How do I Paint Radiators? | Decorating Centre Online

How can I Paint my Radiators?

Whether you are just looking for a quick change of colour, or your old radiator paint is flaking, or perhaps you just want it to match the rest of your colour scheme in your space, you can easily incorporate your radiator into your colour scheme.

However, painting radiators is a little different to painting walls, which means that you should perhaps follow the step-by-step guide below to ensure that the paint looks great and lasts a long time too!

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Why Should I Paint my Radiators?

Painting your radiator can be a cheap, easy and very effective way of transforming the look of your room!

Whether you prefer a radiator which will nicely co-ordinate your heating with the rest of the colour scheme of your room, or if you would like it to blend into your walls, or even if you would prefer your radiators to stand out from the crowd with a brilliantly bold colour, painting them is an easy way to revitalise a very handy appliance.

So, below is a very easy to follow step-by-step guide on how to paint radiators with all the handy tips and tricks you will need in order to ensure that your new painted radiator is not only durable and long-lasting, but also so that it leaves a smooth and beautiful looking finish too!

What Paint should I use for my Radiators?

There are a few different options you can go for when painting your radiator, from aerosols and white radiator paint, to other hard-wearing finishes which are able to be tinted and able to be Colour matched too.

Some of the different paints which you can use for radiators are:

· Quick Drying Radiator Paint 250mls £7.50

This radiator paint is specifically designed to adhere to the glossy surface of radiators, as well as to resist flaking or peeling off with any temperature changes (which often occur when painting on a source of heat).

Quick Drying Radiator Paint is tough and durable, as well as being non-yellowing with a heat resistant finish. This paint is for interior use on radiators, storage heaters and even pipework as it can withstand temperatures of up to 150°C.

This paint is also suitable for use on either water or oil filled radiators, if the surface it is applied to is clean, dry, sound and free from wax, grease and any other contamination.

This Quick Drying Radiator Paint should be applied to cold surfaces initially, as well as being protected from water or steam for at least 2-3 days after application.

This product will not need a primer beforehand.

· Rust-oleum Radiator Enamel White £10.50

Rust-oleum Radiator Enamel White Satin Finish is a quick-drying, ultra-tough, heat-resistant finish.

This radiator enamel is also washable as well as being moisture resistant which helps aid the reduction of rusting.

Specifically formulated for the finishing and refinishing of the exterior of radiators, this radiator enamel is usually touch dry within an hour of applying, and hard dry within 24 hours.

It can be re-coated after either an hour or 24 hours. Depending on the specific surface you intend to coat, different preparations must be completed before applying this product.

This product will not need the surface to be primed before spray painting.

· Acrylic Eggshell Finish Colour Match Paint from £13.99

Unlike the above paint finishes, this one does not explicitly suggest what its properties are, however it is one of the best paints out there if you need a finish which is durable and very hard wearing.

The acrylic eggshell finish has a subtle sheen- much like the soft sheen finish detailed above- however it is slightly glossier then the soft sheen finish.

This type of paint finish words wonderfully if you need to scrub your paint, or if you need it to withstand knocks, scrapes, or high traffic areas. This is because acrylic eggshell paint finishes have a low sheen, but a very high level of resistance.

With our in-house tinting machine, we have the capability to mix over 16,000 colours! So, whatever you're looking for we can create it for you just simply follow the three steps below and tell us the name and brand of colour you would like to match and let us do the rest!

This paint will need a layer of primer before painting your radiator.

· Zinsser AllCoat Exterior Colour Match Paint from £20.99

Zinsser AllCoat is self-priming and can be applied to previously painted surfaces without sanding, even over glossy paints or those coated with bitumen, tar, varnish or creosote - for most jobs, these is no need to purchase a separate primer.

Zinsser AllCoat gives excellent resistance against cracking, blistering and flaking. The tough finish is resistant to rain and severe weather and offers excellent colour retention.

In addition, the paint contains a biocide to protect the dried coating against fungal degradation. After removing any existing mould and mildew, two coats of AllCoat will ensure that any exterior looks bright and beautiful for years.

This paint will not need a layer of primer before painting.

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How can I Paint my Radiators?

Although painting radiators is easier than most people think, it is vital that you have all the correct equipment ready and at your disposal, before you begin your radiator painting journey.

What you will need:

· Radiator (obviously!)

· Dust Sheets

· Assorted Sandpaper

· Primer (depending on the surface of your radiator)

· Paint- either radiator paint or Gloss

· Paintbrushes- for both the primer and your paint afterwards

· Spare cardboard

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TOP TIP: Before you start, make sure that you have some extra cardboard for you to ensure that no paint hits the wall when you are painting the pipework (if you have decided to match the pipes with the radiator too).

The splashes can be very difficult to remove from any walls, so it is always best to prepare for any splashes which may potentially spoil the look.

Check out the video below on how to paint a rusty radiator with cracks!

Step 1: Turn off the Radiator and ensure that a form of Ventilation is available

Although it may seem obvious to some, switching off the radiators- and ensuring that they remain switched off- during painting is vital.

This is because, if your radiator is hot, or even still warm from cooling down, it can result in your paint and primer dripping down the radiator.

This will result in a less than smooth surface to your radiator and therefore will make them look shabby and coated with drips too.

Ensuring that a form of ventilation is available is essential for you to not breathe in any paint fumes- especially if it is an oil-based paint which you have decided to use- however this is also essential if you are using an aerosol spray paint for radiator paint.

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Step 2: Prepare the Area for Painting

This step is very similar to preparing areas for painting in general, however you must be aware that you are preparing a smaller, more delicate area for painting and therefore need to take some minor precautions.

Moving any furniture out of the way of your painting is vital for you not to accidentally spill paint over the sofas or other items in your home.

However, if there are larger pieces of furniture which just cannot be moved out of the way of your painting- say you are painting in a smaller room, or even have furniture that its bolted into the walls- you must ensure that you cover them in a suitable dust sheet such as a polythene dust sheet or even a cloth dust sheet.

As stated in the top tips section detailed above, you must ensure that you prepare the radiator by putting any spare cardboard at the back of the radiator if you are painting the pipes.

Even if you are not painting the pipes, it is essential that you use cardboard- or another form of wall protection- at the back of your radiator so that you can avoid dreaded splashback from accidental spillages.

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Step 3: Clean the Radiator down from any Dirt, Grime or Muck

Although you may want to just directly paint your radiator in order to remove its grimy look, it is essential that you firstly clean your radiator thoroughly before the painting process begins.

The easiest thing to do is to use our Zinsser's Degreaser & Cleaner.
This is a very essential step as your radiators tend to accumulate dirt, not only as a result of their delicate and intricate designs but also as a result of the heat attracting dust particles and dirt too.

This can be easily sorted by wiping down the radiator with a clean cloth or sponge with some warm water, a mild detergent or even washing up liquid too.

If there is any grease, glue residue or anything else, using sugar soap could help remove that from the radiator before you start painting it.

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Step 4: Lightly Sand Down the Radiator

Although this may seem like a redundant step in painting your radiator, it can help the longevity of your paint on your radiator.

This is because sanding your radiator prior to painting will help to slightly roughen the surface of the radiator which will help the paint to stick to the surface of the radiator and therefore not chip or peel away as a result (if the correct paint is used).

You may have to use two different grits of sand paper for this step- depending on the roughness of your radiator surface- and therefore a combination of fine and rougher sand paper will be a great aid during this step in painting your radiator.

Check out the video below on how to spray paint radiators below!

If you are trying to remove rust, sanding down the rough edges of the rust will most definitely help you to achieve a smooth surface of paint on your radiator when you paint it.

After you have lightly sanded down your radiator surface, it is a good idea to wipe down the surface of the radiator with a clean cloth and warm water- as stated above- in order to remove any of the sanding debris from the surface of the radiator prior to painting.

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Step 5: Paint on a Layer of Radiator Primer

For your paint to truly stick to the radiator, you will need to apply a primer beforehand such as Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 1-2-3. The primer layer will ensure that your top layer of paint sticks completely to the radiator without chipping off the surface.

Zinsser’s Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer: This primer offers low odour application, quick drying convenience and excellent adhesion to glossy surfaces.

A ‘bond coat’ primer that’s great for hard-to-stick surfaces, it offers excellent adhesion without sanding. Bulls Eye® 1-2-3 also prevents rust formation when applied over clean ferrous metal such as iron and steel.

Bulls Eye® 1-2-3 is great for blocking stains. It permanently and completely seals graffiti, grease spots, tar and asphalt – inside and out. Bulls Eye® 1-2-3 is rust inhibitive and ideal for new metal.

It resists flash rusting in its “wet” state – and provides rust resistance for the life of the coating.

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It dries to a smooth, tight, water-resistant film that is perfect for painting iron railings, steel doors, metal panels, duct work, galvanised gutters – any interior or exterior metal surface. It has a quick 30-minute drying time and 1-hour dry time.

It is essential that you pay special attention to the rusted or other less than smooth areas of the radiator to make sure that the paint will stick to it and not just peel off with any of the rusted debris.

However, if your radiators are rusted particularly badly, it may be best to focus an anti-corrosive primer to those areas of the radiator in order to prevent the rust from the radiator from getting worse as time progresses.

In order to apply the primer layer of paint, you can use a standard brush, or you could even use an angled brush if your radiator has a particularly off or unique shape.

You should randomly stroke the paint brush over the surface of the radiator to prevent the paint from dripping off the radiator and to get a nice even finish.

Leave the primer to dry for the appropriate time stated on the manufacturer’s instructions on the tin.

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Step 6: Apply your Top Coat of Radiator Paint

Depending on which type of radiator paint you have chosen from the ones detailed at the beginning of this article, you may need to use different paint brushes for different finishes and paint compositions.

Make sure that you do not overload the brush- or the radiator for that matter- as this can result in drips and dribbles down the radiator which will require you to remove the paint and re paint the surface in order to remove them.

TOP TIP: If you paint in the direction of the radiator grooves, it will make the final finish of the paint smoother and more consistent too.

If you need to remove your radiator in order to paint it, please check out the video below for some handy hints and tips!

The best way to paint a radiator is by following the steps in this order below:

1.) Paint the edges- ensure that they remain wet so that you can blend the rest of the paint in

2.) Paint across the top and bottom of the radiator with long, sweeping strokes.

3.) Focus on the ridges and mouldings of the radiator individually

4.) Work from one side of the radiator to the other, overlapping each section and colouring in the whole space.

5.) Neatly join each section to create a smooth and even finish.

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Step 7: Wait for your First Layer to Dry and Add a New Coat

Wait the appropriate time for your paint to dry. Although, waiting overnight is preferable as even tacky paint can affect the overall adhesion and finish of your final top coat of paint.

Sometimes, you may not have to do a second coat of paint, but is best to add a second one as it always makes a nicer finish than the first one, especially if there was previous rust damage on the radiator.

And you’re done!

For more information as well as a visual guide, check out the video below!