How to hide a gas meter in the kitchen: norms and requirements + popular masking methods

Technology and stages of operations

Works on moving gas supply pipelines do not take much time and labor resources. Dismantling and installation of one pipe fits into one hour of working time for a team of welders and fitters, consisting of two people. The transfer of a gas pipe in the kitchen by one worker is strictly prohibited.

Preparatory activities

Owners of an apartment or a private house are not recommended to change anything in their gas system, not even flexible hoses. The transfer, extension, cutting of pipes has the right to be carried out exclusively by a representative of the gas service with the appropriate permit.However, it will not be superfluous for persons using gas equipment to know some of the provisions and sequence of actions during gas pipe transfer operations.

Most often, a specific relocation team consists of two people. Both specialists are trained in all operations, have a certificate for working with gas equipment, professionally carry out welding, metal cutting. Masters start work at the facility within one calendar week after agreeing on the technical documentation for the movement of pipelines.

At the time of the brigade's visit, the points of dismantling, lengthening, and installation of additional gas equipment are already known. Gas water heaters, stoves, ovens, heating elements are subject to refinement. Masters are perfectly familiar with the rules for performing installation operations. According to the regulations, it is not recommended to cut off the valves that block the gas supply. They are essential components of the gas transmission system.

Preparatory measures before transferring the gas pipe

In addition, according to the rules for the use of gas as a fuel, when moving the points of the pipeline, as well as changing the gas valve, the specialist must install it in such a way that the valve is located in the zone of direct access for the user. The valve installed under the worktop needs easy access through the cabinet door with the rear panel removed. Sometimes access is through a piece of table top that opens up.

Taking this opportunity, the owner of the apartment can install a gas control meter. You can also change all outdated kitchen equipment.These operations should be warned in advance by the team that carries out the transfer of the gas pipe to another place. When connecting ovens, stoves, columns, the owner of the apartment is obliged to buy in advance a bellows hose, matched to the size.

The invited workers buy metal pipelines on their own. The cost of pipelines is included in the total estimate of services, materials and appliances. The owner needs to clear the kitchen space of furniture and bulky items. So specialists will quickly and efficiently carry out the entire installation complex on your gas pipeline. Things that are not subject to removal must be covered with non-combustible dense materials.

Pipeline disassembly

Most likely, when the movement is carried out, it will be necessary to cut out a segment of the old pipeline and build it on a new one, only in the opposite direction. In this case, the specialist, using special tools, cuts out unnecessary elements. Here a huge role is played by the qualification of the worker, who has access to the movement of gas pipes.

Electric welders, gas cutters, mechanics are trained in special courses, where they are certified by professional workers of gas equipment. After passing serious exams, they are issued a special document. Having dismantled the layer leading from the riser to the device, the master leaves a section of the pipeline. It has an LPG shut-off valve.

This section of the horizontal pipe must not be changed or removed under any circumstances! There can be only one situation - an accident with damage to the pipeline. If a complete replacement cannot be dispensed with, then it is allowed. Often in practice, residents of the upper floors of apartment buildings are asked to cut off a long section of the pipeline.

This element rises from the lowest point of the apartment to the highest point to a height of 1.8 m, then bends at an angle of 180 °. It is forbidden to shorten such a pipeline by installing a valve on the remaining piece. But there is a solution for this situation - it is necessary to digest the pipeline, and put the valve at a height of 75 cm from the floor under the tabletop.

Safety requirements for decorating a gas pipeline

Before you close the gas meter in the kitchen with anything, you need to understand that access to it should be easy to take readings, possible replacement, repair work. It is unacceptable to close tightly, and even more so to wall pipes, cylinders, hoses into the wall - if a leak occurs, it will take more time to repair the damage and special tools to destroy everything superfluous.

An additional advantage is the ability to hide the gas meter in the kitchen in one of the cabinets.

Tip: it is forbidden to fix cabinets, any heavy decor, on gas-carrying communications.

Design decision

Depending on what style of interior is chosen for the design of the room, the wall-mounted unit will stand out or, conversely, hide.

White kitchen interior with gas boiler on the wall

Open box for a gas boiler in the kitchen

Classic style

The classic style requires the absence of any household appliances, so the wall-mounted arrangement of equipment can significantly spoil the interior. In order not to disturb the harmony of the classics, the unit must be hidden from view. The most common and easiest way is to place it behind the facade of the kitchen set. But here you need to follow some safety rules:

• Provide free access to the boiler;
• Create free air circulation for the correct operation of the unit.

The gas boiler fits perfectly into the interior of the kitchen

To do this, you need to equip the set with an easy-to-open door, and create an indentation of the boiler surface from the walls of the cabinet at least 3 cm. For fire safety, the inside of the cabinet can be lined with foil. This will protect the walls from possible overheating and fire.

A gas boiler is practically no different from kitchen cabinets

So that the box hiding the gas equipment does not stand out among the others, the wall cabinets of the kitchen set must be ordered according to the size of the unit. Therefore, it is necessary to plan a classic design after its installation.

Wall cabinets are matched to the size of the gas boiler

Gas boiler in the kitchen, decorated in a classic style

rural style

The simplicity and unpretentiousness of rural types of interior design will require some ingenuity from you when decorating a gas boiler. In order not to violate the overall style of the room, the unit can be:

• Hidden behind a decorative cabinet door. To create good air exchange, such a door can be latticed, which will emphasize the overall stylistic direction.
• Decorated with a textile curtain with a matching print. This method can be very successful if the fabric on the facade of the headset, windows, sofa cushions will be in harmony.

Gas boiler in a rustic kitchen

If such options are not acceptable, then you can mask the boiler with a drywall box. It is not difficult to build such a structure, even a non-professional will cope with this task.At the end of the work, the outer surfaces of the box are covered with paint or wallpaper to match the walls.

Rustic style kitchen with gas boiler fitted in a separate alcove

Kitchen design with a gas boiler to match the color of the furniture

A simpler acceptable option for rural styles is simply painting the unit to match the color of the walls, which will make it less noticeable and discreet.

The gas boiler can be hidden behind one of the cabinets

The attic loft style can be emphasized in an original way with the help of a special design of a wall-mounted kitchen unit. The bulky configuration of the old boiler will come in handy and give individuality to the interior. For greater expressiveness, it is painted with bright matte paint, contrasting with the main tone of the walls. The loft style can also be highlighted with the help of ultra-modern equipment with a metal surface. All household appliances in this style are open to the eye, therefore, when choosing a boiler, you need to take care of the harmonious combination of all units in your kitchen.

The modern model of the gas boiler fits in the kitchen in the loft style

Since all loft-style communications remain open, gas pipes do not require special decoration. A photo of a kitchen design with a gas boiler on the wall in a trendy loft style will show how open gas communications can fit into the interior.

A gas boiler with a stylish laconic design fits perfectly into the interior of a modern kitchen

High tech

When equipping a kitchen in a high-tech hi-tech style, you need to think about purchasing an ultra-modern unit with bright backlighting. The style of such a room welcomes the variety of highly intelligent kitchen equipment, so decorations are not required here.If it is impossible to purchase the latest heating technology, designers advise covering the boiler with metallic paint.

The gas boiler fits perfectly in the high-tech kitchen

Any interior solution requires a thoughtful approach. So that the wall-mounted geyser is not a hindrance, but becomes a decoration of your kitchen, you need to take care of the harmony of household appliances and the general style of the room in advance.

No. 6. Pipe in a box - is it possible or not?

The methods listed above only allow you to beat the gas pipe, but not hide it. If you don’t want to endure gas pipes in plain sight or it’s impossible to fit them into the interior at all, you can build a decorative box in which to hide the pipes, but two conditions must be observed:

• at least part of the box must be removable, if necessary, access to the pipes must be obtained as soon as possible;
• in the box there should be ventilation in the form of perforation or lattice. Otherwise, even with a small leak, the gas will gradually accumulate and eventually provoke an explosion.

Many people ignore these two requirements, simplifying the process of building a box. Someone believes that a steel gas pipe 2-3 mm thick cannot pass gas at all. Alas, such delusions can sometimes be very costly. In addition, at the first check, the gas service will detect a violation, issue a fine and oblige to release the pipes from the dead box. It is better not to take risks, not to create unnecessary problems for yourself and immediately arrange everything according to the rules. We will need to create a removable ventilated shield in the box, and its decor can be anything.

If it is necessary to close both the pipes and the meter, then it makes sense to build a drywall box.It is not difficult to do this - the principle of working with drywall has long been clear to everyone. Sequence of work:

• markup, determine where the metal guides will be. The width of the box must be sufficient for maintenance of the equipment;
• mounting the frame using a level;
• measurements of the resulting structure and cutting drywall of the required size;
• drywall installation. It is better to close part of the structure with a lattice decorative panel, which, if necessary, can be easily dismantled.

If we are talking only about the pipe, then the task is greatly simplified. Parallel to it on both sides of a metal profile or a wooden beam, you can build guides. They can be attached to any material that suits your appearance, provides ventilation and can be dismantled in seconds with a screwdriver or screwdriver. You can use polycarbonate. A fragment of the required width is cut off from the sheet along the stiffness lines. The segment is bent along the fold lines until a U-shaped overlay is formed. Holes are drilled in it for future installation. The box is attached to the previously mounted rails with dowels. In the most inconspicuous places, you can drill several holes on the polycarbonate for better ventilation.

Instead of a polycarbonate sheet, craftsmen also use perforated plywood, cardboard sleeve, bamboo trunk, and other materials. The principle of operation is unchanged. You can use frosted glass, plastic, lining, wood and more - the main thing is that the decorative panel can be easily removed. In addition, on sale you can find ready-made designs from different materials and different colors. They are easy to assemble and disassemble.It is better if the chosen decor is backed up by other elements in the kitchen.

The main advantage of a well-organized box is the ability to hide the pipe from view, but in some cases you will have to say goodbye to a certain amount of useful space.

More options for masking a gas boiler and its communications

Consider different situations for the placement of gas boilers and options for their disguise:

1. When installing a hinged gas boiler in a corner, it can be masked using a special extension to the cabinet. You get a frame on which a purchased door is hung.
2. Parapet gas boilers are conveniently located in niches that can be closed with a lattice cover.
3. Parapet-type units are often hidden in small furniture cabinets.
4. Floor-standing units, located in the corner, successfully fit together with communications in a large closet-pencil case.
5. In open places, pipes are hidden in a U-shaped box.
6. The lattice door covering the boiler will look beautiful.

Note! The gas shut-off valve must always be accessible. A well-decorated gas boiler will easily fit into the interior, and will not violate the overall style of the room.

There are many ready-made elements on sale that can easily and quickly disguise a gas device and its communications.

A well-decorated gas boiler will easily fit into the interior, and will not violate the overall style of the room. There are many ready-made elements on sale that can easily and quickly disguise a gas device and its communications.

Masking pipes with a box

How to hide pipes in the kitchen without ditching the wall? It is very simple - to create a box from a suitable material. With this design, communications will be securely hidden, and the kitchen will look neat and tidy. The material for the box can be taken very different, for example, drywall, plastic, metal, wood, board wood materials, etc. The box is great not only for water or sewer pipes, it can also be used to hide the exhaust pipe in the kitchen.

Drywall is considered the easiest to work, as well as one of the cheapest materials. Its surface does not need additional leveling, as is the case with wooden boards. In addition, drywall is lightweight, easy to cut and even bend. The surface of gypsum boards can subsequently be finished with almost any decorative material. In addition, such a box can be given an unusual shape, making it not only a means for masking pipes, but also an original design detail.

A drywall box is made in several stages:

1. First, the contours of the future frame are drawn on the wall using a level, plumb line, pencil and ruler.
2. Then, guided by this markup, a metal profile is mounted on the wall, which is fixed with dowels or a special shock-absorbing tape.
3. Rack elements are inserted into the resulting profile. All parts are fastened with metal screws.
4. Elements of the desired size and shape are cut out of drywall sheets, and then they are attached to the frame. Installation of drywall is carried out using screws, they are screwed into the sheets to a depth of about 1 mm.
5. The joints between individual fragments, as well as the recesses in the places of the screws, are sealed with putty.
6. The corners of the box are protected from damage by means of a corner metal profile.
7. The finished box is coated with a primer layer before finishing.
8. The last stage is decorating the box with the selected finishing material.

Plastic can be used instead of drywall. This material is good because it does not absorb moisture, dirt and grease, and in case of contamination it is easy to clean. Plastic does not need additional finishing, it weighs little, can be easily cut into the desired fragments and simply mounted. A plastic box can be made in the following way:

1. As in the previous case, on the wall where the box will be mounted, you first need to make markings.
2. Then, according to this markup, a frame is created from a metal profile.
3. With a hacksaw, parts of the desired size are cut out of plastic.
4. These parts are fixed to the frame with screws, staples or small nails.
5. Joints, internal and external corners of the box are sealed with decorative corners and other details that are used when working with plastic lining.

For a high-tech kitchen, the box can be made of stainless or chrome steel. Working with it is not as easy as with plastic or drywall, but the metal structure is more durable and reliable. However, metal is not so easy to finish; only paint is suitable for decorating it.

The use of drywall boxes

To do this job you will need:

• actual drywall;
• a knife that cuts drywall;
• Rack-mounted CD-profile, this is a specially shaped aluminum bar for fixing drywall;
• scissors for cutting metal;
• impact drill or hammer drill;

• if there is no screwdriver, just screwdrivers will do;
• self-tapping screws for drywall;
• tape for sealing joints;
• putty;
• tape measure, building level, spatula.

The algorithm of work looks like this:

• Prepare and install the profile near the gas pipe. To strengthen the resulting frame, it is recommended to use transverse bars.
• Prepare pieces of drywall, according to previously made measurements and calculations.
• Mount the box, fix it with screws. Tighten the screws carefully, but without using excessive force.

• The use of a docking tape will create the effect of the integrity of the box. Glue it carefully.
• 5. Putty the plasterboard surface. After the putty dries, it must be cleaned with high-grain sandpaper.
• Decorate the box to your taste, from simple painting to the use of ceramic tiles.
• Do not forget at the initial stage to arrange doors where you need access to meters and fittings.

Whether drywall is legal or not when it comes to a gas pipe is a moot point. But if you do not make an armored structure, access to the pipe will be normal.

Crash into the wall

In this case, it is necessary to perform more manipulations than in the second option, but the result will be very comfortable.

So, an easy way to hide the counter in the wall is to use drywall. In this material, it will be quite easy to cut out a convenient window in which the gas meter will be "accommodated". In addition, it is convenient to hide wires and pipes under drywall. Then it turns out that the device is hidden in the wall. And to provide access to the necessary elements, a plastic screen-door or small roller shutters are installed. As a result, the device is not visible, and access to it is convenient, and the interior of the kitchen can be done for every taste.

The second way is to make a niche in the wall itself. But, this procedure is not very convenient and will require a lot of effort, because more channels will need to be made for pipes. A non-professional is unlikely to be able to do this, and what's the point if there are good alternatives.

What a kitchen gas boiler might look like

The kitchen gas boiler is made in the form of a parallelepiped, the dimensions depend on its type: the dimensions of the wall one fluctuate around 40x70x30 cm, the floor one is slightly larger - most often up to a meter in height.

The body is always made of metal, and the fittings are made of non-flammable or refractory materials.

The casing of the boiler can be:

• chrome plated;
• covered with white enamel or with a print made on it in the form of a geometric, floral pattern or with the image of kitchen utensils;
• have a special pattern or even a mirror surface.

Individual parts can be made in the form of levers or buttons from high-quality plastic.

How to play with color

In order to make the kitchen boiler unobtrusive, it is recommended to consider the color scheme of the entire space.

For a more harmonious fit into the interior, it is desirable to observe the following rules:

1. Pick the right palette. For example, a boiler covered with the most common white enamel will perfectly fit into a snow-white kitchen set.
2. The water heater can be self-coated with heat-resistant enamel for metal of the color that matches the facades of the entire headset by following these steps:

• sand the case with a grinder or sandpaper, degrease it with acetone or universal solvent (through a spray gun or lint-free cloth) and dry it;
• paint in 2-3 layers of heat-resistant enamel using a brush, roller or spray;
• turn on the heater after the paint has completely dried.

Important! Between the boiler body and the surfaces of any furniture there must be a distance of at least three centimeters

How to hide the device behind special panels

You can mask the kitchen heater and all communications not only with color, but also with special panels, for example, from drywall.

A gas boiler covered with decorative surfaces must have good ventilation. Ideally, the disguise might look like this:

1. Have only the front door-panel and side walls.

But even in this case, it is not bad that the front surface is not solid, but, for example, trellised: this will allow normal access of air to the fire and create safe conditions for the operation of a gas appliance.

The door with holes can be opened like a regular kitchen cabinet, in which case the boiler can be used with the door closed. And a solid door can be designed so that it opens like an accordion: thus, when open, when the gas is burning, it will not take up additional space and interfere.

Attention! All cloaking devices must necessarily be easily and quickly removed or not interfere with free emergency access. In no case should the supply hoses and pipes be walled into the wall

1. A kitchen boiler, for example, a floor-standing one, can be separated from the rest of the space by vertical plasterboard side walls: in this case, the boiler will be visually separated from the entire room and a door is not required.

Drywall walls are installed at the kitchen design stage or later, using for this:

• profiles CW and UW and moisture resistant drywall;
• direct suspension and universal connector;
• flea screws with a “drill” tip and self-tapping screws for fastening drywall to metal with a countersunk head and a piercing tip (3.5X35 mm);
• plastic dowels with impact self-tapping screws;
• sealing tape, mineral wool, metal corner;
• tape measure, perforator, plumb line, metal scissors;
• mounting knife, hacksaw, jigsaw.

Finished drywall surfaces are wallpapered or painted like regular kitchen walls.

decorative design

Painting

The most budgetary and easiest option is painting. It is not necessary to choose a color to match the wall, you can come up with more original solutions. I will note that this is an exciting and creative process. You just need to connect your imagination or be inspired by other works. And your hated pipe will turn into a stunning art object. It is worth remembering that you need to paint with a specially designed paint. So the coating will lie down more evenly, and the surface will look neater.

One-color painting in the color of the wall.

Monochromatic painting in contrast with the wall.

Decoupage

You will need a special film for decoupage (available at a needlework store) or ordinary napkins with a suitable pattern. It is necessary to pre-clean the surface of the pipe. Then apply glue, place a napkin on top. Cover the napkin with a second layer of glue on top so that it is sufficiently saturated. The last step is fixing with varnish.

decorative painting

If you draw beautifully, then you can paint a pre-painted pipe with decorative patterns or ornaments. This will give your interior a special uniqueness.

Decorative painting.

Non-standard masking methods

Some panel building designs call for gas valves to be installed 75 cm from the floor, so that they are placed directly under the countertop. Alternatively, you can install a removable tabletop.

In this case, access to the gas valve can be provided at any time. A hole is made in the surface of the tabletop, located directly above the tap, in which a handle with a pipe attached to it is installed. A cut is made on the lower part of the pipe, which is put on the valve.

Thus, with this handle it is very easy to open or close the gas cock. Note that although such a camouflage option is somewhat unusual, gas services do not object to such a design.