- Thread starter Bogart
- Start date
Worked for an electrical rewind place may years ago. All the motors were given a spray of Hammerite before going out the door. Years later, some of those motors would come back for another rewind, and that paint would still be there even after going through an oven.
Hammerite is probably not the sort of paint one would want to use on a radiator, but the Smoothrite is also pretty tough. Just watch the recoat times if you decide to use it.
Hammerite is probably not the sort of paint one would want to use on a radiator, but the Smoothrite is also pretty tough. Just watch the recoat times if you decide to use it.
CliffordPope
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Why do you need special paint?
I just use the ordinary paint as on woodwork, usually satinwood. Available in hundreds of colours from the Dulux machine.
I just use the ordinary paint as on woodwork, usually satinwood. Available in hundreds of colours from the Dulux machine.
Abi Cott
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I know whites tend to discolour on radiators, but if you're not using white I would tend to agree with Clifford Pope. If I was being particular about paints able to withstand a certain degree of heat I might consider car paint. A bonnet on a summers day can be a fairly toasty location.
88v8
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In our previous house I installed thirteen second-hand cast-iron rads.
I painted them all in cream of various hues.
Oil.
There is or was 'radiator paint' like this
https://www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/blackfriar-quick-dry-radiator-paint-white-500ml?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIksmKwMbl1gIVCxHTCh2fVgW_EAQYASABEgK_O_D_BwE&v=5222497
which I tried once but found it dried too fast.
I painted by hand. It did take a while. I used a radiator brush.
Like this but the head was the other way round, with the bristles across rather than along, if you follow me.
https://www.brewers.co.uk/product/JL4012R
Worked inside to out, one 'side' of the rad, then the next day the other side, so two days per coat. I found that trying to do both 'sides' at the same time, I was knocking the paint I'd just applied.
Wasn't aware of any discolouring, the only problem I had over the years was poor adhesion in some cases, that led to cracking of the paint on top of the rad, so I think it's important to clean thoroughly.
To minimise cracking it's also best to cover with the minimum of paint thickness. If one looks at the original factory coat of old rads, it was just a flash.
Ivor
I painted them all in cream of various hues.
Oil.
There is or was 'radiator paint' like this
https://www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/blackfriar-quick-dry-radiator-paint-white-500ml?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIksmKwMbl1gIVCxHTCh2fVgW_EAQYASABEgK_O_D_BwE&v=5222497
which I tried once but found it dried too fast.
I painted by hand. It did take a while. I used a radiator brush.
Like this but the head was the other way round, with the bristles across rather than along, if you follow me.
https://www.brewers.co.uk/product/JL4012R
Worked inside to out, one 'side' of the rad, then the next day the other side, so two days per coat. I found that trying to do both 'sides' at the same time, I was knocking the paint I'd just applied.
Wasn't aware of any discolouring, the only problem I had over the years was poor adhesion in some cases, that led to cracking of the paint on top of the rad, so I think it's important to clean thoroughly.
To minimise cracking it's also best to cover with the minimum of paint thickness. If one looks at the original factory coat of old rads, it was just a flash.
Ivor
Zebra
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I used F&B eggshell. Been on three years, not cracked. Chose a lovely (in my opinion) grey called Mole's Back.
88v8
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Three years? Faugh!
Some of ours was on thirty years, I never repainted.
The problem, I think, was inadequate prep of our second-hand rads, and excessive paint thickness.
Ivor
Some of ours was on thirty years, I never repainted.
The problem, I think, was inadequate prep of our second-hand rads, and excessive paint thickness.
Ivor
Zebra
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88v8 said:
Three years so far, Ivor. I'll let you know in another 27.
Spoilt Victorian Child
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The advice I got from a radiator refurber was just don't use a water-based paint, otherwise any paint will do it.
Zebra
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Well there you are. More than one way to peel a feline.
88v8
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Bogart said:
I can back up my recommendation with 30 years experience. Ask the water enthusiasts in ten years.
We also had one rad powder-coated, that was in 1991. It was still perfect when we sold in 2012. However, as usual with powder coat, it all depends on the prep and who's applying the powder.
Ivor
Flyfisher
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In our previous house we painted the radiators the same colour as the walls using the same emulsion paint. I can't remember the brand but probably Dulux, probably satin. We had a range of colours from pale yellows to a fairly deep red and a very dark blue (teenagers!). In 20 years I didn't notice any discolouration. I can't speak for the performance of plain white, but even if it does discolour slightly after a few years, how long would it take to repaint a radiator?
monmaison2009
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We have used Farrow and Ball for all our cast iron radiators. They have also been sprayed. What I can say is that they look great and the colour scheme matches with walls and wood finishes also in Farrow and Ball. They have been painted 2 years ago and they get cleaned every week with a damp cloth. However the paint is not very resilient to knocks. I hope this helps