radiator paint

Garth

hello,

What is best type of paint to use?

I read Dan's piece on colors.

But what about type? i thought of using high temp (auto engine) paint, but figure I would be the first person to do this on my raditors in 70 yrs so what's the point. Should I do this?

Other ideas? Oil-based enmamel semigloss? latex?

I will come back later and post my 1928 2 pipe vapor/vacuum steam "Dunham Home Heating System" unit with more questions.

thanks!

Garth
(homeowner- not yet rich, cold, or miserable)

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Paint

Latex on cast iron is not the best choice as it will IMMEDIATELY rust any bare iron. It will though often work satisfactorily on a previously painted rad with the existing paint in GOOD condition. While it's OK to put a coat of latex on top of oil (or vice versa) you should only switch ONCE. If you keep switching types of paint the layers will essentially delaminate.

Most common oil paints will handle the temperature of a radiator without problem. Steam is a bit above the temperature ratings of most, but it seems to do fine.

Regular spray paint works well but unless you remove the rad to OUTSIDE it's difficult to get even coverage and even more difficult to control overspray.

Radiator brushes are available from good paint stores, but you may have to special order. Most are rather large and are best suited to column-type rads. You can make your own angled brush for tube-type rads with a 1" or so HOLLOW FERRULE flat artist's brush and some long-nose vice grips.