Difficulties Of Painting Your Own Cast Iron Radiators

By Author: Edward Hall
Total Articles: 93
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Cast iron radiators are often supplied in either primer undercoat paint or alternatively a finished top coat to protect and finish the radiator. If you choose to paint the radiators yourself and have them delivered in a primer undercoat you will need to paint two top coats onto the primer.

It is often tempting to leave the cast iron radiator finished in just the primer however this is not advisable as primer paint is designed to be an undercoat to protect the bare metal of the radiator from rusting in readiness for a top finishing coat. Primer paint is also not as smooth as top coat paint as it is designed for the top coat to be attracted and easily applied to the primer. As the primer is not smooth it is very difficult to dust or remove marks which can leave your cast iron radiator looking unsightly.

The best paint to use as a top coat is oil based paint which is durable to a high heat to avoid cracking or pealing of the paint as the radiator becomes hot and then cold. Cast iron radiators are usually supplied custom built and ready to install which raises the problem of being able to reach all areas of the radiator ...
... sections giving further difficulty in gaining an even coverage of paint. Once the radiator is in situ, painting behind the radiator is not easy to achieve due to the narrow spacing between each section of the radiator.

Using a brush to paint a cast iron radiator can cause brush marks and again even coverage is difficult to achieve. If you have decided to paint with a brush and are unhappy with the finish, it is very difficult to remove the paint with the only successful method being shot blasting which would require un-plumbing of the radiator and taking to a specialist shot blaster which can turn out to be a costly exercise and may well cause leakage problems to occur.

The best and most aesthetically pleasing method to paint a radiator is to wet spray each section of the radiator before the sections are built together to create the desired length of radiator you require to heat your room sufficiently. Spray painting each section separately allows all areas of the sections to be reached easily and the spray gives an even coverage. It is therefore recommended to have a specialist to paint a traditional cast iron radiator already built and in situ or to have your reproduction cast iron radiator supplied custom painted by a reputable supplier.

Certain specialist cast iron radiator suppliers, such as Paladin Radiators, have mastered the art of distressed and high light paint effects, adding value and interest to your cast iron radiator. These effects are difficult to achieve at home unless you hire a professional paint specialist.

Always check that the primer paint your cast iron radiator coated with will be compatible with your chosen top coat paint, a reputable dealer of cast iron radiators should be able to advise what primer has been applied and what top coat paints are applicable.

With many years in the heating and plumbing industry Edward Hall has been writing on such subjects as cast iron radiators and traditional radiators imparting his vast knowledge on the subject.