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How to dress and hang a vertical designer radiator

Vertical designer radiators are a great way of introducing modern, stylish, space-saving heating into your home.

In this guide, we’ll show you step by step how to dress and hang a vertical designer radiator efficiently and safely.

But remember, if you’re unsure of any part of this installation process, please do not proceed and consult a qualified professional to get the job done for you.

Before you hang your vertical radiator

Before you dress and hang your vertical radiator, you will need to drain the heating system.

Visit our guide on how to drain down central heating before you begin.

But first, what does ‘dress a radiator’ actually mean?

‘Dressing’ a radiator is the process of getting it ready for fitting to the wall.

Ready to start dressing and hanging your radiator?

Tools you will need

The tools you will need for this job include:

  • Drill or impact driver
  • Tape measure or meter ruler
  • PTFE tape 
  • Pencil
  • Adjustable spanner 
  • 10mm spanner or wrench
  • Spirit level
  • Bleed valve/blank & wall fixing kit (supplied)

With all our radiators, we supply a bleed valve, blank and complete wall fixing kit.

Tools required to fit a column radiator

  1. Insert blanking and bleed plugs

    To begin, place the radiator face down and remove the blanking caps from each valve. 
    Insert the supplied metal blanking cap and bleed valve. Make sure this is at the top of the radiator before you move on.
    The bleed valve needs to be at the most convenient access point side of the radiator just in case you need to bleed it in the future.

    hands holding a vertical radiator

  2. Wrap the valve spigots with PTFE tape

    With any new radiator it is best practice to add new valves.
    Remove the spigots from the valves, wrap each one around 17 times with PTFE tape. This will give a great seal to prevent any water leakage.

    hands wrapping ptfe tape around a radiator valve

  3. Insert the valve heads

    Once the spigots are in place, insert the valve heads and nip them up with an adjustable spanner.

    man inserting radiator valves to a vertical radiator

  4. Measure the bracket centres

    Place the bottom brackets on the radiator and measure the center of one bracket to the center of the other.
    Now position the bracket on the bottom in the same position and note the distance from the bracket center to the top of the bracket.

    measuring radiator brackets

  5. Find the radiator centre

    Measure the width of the radiator to find the center point. This will vary depending on the size and model of your vertical radiator.

    measuring a vertical radiator

  6. Mark the bottom radiator position

    On the wall where you are going to place the radiator, measure the height at which you want the bottom center of the radiator to hang.
    This could be defined by existing piping, skirting board or even just personal preference.

    hand marking a line on a wall

  7. Mark the bracket positions

    Mark the wall and then mark either side where the top of the bottom brackets will be.

    hand holding a ruler on a wall

  8. Mark the screw holes

    Place the top of the bottom bracket on the measured line and mark the screw hole. Do this for both sides.

    hand holding a radiator bracket on a wall

  9. Measure the radiator

    On the radiator, measure the height from the center of the top valve to the center of the bottom valve.

    vertical radiator lay flat on a bench

  10. Mark this on the wall

    Then mark on the wall from where the bottom center of the radiator will sit.

    hand marking a line on a wall with a ruler

  11. Mark the top bracket hole

    Measure and mark where the bottom screw hole of the top bracket will be situated, ensuring this is parallel to the bottom brackets.

    hand drawing a line on a wall

  12. Mark the bracket centres

    Mark the bracket centres on the wall either side of the center line.

    hand marking the screw holes of the radiator brackets

  13. Fix the brackets to the wall

    Fix the brackets into position using an impact driver.

    man fixing radiator brackets to a wall with a drill

  14. Hang the vertical radiator

    Insert the supplied rubber washers into each bracket to prevent vibration and damage and then carefully lift the radiator into position. Radiators are heavy so be extra careful when lifting.

    man hanging a vertical radiator on a wall

  15. Connect to the central heating

    Once the radiator is securely hung to make sure everything is leveled.
    You are now ready to connect your radiator to the system.


    spirit level on a vertical radiator

Ready to install your vertical radiator?

Ready to make a start dressing and hanging your vertical designer radiator? Play our full how-to video to help you as you go!

Please note: Our ‘how-to’ manuals are intended only as a guide to assist you with common home heating tasks. Please do not attempt to undertake this task if any of the instructions are unclear, or if you are in any doubt about what to do. Instead, seek advice from a professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is true that the addition of modern vertical radiators can boost property value to a decent extent. It was estimated as recently as 2021 by property experts that swapping outdated rads for attractive, energy efficient versions could put up to an extra £10,000 onto a home valuation.

Furthermore, considering the estimated cost to switch up old radiators for contemporary vertical models throughout the home would be in the region of £5,000 in a typical UK household, the scope exists to turn a profit for those willing to complete the swap.

To find out more, browse our dedicated blog, Vertical radiators – Pros & cons.

Vertical radiators offer numerous advantages for households, inclusive of a space-saving design that provides versatility for practically any style and layout of a room.

With a plethora of designs available, vertical radiator models work equally as effectively as horizontal versions, and the fact that their profile ensures a space can be designed around them ties in with their ability to increase the valuation of a home as well.

For a more detailed insight into all the virtues and benefits that vertical radiators provide, explore our blog, Vertical radiators – Pros & cons.

Vertical radiators are neither more nor less efficient than horizontal radiators.

Efficiency of performance in radiators can be measured via the BTU output they provide, which can be worked out using our BTU Calculator.

Outputs will vary based on a number of factors including size and material, but there is no correlation to suggest vertical radiators perform more efficiently than horizontal models, or vice versa.

Yes, you can place a vertical radiator behind a door, provided there is sufficient space to open and close the door without it coming into contact with the radiator.

You might have little choice when installing a radiator in a compact space.

To discover more about the best place to position a new radiator, check out our radiator positioning guide.

And if you would like some inspiration surrounding the best radiators to select, take a look at our comprehensive radiator buying guide. Or, specific to this question, our blog on the Top 5 Vertical Central Heating Radiators.

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