Cast Iron Radiators

Steve_210

Hi Guys, Just wondering if anyone has any photos of cast iron radiators powder coated
. Please see attached picture. Also, anyone know of a somebody who does this work in the Queens, NY area? 11378. Thanks in Advance!

LionA29

Enquire @ AMS powder coating
101-10 jamaica Ave. Richmond Hill. NY
718-303-9663
Good luck.

hot_rod

Consider painting instead of powder coating. It takes about 400° to "bake" the powder coating, not all radiators can handle that temperature.

Here is a radiator I'm refinishing. Stripped by hand and a wire wheel on a 4" angle grinder. Then sprayed with a power washer.

This will see 130° supply so just plain Rustoleum spray cans, you can get high temperature spray cans also.

Tinman

Those look like Fighting Irish colors.

I like it!

hot_rod

Stephen Minnich said:

Those look like Fighting Irish colors.

I like it!

Bright gold craft paint and a satin green on the tubes. I'll let the better half sign off on the colors

Hap_Hazzard

25" American Arco Radiator painted with Rust Oleum High Heat White

LionA29

@Hap_Hazzard ...Looks ready to cook. Did it run for a season already or it's newly done?

Hap_Hazzard

I did that one three years ago.

LionA29

It's really nice. I'm sure you baked it really good with some steam.

Solid_Fuel_Man

Not sure how you guys get your pics not to show in thumbnail. This is 26" American Radiator I sand blasted and painted with automotive paint 4 years ago. Seen 190 degree water a couple of times. I have two Arco's and two smaller Weil Mclain of similar style. I really try not to be a radiator hoarder..... passed many up since.

The auto paint is single stage, and smelled the first 3-4 fires in the boiler.

Taylor

LionA29

Looks awesome!!

Fred

This is a radiator I painted 25 years ago with a latex paint:

Jamie Hall

Seems to me that as with so many things related to paint -- a lot of it is in the care given to preparation...

KC_Jones

I don't think one needs to use high temp paint even for steam rads. One of my closest friend has been a professional automotive and industrial painter for over 20 years. He has regularly painted car engines with standard automotive paint and it's just fine. Standard paints will take a lot of heat, if they didn't you would see paint jobs "melting" on hot sunny days.

Jamie you couldn't be more right about prep.

FranklinD

I agree that it's all about the preparation. I just did my second radiator paint job...stripped as much off as I could with a spray-on paint stripper, then pressure-washed at work with 200* water (that did more to get that final layer off than any chemical did). Ran rough (wet) sandpaper over any little paint chips that were left, then washed it very well with hot soapy water.

I used Rustoleum "Stop Rust" primer and enamel paint...my system tops out around 140-150*. As long as the radiator sits in the garage for a week after painting, I don't have any odor issues later.

It came out really well, in my opinion. The Stop Rust line of paint has worked well for me in the past so I used it again.

Fred

It looks great @FranklinD ! I've got one of those larger radiators sitting out in the carriage house (13 sections, ornate scrolling). Been there since before I bought this house 25 years ago. It needs refinishing, if I ever decide I need it somewhere. I'm not sure what room it came out of or if it was even out of this house.

FranklinD

Thanks! I acquired another large radiator too... It is a heavy beast. First one I've had with push nipples between sections. All my others are threaded nipples.

This one is 16 sections and quite tall...45" maybe? I don't remember offhand. But tall. And ridiculously heavy. It about killed us, getting it out of the old police substation it was in. I have no idea who the manufacturer is as I haven't had a chance to look through the old catalogs. Only one coat of paint on it though!

Todd_33

Regarding Rustoleum- I've done a couple with the "regular" Rustoleum on steam radiators ( what 200°? ) and the out gassing was bad and lasted several seasons. They look good though. I've got 3 others to do and Rustoleum isn't on the list. I like the idea of wall paint. Probably a semigloss because I feel the flat get dirty faster. Dunno...

ethicalpaul

Just another data point. I had read here on the wall that good acrylic works fine, and I did a test patch on one of my radiators.

Behr acrylic primer and paint in one (it's like the 2nd from the high end) worked great. It never smelled and it looks great.

I agree high-temp paint is totally unnecessary but if it makes you feel better go for it.

Dollr

Todd_33 said:

Regarding Rustoleum- I've done a couple with the "regular" Rustoleum on steam radiators ( what 200°? ) and the out gassing was bad and lasted several seasons. .

Same here, I won't do that again. Acrylic seems to work just fine for me now.

Hap_Hazzard

I use the Rustoleum high-heat. It works great. The previous homeowner slathered on multiple coats of wall paint and it was flaking off all over the floor.

ChrisJ

I'm still trying to figure out if cast iron radiators were originally painted or left raw when new.

Hap_Hazzard

It probably varied from one manufacturer to the next, but my American Standard ARCO radiators had some kind of gold-colored finish on them.

retiredguy

The last radiator that I bought from Burnham, about 25 years ago. came natural cast iron color (no paint).

motoguy128

I dont think these two have ever been repainted. I believe it’s how they were originally installed.