We are here to help; maybe we still haven't answered your question? If you require further information email us here sales@gelittlegroup.co.uk 

General Questions:
Do you produce brochures or have a showroom?
Do you manufacture your own products?
From where do you source your timber products?

Ordering & Payment Questions
What payment methods can I use?
How do you protect my credit card details?

Radiator Cover Questions
How do I access my radiator valves once the radiator cover is fitted?
Can radiator covers be fitted over electric storage heaters or gas/electric fires/boilers?
Does adding a radiator cover obstruct heat flow?
Do you allow for extra "panels" as appropriate for the length of cover I'm ordering?
How accurate is the cutting process for made to measures and measurements provided for the ready made covers?
Do the grilles come fitted?
One of my panels has warped after painting/assembling - what can I do?
Is there any difference in specification between made to measure and ready made covers or between imported and UK made ready made covers?
How do the covers fit to the wall?
I want a "Classic" design ready made cover but also need a Classic made to measure - do they match?
I want a ready made cover that only comes in plain/primed - can you finish ready made covers?
The amount you add to get to the external cabinet size for made to measure covers means that the cover will not fit - what can I do?
How do I finish my cabinet and will you paint my cabinet to my choice of colour?
I want a large number of cabinets, can you provide a discount?
Can you supply samples of the white or barley white finishes for ready made or made to measure cabinets?

Louvre Door Questions
I can't find the size I want - can you make to measure?
What size are the louvre gaps and the side, top, bottom and centre stiles and how much can I trim?
Do you supply closed louvres or bi-fold doors?
Do you offer a finishing or trimming service for the doors?
Do you supply finished or painted doors?
What is ramin hardwood and clear pine?

Do you produce brochures or have a showroom?
We no longer produce brochures for our products, we display all products on our website. For made to measure wood veneers cabinets, we do offer a free sample service. CLICK HERE.

We do not have a physical shop or showroom - just offices and the factory/warehouse which are not open for public access.
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Do you manufacture your own products?
YES, we both manufacture and import products. Made to measure items are manufactured in the UK at our own facility. We also hold massive stocks of imported readymade covers and British made grilles. So we can respond to our customers requirements very quickly and provide a high customer service level we do not just "factor" other manufacturers' products on our internet site. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: We are in the process of moving all our production over from Medite MDF to moisture resistant MDF which is a higher density and therefore smoother flatter and easier to paint but with the added bonus of being moisture resistant too. Whilst this does mean customers are getting a higher quality material that is also easier to finish, the moisture resistant board has a green hue to it unlike the brown finish of the Medite MDF.

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From where do you source your timber products?
We are aware that we are using a natural resource when producing wood products. We are careful to ensure that all timber products used are harvested from sustainable and managed forests. This includes our MDF (wood pulp) for the real wood veneers used in producing the radiator covers and the Veneered MDF grilles.
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What payment methods can I use?
We accept all major credit and debit cards for payment of internet orders. Please DO NOT EVER put any Credit/debit card details in an email to us us this is not a secure transmission system. Payment is always taken in full at the time of ordering for all orders.

You can also print your order and post it to us and pay by cheque. However, we regret that no products will be dispatched until we have received and cleared your payment (approx 5 working days) as payment in advance is required to process all orders.
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How do you protect my credit card information when I order? (see also our privacy policy)
Your confidential information (which includes your credit card information) is sent between your computer and our server in a securely encrypted form which ensures that no other party can read it. Once you have placed items in your shopping basket and proceed to Checkout you will be required to register with your personal details (ie name, address, email). When you proceed to make your payment you are transferred (automatically) to the secure Worldpay site. Your payment is processed directly by WORLDPAY. We do not receive your credit card details and do not store such details. Once your payment is processed and approved by Worldpay you will receive via email an acknowledgement from Worldpay and a copy of our invoice/order confirmation for the goods you have ordered.
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How do I access my radiator valves once the radiator cover is fitted?
All our ready made and made to measure covers come with complete fixing instructions. Assembly of most covers only takes a few minutes. Both ready made and made to measure designs use "wall hook" fixings and once these are fitted to the wall removal, and repositioning, of the whole cover for access takes just seconds. In this way the whole cover surround can be taken off very easily for full access.

Alternatively, our made to measure classic removable front covers come with a sub-frame to allow the front panel to be completely removed and the Regal, Rhode Island and Plain MDF Chatsworth ready made designs all have a removable front.

Please note that if you wish to purchase a made to measure removable front cover in order to provide valve access then, provided you have the external space available, you will need to add a further 75mm to the length of your radiator when ordering for each side of the radiator you wish to gain access to (i.e. 150mm if you wish to gain access to both sides). This will then ensure that you can reach the sides of the radiators through the internal sub-frame.

With all our made to measure designs it is also possible when ordering to request a cut-out for valve access. You will need to measure the height and depth of your valve when ordering. For height you will need to measure from the floor to the centre of the thermostatic valve and for depth you will need to measure from the wall to the centre of the thermostatic valve. We will then cut a 150mm high x 90mm wide access hole and supply a cover flap for the hole.The side for the cut-out is taken as viewed standing in front of the radiator facing it. The minimum depth of radiator for this service is 100mm, if you enter a radiator depth of less than 100mm, we will increase the depth to 100mm. There is a nominal £10 charge for this addition.

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Can radiator covers be fitted over electric storage heaters or gas/electric fires or boilers etc?
All our cabinets are designed for use only with standard wet radiators and are not suitable for covering electric storage heaters or any other heat source such as fires etc. Anyone who wishes to cover a disused gas fire or boiler etc should cosult a GasSafe (formerly CORGI registered) plumber/engineer to ascertain whether or not this would be safe.

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Does adding a radiator cover obstruct heat flow?
In our experience MDF covers do not create any additional heat loss/output problems as MDF is very stable and does not absorb heat. The heat is pushed out in to the room (rather than just going straight up from the radiator). You will see that all designs have a large bottom vent (inlet) and another slightly smaller top vent (outlet) - this means that the cool air is pulled in through the bottom and convected up and out the top. As we do not restrict this convection process in the designs the heat output is maintained. In addition to the top and bottom vent all our grille options have approx 25-50% free airflow (more detailed info under "important info" on the decorative grilles ordering page).

The same principle applies to the covering of thermostatic valves. Most customers choose to cover their valves with their radiator cover rather than leaving them exposed. As above, as the air is drawn in at the foot of the radiator cover, the cooler air by-passes the valve in much the same way as it would were it not covered hence the thermostatic function is not affected.
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Do you allow for extra "panels" as appropriate for the length of cover I'm ordering?
The machine that manufactures the cover has macros that automatically calculate how many "panels" your cover will need to keep its perspective correct. On both the Classic and Cathedral designs, this means, you will have the correct number of square or arch "panels" automatically cut to maintain the correct look. On the Oval design the centre "Oval panel" stays in the centre and the horizontal and vertical connecting arms lengthen accordingly. The main change dimensions are 750mm, 1400mm, 2000mm
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How accurate is the cutting process for made to measures and measuremnts provided for the ready made covers?
We presently work to 0.1 of a millimetre (that's 1/10th of 1mm) in accuracy in the manufacture of all made to measure radiator covers.

The sizes detailed for ready made covers have a 5mm margin of error.

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Do the grilles come fitted?
Yes - all covers that require a grille will come with the ordered grille pre-fitted (other than Marble shaker cabinets). We fit anodised grilles after painting or lacquer coating, and MDF grilles are fitted prior to painting or finishing so they match the cover surround. If however you would prefer your grille to be supplied loose (made to measure only) then please email your request for this immediately after ordering.
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One of my panels has warped after painting/assembling - what can I do?
Unfortunately, MDF will often warp slightly when exposed to dampness (this can sometimes be due to being exposed to damp air in transit) - it is not the actual dampness that causes this but the uneven drying out i.e. one side drying out quicker than the other and is often more frequently noticed during the damper/colder months when cabinets are subject to more extremes of temperature before assembly (moving from the carrier's warehouse and lorries into centrally heated homes). It is for this reason that we always prime both front and rear sides of our cabinets whilst finishing them as this ensures more even drying and therefore eliminates warping during finishing. This warping is only temporary and will always straighten out once they have completely dried out or once the cabinet is assembled as the fittings pull the parts into place and ensure that the rigidity of the cabinet is maintained and prevents warping being possible.
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Is there any difference in specification between made to measure and ready made covers or between imported and UK made ready made covers?
Yes there is. Many of our ready made covers are imported which is why they are so cost-effective. They are all machined from 12-15mm MDF and the grilles are 3mm MDF grilles. Our own manufactured range are produced in our own facility here in the UK and we utilise 18mm standard Medite MDF (British produced) on all our cabinets and moisture resistant Medite for our made to measures and 19mm on veneered MDF with 4mm MDF grilles. 

The made to measure range are also manufactured with solid one-piece fronts whereas ready made covers usually have jointed fronts (the UK covers that do have one piece fronts have a groove in the front panels so that the fronts appear to be jointed).

The imported ready made covers also have push-fit connectors for assembly whereas all UK manufactured covers (ready made and made to measure) have more robust block and screw fixings (supplied).

The ready made range produced in the UK include the Squares and Lines design, Traditional (not clearance), New England and the Stars and Clouds ready made covers which are manufactured in our own facility from 18mm Medite MDF. Please note that none of these designs are available as a made to measure option other than Squares and Lines. The Traditional ready made covers are very similar to the made to measure Classic design, the main difference being the jointed front panel in the ready made design.

All our made to measure cabinets are manufactured from moisture resistant MDF (which has a green hue to it). This MDF is of a higher quality then the standard British Medite MDF and has the advantage of being easier for you to finish yourself as well as being moisture resistant.

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How do the covers fit to the wall?
Please ensure your cabinet is kept in dry conditions prior to assembly as exposure to damp will result in a slight swelling of the MDF fibres and may render it difficult to assemble your cabinet as the need to fit into tight slots and rebates that are machined to be tight so any swelling may make this difficult or impossible.

Made to Measure Covers: After the cover has been assembled - see Measuring & Assembly Information, they are easily fitted to the wall by "hook" fixings. Place the cover against the wall. Mark through onto the wall where the rebated grooves are in the underside of the top lid. Take the cover away, drill the holes and, using suitable fixings (standard fixings supplied - alternative fixings may be required e.g. for stud walls), afix the "hook" style fixings to the wall. Your cover will now "clip" over these hooks. The cover weight is actually taken by the floor, the fixings are designed to stop the cover from tipping forward for safety and to stop it from moving from side to side. The cover can be easily "unclipped" from the wall as and when required.

Ready Made Covers: These utilise slightly different fittings but the same principle as above save for the Elan range which utilise standard mirror plates for fixing to the wall.

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I have bought "Classic" design made to measure covers from you and now need a ready made in the same range - do they match?
The made to measure Classic covers that we do are similar to the imported ones but we would not recommend them to be placed in the same room together – we manufacture our made to measures in our factory and we use a much thicker MDF than the imported ones and there are other subtle differences too which would become apparent if they were placed next to each other (e.g. ours have solid one-piece fronts and the imported covers are jointed). The wood veneers in our made to measure range cannot be matched to those in the imported ready made range and we only offer a sample service for the wood veneer finish in our made to measure range. We can also not guarantee that the satin white finish on the imported covers will be an accurate match for those painted in our own facility.

The made to measure Classic range is closer in design to the ready made Traditional range as both are made here in our own facility and from 18mm MDF and 4mm grilles and are painted using the same paint as the made to measure covers. The only difference is that the ready made Traditional covers have a jointed front panel whereas the Classic made to measures have solid one piece front frames and also the made to measures have only one central upright in the top of the front panel whereas the Traditional ready mades have different numbers of uprights depending on size (see product photos).
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I want a ready made cover but you are only offering plain/primed and I want primed/painted - can you finish ready made covers?
No, many of our ready made ranges are imported and therfore these come into us pre-packaged so we are unable to offer any sort of finishing services for these covers.
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The amount you add to get to the external cabinet size for made to measure covers means that the cover will not fit - what can I do?

Here are the full details of exactly what measurements (and why) we add to your radiator measurements in order to get to the finished external cabinet measurements:

The overall external size of your made to measure cabinet can be determined by adding the following dimensions to the radiator Length, Height & Depth measurements that you provide us with:

The overall external length of the made to measure cabinet will be 56mm longer than the measurement entered into the length box. This allows 10mm each end for air flow and 18mm each end for the thickness of the side panels. The top shelf will overhang the radiator cover by an additional 20mm at each end.

The overall external height of the made to measure radiator cover will be 68mm taller than the measurement entered in this box. This allows a minimum of 20mm for airflow and fittings above the radiator and 18mm for the thickness of the top shelf as well as a further 30mm for further airflow and cosmetic reasons - to remove or reduce this addition would result in the radiator being visible through the top vents of the cover.

The overall external depth of your made to measure radiator cover will be 52mm deeper than the measurement entered into this box (to the front of the side panels). This is made up of 10mm for airflow, 18mm for MDF thickness, 4mm for grille thickness and 20mm for the construction of the cabinet (as the front panel is recessed into the side panels). The top shelf will be a total of 62mm deeper than the measurement entered in this box (as there is a 10mm front shelf overhang). Please note that an additional 18mm is added to the external depth in the case of our classic design covers with removable fronts to allow for the internal sub-frame.

As you can see, some of the additions (particularly the height) do have a little leeway if required. If you need to ensure that the cabinet is smaller or larger on the length, height or depth then you will need to artificially reduce or increase the appropriate radiator measurement you enter into the box when ordering. i.e. if you need to reduce the height by 10mm then simply subtract 10mm from the real height of your radiator when ordering and this will ensure that the cabinet is 10mm smaller.

The max you can reduce the length (excluding shelf overhangs) is 20mm (i.e. the airflow on both sides but ideally you should if possible ensure there is at least 2mm or so each side); the max you can reduce the height is 30mm but note the caveat above and in addition, max reductions such as this will make the fitting of the cover to the wall a little tighter and trickier then usual. The max the depth can be reduced is 8mm as it is essential to retain some clearance to the rear of the grille. Should you wish to reduce the height further so that the internal space does not allow at least 20mm required for the internal fixings then you will need to use external fittings to fix the cabinet back to the wall. These can be ordered online under other products - radiator cover accessories. Ideally 20mm should also be allowed for airflow - reducing this further is not ideal for airflow and may impinge on rad efficiency but will not cause any safety issues.

If you wish to reduce or remove the side top shelf overhangs or have different size skirting cut outs on each cabinet side then simply order in the normal way and then email us after ordering to confirm the sizes of the side shelf overhangs/skirting cut-outs etc you require and we will confirm the amendment via email.

If you are in any doubt as to the measurements, do please email us.

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How do I finish my cabinet and will you paint my cabinet in my choice of colour?
Please ensure your cabinet is kept in dry conditions prior to assembly as exposure to damp will result in a slight swelling of the MDF fibres and may render it difficult to assemble your cabinet as the need to fit into tight slots and rebates that are machined to be tight so any swelling may make this difficult or impossible.

For plain MDF cabinets we would recommend that you gently sand any rough edges using fine grade sandpaper. Remove any dust with a soft damp cloth. Then coat with primer before applying your chosen colour. 

For primed cabinets a light sanding before applying your chosen colour is recommended.

As with all woodwork, it is strongly recommended that you wear a mask and work in a well-ventilated area.

We also recommend priming and painting the cabinet before assembly for ease of painting - the grilled front panel is best painted by placing this on newspaper (or other protected flat surface) on the floor and painting/priming utilising a roller. Care should be taken when priming/painting the grille panels as these are decorative grilles (3mm thick on imported covers and 4mm on UK made covers) with approx 50% airflow and therefore quite delicate so care should be exercised to ensure that not too much pressure is applied.

Any paint is suitable for finishing but we would recommend an oil based paint to ensure the finish is waterproof and relatively easy to clean.

Unfinished oak veneer cabinets will require a light sanding before they are ready to be either stained and/or varnished or lacquered as required. The veneer on the rear of the grille panels may also require a light sanding as the low grade veneer utilised on the rear of these panels (added for machining purposes only) may flake or chip but this will not be visible from the front of the cabinet but you may wish to remove any loose flakes from the rear prior to finishing (please see manufacturing information for more detail).

Only the unfinished oak veneer cabinets are suitable for staining/varnishing/lacquering to your requirements as these are the unfinished cabinets with a wood grain.

We are unable to paint our cabinets to any other finishes other than those detailed on our ordering pages i.e. primed, white, barley white or one of the wood veneer finishes.

All our made to measure cabinets are manufactured from moisture resistant MDF (which has a green hue to it). This MDF is of a higher quality then the standard British Medite MDF and has the advantage of being easier for you to finish yourself as well as being moisture resistant.

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I want a large number of cabinets, can you provide a discount?

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Can you supply samples of the white or barley white finishes for ready made or made to measure cabinets or colour match?
I am afraid we are only able to supply samples of our made to measure wood veneer options. All painted cabinets (imported/UK and made to measure or ready made) are all finished with a satin white or satin barley white paint (satin refers to the finish i.e. 60% gloss additive and not the shade of white). None of the cabinets are finished in a "brilliant white". There are however many different shades of white available so if it is important for you to match your cabinet to existing painted woodwork etc then we would recommend purchasing a cabinet in a primed or plain MDF so you can finish this yourself to ensure a match. We are unable to provide a colour matching service or custom colour option.

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Louvre Door Questions

I can't find the size I want - can you make to measure?
No, I'm afraid that we do not produce these doors - they are all imported and are therefore unavailable in a made to measure range. However, there is a small amount of leeway in the louvre doors to enable them to be cut down very slightly on top/bottom - this would have to be carried out by the customer as this is not a service we offer.
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What size are the side, top, bottom and centre stiles and how much can I trim?

The gap between the louvres is 3mm if measured at the shortest point but is approx 5-6mm if measured between the edges of the louvres (as they are angled).

The doors do vary slightly depending on manufacturer and whether they are ramin or pine but all doors have a side stile width of 45mm from which a max of 20mm each side may be trimmed. The tops have a minimum of 65mm from which a max of 30mm can be trimmed and the bottoms have a minimum stile size of 70mm from which a max of 25mm can be trimmed (although some of the hardwood doors do have a bottom stile of 115mm from which a max of 60mm may be trimmed). All doors of 1500mm height and above (pine and hardwood) have a centre rail for stability. If the size of this rail is important please email us in advance detailing which size(s) you are enquiring about.

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Do you supply closed louvres?
No we only sell open louvre doors and do not sell bi-fold doors or any bi-fold accessories.
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Do you offer a finishing or trimming service for the doors?
We are unable to provide either a trimming or finishing service.
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Do you supply finished or painted doors?
No, all our doors are supplied unfinished and ready for you to paint, stain or varnish as required.
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What is ramin hardwood?

Ramin is a hardwood similar to a natural oak - the depth of shade is similar to pine as is the case with all blonde hardwoods but the grain is more akin to oak than pine (i.e. no knots etc as with pine). The clear pine doors we stock are clear (i.e. without any knots in the wood) unfinished pine softwood.
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