Radiator Paint

nheather

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Hi,

In the past, I've just used gloss white but it does yellow quickly.

I have a radiator off the wall that needs painting. I tried a tin of cheap radiator paint. It is acrylic and I don't have a lot of luck with acrylic - I find it dries to quickly so leaves brush marks and if you overpaint an area that has just been done (don't mean 2nd coat, just when you brush over an area just done to blend it) it tends to rip the paint apart as it will have already started to dry.

The radiator paint was no exception - I have done one coat and it is full of brush marks.

So thinking what to do.

What are the aerosols like - I know they work fine but what sort of coverage do you get out of them - will one can do one side and the top of a largish (1.6m x 0.6 m = 0.96 metres squared) radiator - or will it need multiple cans.

Failing that hammerite do spirit based radiator paint.

I'd love to be able to use acrylic because it is so much cleaner but I can't seem to get on with it at all - not a beginner either have many years of successful DIY experience.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
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The problem is coverage. These aerosol cans typically cost £8 to £10, and this one is the first I seen on the internet that states the coverage - 0.5 square metres.

So I would need at least 2 cans. Also I'm not sure what they mean by coverage - is that a single coat or the number of coats needed to get a proper finish.

Probably end up more than £30 in paint.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
I'd do 1 1/2 radiators with 2 cans. You don't need to do the backs just the front and the edges. If you are careful, applying several fine coats you can cover a lot of area per can.

They always produce excellent results. Several people have commented on them. A plumber thought we had new radiators fitted.
 
We paint the radiators the same colour as the walls from the same tin of paint, then once dry we overpaint with a clear radiator coating that seals the wall paint on. It makes the rad a little darker but does a top job..
 
Hammerite Radiator paint, the spirit based, non quick drying one, is fine, especially when put on with a decent gloss roller.
If the radiator has indented parts, use a brush on them liberally, then just do the rest with the roller, perfect job.
You might even get away with using a gloss roller if the rad doesn't sink in too much if it's the kind thats not too, for lack of a better word, corrugated, as my parents one are.

I did my parents upstairs ones a couple of years ago, and got away with a gloss roller, just doing the front, and rolling the side panels(which come off) seperately, and their top panel, which is like a sieve, I just laid flat and used a brush, and let the excess drips fall onto newspaper, then lifted it up, and brushed the remains away, and laid it flat to dry.

Top job..mum was impressed, no brush strokes either....dad not so, as he thought radiator paint was rubbish.:laugh:
 
Have a similar problem with our bathroom rad as the paint (half inch thick gloss) has bubbled and the kids have picked at it. So I'm gonna replace it with a chrome one.....
 

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