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radiator valves

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Cliff
Cliff Member Posts: 2
in THE MAIN WALL
whole house repipe on deadly time schedule customer has requested polished brass with porcelain handles. Need 1/2 indh straight for convectors, and 3/4 rt angle for stand ups rads. any idea where I can get these. my wholesaler no help

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  • Paul Pollets
    Paul Pollets Member Posts: 3,656
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    Good luck...while american radiator valves come in brass, but none are polished brass and all have a black wheel handle. European valves are all nickel plated. I recently used Oventrop valve bodies that came nickel plated. I removed the plating with sandblasting and did a rough polish. Used Oventrop black TRV heads to trim.
    Try Chris Rorke at Blueline Supply in Jackson Hole, WY. He'll tell you the same. Walney has some that come with their radiators.

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  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Polished brass rad valves

    Even if you could find, the chances that they would stay polished for any length of time is slim/none.

    The lacquer coat on any polished brass has a finite life and the heat is certain to accelerate its degradation--it might not even last a single season. If non-lacquered, the heat will accelerate tarnish as well.

    The "forever finish" brass you see is a wild titanium alloy plated over brass.

    Being an "old house nut" and a "hardware freak" I've seen wonderful extruded brass hinges that keep a natural luster for a century, but never polished brass rad valves.

    A traditional potter might be able to make porcelain (more likely stoneware) rad handles. The much more common ceramic and porcelain slips (liquid clay) are nearly impossible to use for thick objects as tiny amounts of trapped air literally make them explode when fired. Price would certainly be high.

    The wood and bakelite handles had a definite purpose: they don't conduct heat too well and remained relatively cool. They'd likely be within a degree or two of the supply water temp.
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