Painting radiators is unlike any other household painting job. It just isn’t the same as painting walls, skirting boards or even doors: there is a lot more to it than that. When you decide to paint your radiator you will have to plan carefully to make sure you don’t mess the job up. If you mess up this paint job you could end up with a radiator which has lots of terrible looking air bubbles and you might even have to spend quite a bit of cash correcting the mistake.

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In this article, we will go through a step-by-step guide on how to paint your radiator in the best possible way. We will look at what you will need to paint your radiators and towel radiators and also talk about what type of paint you should use.

 

How to Paint a Radiator

In this article, we will cover these topics:

Why Should I Paint My Radiator?

You might not want to spend a lot of money on a new radiator- yet. New Bespoke Painted Radiators can be quite costly depending on where you shop and then you need to think about the price of having the system installed and any delivery costs involved. You might then decide to paint your radiator instead, which in the long run is less of a financial strain. Old radiators can be given a fresh new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint, it’s amazing how clean and brand new they can look. You can turn painting your radiator into a project and make it fun by experimenting with colours. It is a great idea and one which will have your radiator look fabulous, whilst saving you money. If you have looked at Chrome Towel Radiators you’ll know that these already come in a beautiful metallic hue. You’d be better off not painting this radiator style as they already look amazing the way they are!

What Things Do I Need before Painting  Radiators

Thinking about grabbing your paint brushes right now? Hold on a second! You’ll need to make a couple of simple preparations before you rush in. You don’t want to make any costly mistakes at this point such as getting the wrong paint or brushes. Before starting on your radiator you’ll need to make sure the radiator is cold and that it won’t turn on during the painting process. It is important to isolate the radiator and keep the radiator turned off until the paint has dried. Ideally, you’ll want to paint your radiator whilst it’s off the wall, as it makes the whole process easier. Removing the radiator from the wall is a very simple task and just requires you to lift the radiator up from the hinges and move it away from the wall. For more information, check out our blog for a simple seven-step guide detailing how to move your radiator with minimal fuss.

You should spend some time cleaning your radiator and making sure you remove the dirt or dust that will have accumulated over time. It may be worth laying down a dust sheet to stop any dirt or dust spreading around the house. After you have cleaned and wiped down the radiator and made sure it is clean and free of dirt, you should rub the radiator gently with a medium grade or fine sandpaper. If you need some top tips for cleaning your radiator, check out our blog.

The reason for doing this is so that you create a rough surface so the paint has something to stick to. The sandpaper you should use is one which has a FEPA grit of about P100. Rust spots are also something else you should look out for as these can interfere with the paint. You can remove rust spots with a stiff brush and some rust stripper. When you’ve cleared up the rust spots, sanded the radiator down and cleaned and vacuumed the surface, you now need to wipe the radiator over with a damp cloth to remove any tiny particles of dust. Then wipe the radiator down again with a dry cloth, making sure there are no damp spots. Before you start painting your radiator make sure you place down some dust sheets under the radiator so that you don’t get drops of paint onto the floor. You can also use masking tape to mask off any areas near the radiator you don’t want paint on.

Do You Need Special Paint For A Radiator?

When painting your radiators, you shouldn’t use normal, everyday paint unless you’ve applied a proper undercoat and are painting on the correct type of radiator.

The major issue with using standard paint is related to the extreme high and low temperatures of a rad. This flux in temperate can easily weaken this type of paint, expanding and shrinking it to eventually crack and weaken the paint you’ve worked so hard to apply. Bear in mind that this heat will literally “bake” your paint and can cause discolouration and an accumulation of dust and grime.
For this reason, it’s better to know which paint to apply to a heating system for the best results. If you do choose to go ahead with normal paint, be sure to apply a “clear radiator overcoat”. Some experts recommend this for cast iron radiators and steel radiators. In particular, using a specialist radiator primer or metal primer will give your paint a proper surface to bond to and will stop rust with its anti-corrosive properties.

Don’t skip this step! It’s the key to long-term coverage that lasts. Without this step, your radiator could be prone to rust and have a dull, lifeless finish. There are a number of heat-resistant radiator paints on offer, both in the form of paint tins and in aerosol cans for spray painting.

What kind of paint do you use on a radiator?

When it comes to painting your radiator you must never think you can use normal everyday paints like the ones we use for our walls. These paints whilst good, are not heat resistant, lose their colour over time, and may even give off an unpleasant smell. There are however some other great options you can choose from, and it all depends on what is suitable for you and what you can afford.

Radiator Paint:  It is strongly advised that you use radiator paint especially if you plan to paint your radiator white. Using any other paint may cause the radiator to turn yellow or discoloured over time. There is a whole range of heat resistant paints available so it’s worth investing in some.

Spray Paint: Some people choose to spray paint their radiator, but you’ll probably want to remove the radiator from the wall before you start. Painting your radiator this way will almost guarantee a tidy clean finish, and there are no drips or spills to worry about with this method.

Clear Radiator Overcoat:  If you really want to paint your radiator with an everyday emulsion then you should use a clear radiator overcoat on top. All you need to do is choose your colour, paint the radiator (It may need more than 1 coat of paint) and then apply the overcoat on top. This will give your radiator a smooth protective coating.

Is Primer Needed Before I paint?

It’s important that you prime the surface of your radiator before you paint it and for that, you’ll need to use a specialist radiator primer. This step is imperative as it will ensure that bare and rusted areas of the radiator are protected and won’t be interfered with. Priming your radiator will also give you a great base for the coats of paint and will mean you’ll have a nice smooth finish. If you find that your radiator does have a few rust spots you should definitely invest in an anti-corrosive primer because this will really help to prevent the rust from getting any worse and doing some terrible damage to your radiator. You don’t need to use a fancy paintbrush when it comes to applying your primer, a normal everyday paintbrush will do. If you really want to access the awkward areas of the radiator you should definitely get a specially angled radiator brush as this will make painting those difficult to reach areas easier.

Painting Radiators

Once the primer is dry and you have made all the necessary preparations, you are finally ready to paint your radiator. Opens the doors and windows to allow the room to be well ventilated before you start. If you opted to spray paint your radiator you’ll need to give the can a good shake and make sure you take the lid off and give the paint a good mix with a stick.

When it comes to applying the paint you should paint the radiator the same way you would do a wall. For the best results, you should make sure you don’t apply the paint too thickly as this can cause the paint to run. Start painting the radiator from top to bottom and paint the flutes a couple at a time. Once you have painted the first coat you should repeat the process all the way along with the radiator until you have painted everything. Using an angled radiator will help you reach the extra awkward areas especially if you have a column Radiator. After painting the first coat it’s a good idea to wait 24 hours before painting the second coat to make sure the first coat has dried perfectly. Once the second coat has been applied you should make sure that the radiator is completely dry before turning your radiator back on. It’s a good idea to wait at least a day or two before turning the heating back on.

Is It Safe To Paint Radiators?

For some people, painting heating equipment might sound dangerous. But - don’t worry - it’s not dangerous if you follow best practices. First of all, you should sand your radiator, especially if your rad is covered in chipped or faded paint. If you don't remove all loose bits of paint, the new finish simply won’t hold up. If you’d prefer, you can use chemical paint remover as well. If the radiator has old paint that might contain lead, the safest method of paint removal is with the chemical paint remover. That’s because it won’t release lead into the air to the extent that it would be released when sanding.

If you want a clear coat, some experts suggest using polyurethane and the best finish by far is achieved with spray paint, both in terms of durability and consistent appearance. A high-temperature paint can be used, too, but it is not absolutely necessary as the temperature of the steam is within the working range of most spray paints.

Finally, don’t use a latex spray… it will not provide a tough enough finish. Instead, we recommend gloss oil as the best option.

For more information on painting your radiator, check out our blog on the dilemma of painting your old radiator. 

Conclusion: You’ve Just Painted A Radiator!

Once you have painted your radiator you can finally sit and relax and wait for the paint to dry. You’ll be amazed at how wonderful your radiator will look once it’s dried! Your radiator will look like new and it can now play its part as a wonderful feature in your room. Whilst the paint is drying you may notice a strong smell coming from the radiator but you should not worry. This smell will definitely disappear after a couple of days so you won’t have to put up with it for long. To combat any strong smells you should keep your windows open for a while until the smell disappears or the paint dries. After a few days, if your radiator still smells, check our blog for a step-by-step guide on how to battle it.  If you are painting a White Towel Rail and not a standard radiator you may want to leave it to dry for longer since bathrooms are humid spaces. Keep the windows open for longer if that is the case.

If this seems like too much hassle, check out our huge range of designer radiators!

Our Coloured Radiators

If you'd prefer to purchase a new radiator instead of the DIY solution, we have a colourful collection of radiators to liven up your living room or match your home's colour scheme perfectly. With the diverse range of colours available, you can be sure that there'll be a design and colour combination to suit your home.

Is It Time To Replace Your Radiator?

It may be time to refresh your home heating system and order a new radiator. If painting your radiator seems like a daunting task then it will be worth checking out some of the designer radiators we have in stock.

Our Range Of Radiators Includes

Our range of radiators includes great high quality aluminium radiators, traditional radiators, grey radiators and many more!

Shop Radiators By Room 

To make yous shopping experience easier we have made it easy to browse by rooms of the house. Check out our radiators for bathrooms, radiators for the kitchen and radiators for a living room.

When choosing a new radiator it's important to know what heat output you'll need for your rooms. To work this out easily we have created a handy radiator calculator to help work this out.

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