Once youve managed to strip the fireplace!

[Anonymous]

After having spent what feels like days stripping 2 cast iron fire places I am at a loss to know what to paint on them to stop them going rusty. I don't want to put black paint on them but want a really sheer natural look. Any ideas?

 

[Anonymous]

Dont paint them. Use grate polish instead. There have been plenty of postings on this topic in the past.

 

[Anonymous]

Stovax make a 'Traditional Graphite Black Grate Polish'. It comes is a tube and you smear it on with a cloth and then polish it with another cloth to get a shiny finish. It's like the old Zebo.


Stovax

 

[Anonymous]

Definitely use the stuff that Biff recommends. Don't paint, whatever you do!

 

[Anonymous]

When using the grate polish, DON'T do what I did yesterday-- having carefully applied a fresh coat of paint to the walls to the back and sides of the log burner, I opened a tube of Zip to shine up the stove, expecting the usual paste to ooze out I squeezed--- the stuff came out as pure liquid and shot everywhere, spattering the walls and running down the stove onto the horrid black tiles left by our vendor. After several expletives too rude to repeat here , the paste appeared and I was able to proceed in the normal way. Actually I was, in the end, quite pleased with the soft matt finish that I got, and the cheap tiles now look like slate with the grout all covered in. A quick repaint and all is well.

Jocelyn

 

[Anonymous]

In the days before I had a washing machine I worked out that the best way to apply grate polish was in the buff. I found it was much easier to wash the stuff off bare skin than get it out of clothes.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that - really awful job - I have left one a couple of weeks and it has already got a bit of rust on it - can I the Traditional Graphite straight on top of the rust. I know that this is probably a really stupid question. d

 

[Anonymous]

I'd get as much of the rust off as you can first. Try a small brass wire brush, the sort you use on suede shoes. Then yes you can put the grate polish straight on. Give the tube a bit of a squish around, as the stuff can separate a little, giving the liquid squirt effect if you aren't aware.

I'm not sure what Nigel does with his grate polish to make such a mess; rubber gloves are a good idea, however. A wetsuit shouldn't be required...

Buy a pair of shoe polish brushes - put the first coat on with a stiff one, polish off with a soft one, rub up well with a clean, fluff-free cloth. If you are finding the stuff a little thick for the moulded parts, dilute it in a saucer with some white spirit and paint on with an old paint brush.

As well as Stovax, Liberon makes a good black grate paste, as does Hotspot. I found the latter best for my stove, it's a slightly different formula - a soft black without quite so much graphite. I use traditional for fireplaces, though. Hotspot also makes a grey polish.



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