How to Build a Wooden Radiator Window Seat

Radiators present a challenge when setting up furniture in a room because they stick out from the wall. A solution to this common problem is to turn it into built-in furniture. You can build a wooden seat to cover the radiator that is in a favorite window, while not affecting its functions as a radiator.

Board, 2 inches by 4 inches, 48 inches long
Tape measure
Level
Pencil
4 Carriage bolts
Screw gun with bolt driver
1 Pine board, 1inch by 16 inches, 48 inches long
Box, flush trim screws
Flexible curve ruler
2 Pine boards, 1 inch by 16 inches, 18 inches long
Band saw
Router with 1/2-inch round-over bit
Fine-grit sandpaper
2 Pine boards, 1 inch by 4 inches, 18 inches long
Wood filler
Putty knife
Wood finish
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Measure up 17 ¼ inches from the floor in the selected window space for the bench. Mark the measurement on the wall on either side of the window.
- 2
  Place the 2 inch by 4 inch by 48 inch board with one 4-inch side flat against the wall. The top 2-inch edge of the board should be at the pencil marks.
- 3
  Place a level on top of the board. Make sure the board is horizontally level. Drive the four carriage bolts through the board into the wall. Space the carriage bolts evenly across the board. This is the wall cleat.
- 4
  Align the 1 inch by 16 inch by 48 inch board on top of the board with one 1-inch edge flat against the wall. This is the seat board. Drive flush trim wood screws through the top of the seat approximately 1 inch from the wall into the wall cleat. Space the screws every six inches.
- 5
  Mold the flexible curve over the profile of the radiator. Transfer the curve onto the 1 inch by 16 inch by 18 inch boards. These are the leg boards. The 18-inch side is the height of the leg. The 16-inch side is the width of the leg. Position the ruler on the board so that the bottom back corner of the leg will be cut out to fit over the radiator profile.
- 6
  Cut out the legs along the traced lines of the radiator profile using a band saw.
- 7
  Rout along the edges of the radiator profile cut-out on both legs. Sand the edges with fine-grit sandpaper.
- 8
  Place the legs on either 16-inch wide end of the seat board. The top 1-inch edge of the leg boards should be flush with the top surface of the seat. Drive screws through the leg boards into the 1-inch edges of the seat board. Space the screws every two inches.
- 9
  Align one 1 inch by 4 inch by 18 inch board so that one 4-inch side of the board is flat against the front 1-inch edges of the leg board and seat board. The outside edge of the boards should be flush with the outside edge of the leg boards. These are the front facial boards.
- 10
  Drive screws through the facial boards into the edges of the legs and seat. Space the screws every two inches.
- 11
  Fill the screw holes with wood filler. Allow the filler to dry. Sand the filler flush with the surface of the wood.
- 12
  Apply a wood finish to the bench. Allow the finish to dry before use.

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