Brian,

One thing that you can do to minimize the heat transfer to the wood is
line the inside top, back, and sides of the cover with rigid insulation.
I used the 1/2 inch thick insulation with the foil backing (facing the
radiator) on the last steam radiator cover that I made. I fastened the
insulation with Liquid Nails. The cover is made of 3/4 inch red oak for
the top. The sides are mortise and tenon 3/4 inch red oak frames w/ 1/4"
oak plywood panels. The front is a frame of 3/4" red oak w/ 3/4" x 3/4"
red oak vertical slats spaced about an inch apart in an oak frame. The
inside part of the front has a piece of open weave black fabric stapled
in place to screen the fins of the radiator from view. The back is a
pice of 1/4" ply that goes from the top to about half the height of the
radiator.

This cover looks nice and transfers heat well. The sides and top are
cool to the touch and none of the joints have opened up due to the heat
in two years of use in a 100 year old Massachsetts home. It has held up
much better than a pine cover that I made many years ago that has no
insulation in it. Hmmm, maybe I can retro fit that with insulation - new
weekend project.

I can send you a photo of the cover if you'd like. I know it is frowned
on to include images here but I have no access to a.w.b.p.

Brian Siano wrote:

I've finished a cheap-pine prototype of a radiator cover,
Craftsman-style design, and I'm ready to sink the cash into better wood
for the final project. However, I have a couple of questions.

The big one is the heat and cold, and how much wear and tear it'll put
on the finished product. Obviously, I'd like to avoid having the wood
exert itself so much that it splits. But, I'd like to use some nice wood
for the project (either mahoghany, cherry, or quartersawn oak). Are any
of these preferred for their stability in such projects?

Also, I'd like to get some advice for a finish-- something that'll
protect the wood, or stretch and shrink with the heat and cold, or
whatever.

(Part of the project will be a sheet-metal backing that will run under
the top of the cover.)

--
Tom Emberley