DIY Heater Cover: A Simple, Zero-Cost Makeover for a Spare Heater

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. The kids started school, and I’m still finishing that bedroom project. Today’s small project centers on a spare electric heater we keep in the room for extra cold evenings. It usually sits behind the bed and serves as a convenient spot for a lamp, but in its current condition it didn’t look presentable or stable enough to hold anything important. I decided to make a simple cover to both hide and strengthen it.

Materials I Used

I kept this low-cost and low-effort: a piece of old cardboard, a stapler, some washi tape I already had, and a leftover bit of sheet fabric to make a skirt. No special tools were needed—just what you might already have at home.

Step-by-Step: From Cardboard to Covered

First I cut the cardboard into a rectangle sized to sit on top of the heater. Once the rectangle was ready I folded it and stapled the edges to form a box-like cover. The basic shape was sturdy enough, but it didn’t look very attractive.

To improve both appearance and strength I wrapped the cardboard with washi tape. I had some One Direction-themed tape in the blue room that nobody was using, and rather than let it sit unused, I turned it into a decorative reinforcement. The tape not only added color and personality, it reinforced seams and made the top cover stiffer and more durable.

The washi tape gave the cover a playful, almost abstract look. My daughter used to adore that band, so the tape had sentimental value too, even if it made Harry look rather young in the picture printed on it.

Adding a Fabric Skirt

To hide the heater’s sides and give the finished piece a softer look, I made a skirt from an old sheet. I folded the fabric into a rectangle to fit around the heater and sewed two sides, leaving the top and bottom open so it could slip on easily. Using a neutral or matching fabric helps the covered heater blend into the room as a small side table rather than an appliance.

With the skirt in place, I popped the taped cardboard cover on top. The top is now flat and stable enough for a lamp or small accessories, and the whole unit reads like a compact side table rather than an exposed heater.

A Bit of Family Feedback

When my other daughter—who prefers the Beatles—saw the finished piece she teased, “This is going in the Wrong Direction!” The joke stuck, and our little covered heater earned a new nickname. Regardless of the joke, the result does the job: it hides the unsightly heater, provides a level surface for a lamp, and cost nothing to make.

Before and After

Here’s a reminder of how the heater looked before—plain and exposed—and how it now functions as a discreet, useful piece of bedroom furniture.

Final Thoughts and Tips

Wrong direction or not, the finished piece is sturdy enough to hold a few items, hides the unsightly heater, and cost nothing to make. A few quick tips if you try this yourself:

• Measure the heater before cutting cardboard so the cover sits flush and stable.
• Reinforce the inside seams of the cardboard with extra tape for greater durability.
• Use fire-safe materials if the heater will be in use; keep fabric and paper a safe distance from any heat source.
• Choose a fabric or tape design that complements the room to make the covered heater look intentional and decorative.

Now tell me the truth—could you have guessed what was hiding under there? If you enjoyed this quick DIY, share the idea with friends or save it for later inspiration. If you’d like regular updates on simple projects like this, consider subscribing to the blog to receive new posts a couple of times each week.

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