Gas communications in the form of pipes are an indispensable attribute of a kitchen that has a gas stove, oven or water heater. Often they spoil the interior with their appearance, violate the design and annoy the owners who seek to hide them. The question of how to close the gas pipe in the kitchen and at the same time not violate the rules of operation and safety requirements worries many. Consider ways to solve this problem.
Rules and regulations
When deciding how to hide a gas pipe, you need to take into account the requirements and standards for gas communications in an apartment.
- It is necessary to provide free quick access to the gas pipe in case of gas leakage if it is damaged.
- It is strictly forbidden to hide pipes in deaf solid non-removable boxes and in strobes punched in the wall in order to avoid an explosion due to the accumulated gas during a leak.
- Even when installing ducts thateasy to disassemble, and provided with good ventilation, you should coordinate your intentions with the gas authorities.
- It is forbidden to move gas pipes and metering devices on your own. This can only be done by specialists with a permit from the gas service.
- Masking communications is possible only with the use of materials intended for such work.
- Coloring is a must. It protects pipes from corrosion and prolongs their service life.
- When working on gas pipes, it is forbidden to attach heavy objects to them, thereby exerting additional load.
Safety during work, as well as during the subsequent operation of gas equipment, should always remain a priority.
Coloring
The easiest, most affordable and budgetary way to mask pipes is to paint them. If you approach this matter creatively, communications that irritate your eyes can be completely invisible or, conversely, turned into a memorable element of decoration. The advantage of this method is that access to the pipe remains free, so you will not have any claims from the gas services.
The easiest way is to paint the pipes in the same color as the walls, achieving the greatest match of shades. A white pipe against a white wall becomes almost invisible.
Some prefer to paint gas lines in contrasting colors. This solution is suitable for those kitchens, in the design of whichsaturated bright colors prevail. It's good if the color of the pipe matches some interior detail - curtains or kitchen furniture.
If the design of the room allows, communications can be painted with golden or silver paint, as well as apply geometric or floral ornaments to them. You can paint the pipe in the form of a tree trunk, for example, a birch. To make this design look even more original and organically fit into the interior, you can draw a few leaves on the wall next to it.
Traditional types of paints are used for painting pipes.
Decoration Options
Some, in pursuit of originality, decorate pipes by pasting them with glass beads using Moment glue. Some people make a tree trunk out of a pipe, wrapping it with twine and decorating it with leaves carved from green plastic.
Another option is decoupage disguise. How to close the gas pipe in the kitchen in this way?
- The surface is carefully cleaned, freeing from old paint, grease and dirt.
- A paper or cloth napkin is smeared with PVA glue and the top layer with a pattern is separated.
- Apply it to the pipe and gently smooth it out.
- The top is smeared with glue again.
- When it dries, varnish everything.
Some just cover the pipe with magnets.
What is railing
The railing is a metal rod attached to the wall. With a variety of hooks, holders and shelves, it is easy to place on itvarious kitchen utensils - ladle, colander, pot lids, towels, etc. The proposed method is to create the appearance that the gas pipe running along the wall is actually the railing that the designer intended. To this end, the pipe is painted so that it matches the color of the railing as much as possible, which usually has a shade of bronze, copper or is made of chrome-plated metal.
The railing is installed directly under the pipe and various kitchen utensils are hung on it. A pipe located close to the railing and matching it in color will create the illusion that it is a part of the overall system.
How to hide the horizontal pipe
Horizontal gas communication, laid high enough, can be hidden by installing a wide shelf under it. After various kitchen utensils are placed on it, the pipe will cease to be noticeable at all, especially if it is painted to match the color of the wall. Of course, the shelf should be installed in compliance with all safety measures so as not to damage the gas pipeline.
If you place kitchen cabinets instead of a shelf, the pipe will be even less noticeable. The cabinets are deeper than the shelves, so the gas pipeline will be practically invisible from below. With this method, all safety rules are observed - free access to communications and sufficient ventilation.
Using furniture to disguise
Using the furniture installed in the kitchen, you can hide not only pipes located both horizontally andvertically, but also gas equipment - meters and even columns.
For this purpose, you can order a special false cabinet or remake an existing kitchen set. Holes for pipes are made on the back wall of the cabinet, as well as on its upper and lower surfaces. To hide the gas riser, a pencil case is usually used. Horizontal pipes are hidden in a regular cabinet. Inside the cabinet that hides the gas pipeline, you can store various kitchen utensils. The main thing is that this cabinet should be well ventilated, so for ventilation in the most inconspicuous places, you will need to make several holes or install a grill and then make sure that they are not covered by jars and pans.
The design of furniture that hides the pipe should provide quick and easy access to communications.
Box device
All of the above methods only allow you to mask the pipes. If you want to completely hide their presence, you can build a box. The material for such a box is usually drywall, plywood, plastic or MDF. In this regard, many are interested in - is it possible to close gas pipes with drywall? You can, but subject to the following conditions:
- The box should not be monolithic. If necessary, access to communications should be provided in the shortest possible time. Therefore, at least part of the box should be disassembled easily and quickly.
- An indispensable condition is the installation in the ventilation box in the form of perforation or lattice. In its absence, gas, even with a small leak, will accumulateinside the box, with catastrophic consequences.
Failure to comply with these requirements will entail a risk to the life and he alth of the inhabitants of the apartment, as well as fines from the gas service.
Material for box
What material is better to choose for the construction of the box? Currently, the most popular material for these purposes is drywall. Is it possible to cover gas pipes with drywall? Yes, you can. This material is characterized by advantages that make it indispensable for these purposes:
- it is a thermal and waterproofing material;
- it can be bent to create rounded shapes;
- lightweight, which means it is the most suitable for the construction of removable structures;
- it can be painted to match the rest of the interior, as a result of which the box becomes, as it were, its integral part.
For the construction of the box, it is better to use fire-resistant types of drywall.
One of the disadvantages of such a box is the reduction in the usable area of the kitchen, so gas pipes under drywall are usually hidden in spacious kitchen areas.
Another disadvantage of drywall is its inability to hold a lot of weight. Therefore, when wondering whether it is possible to close gas pipes with drywall, decide in advance whether you are going to hang shelves on a box or install a TV.
Installing the box
Depending on the location of the pipes, the duct can be vertical orhorizontal. To install a drywall box for gas pipes you will need:
- moisture resistant drywall;
- profile or slats for frame;
- screwdriver;
- self-tapping screws;
- metal scissors.
How to sew up a gas pipe with drywall? The algorithm of actions in this case is as follows:
- First, you should calculate the size of the structure. The distance from the pipes to the frame must be at least ten centimeters. It is also necessary to take into account the need for free access to taps on the gas pipe.
- The frame is being installed. The profile or rails are attached to the wall with self-tapping screws.
- The resulting structure is measured and marked out with a drywall sheet. Details of the future box are cut out of it.
- Fix them on the frame with self-tapping screws using a screwdriver. Irregularities are puttied, the cracks are sealed with mounting foam.
- Plumbing hatches are installed in drywall to access a faucet or meter.
The box is primed and then painted to match the walls, pasted over with wallpaper or decorated using decoupage
Thus, the question of whether it is possible to close gas pipes with drywall depends only on the availability of the space necessary for this construction and on compliance with safety requirements.
