - Black Horizontal Single Slim Panel Designer Radiator 635mm x 1190mm I only did a quick search on this website as I have used them before, they might be too shiny though.

 

[Peter Parker]

This is similar to what I'm currently using (£30):

Portable 9 Fin 2000W Electric Oil Filled Radiator Heater Adjustable Thermostat | eBay

Not sure if that suits what you're looking for though, but it's what I would get to replace the shiny grey one I currently have, though I think my room is almost double the area recommended for it (assuming it performs like the one I'm using).

 

[Wil S]

I use an IR heater in mine: (looks like no longer available but you can get similar).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PSKSYX2/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pointed at the MLP it keeps you nice and toasty and only heats you, not the air. Takes a bit of getting used to and the rest of the space can still feel cold. Also have a 3kW Oil filled heater (and a gas patio heater) for if I need to get the rest of the space up to temp.

 

[sean_t]

Thank you all. Some ideas to take away and look into. If going the new route there seems quite a few 'anthricate Grey' that is supposedly a Matt colour.

Based on the colour match (RAL 7016) they seem to have a lowish LRV of 5. There are a few vertical examples that may also suit well.

Like this

Milano Capri - Anthracite Vertical Flat Panel Double Designer Radiator 1600mm x 472mm


I am still looking into creating a panel as Peter kindly recommended. So lots of ideas!

Thanks all

 

[oneup555]

I know its more expensive but on my garden room, ive gone down the route of a warm air system giving me warmth in the winter and air con in the summer. It keeps the walls at low level free also. Also a lot more economical to run.