Stripping Radiators

mike jones_2

radiator stripping - do they even need paint?

this might be a stupid question but we are wondering if real old, detailed cast iron steam radiators need paint.

we have some oldies that half the paint has pealed off from sitting out doors for years in the hot and cold seasons.

since there is no rust appearing, we are wondering if it might make sense to just strip them and leave them unpainted .

we would have to find something mild enough to strip them down and try to retain there original natural metal finish.

does anyone know of some striper like PEEL 7 that would be strong enough to eat the paint but gentle enough not to discolor or stain the metal or eat away its finish and make it prone to rusting?

would this even make sense or did the old require a protective coating?

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Took about 2 hours with a pressure washer with zero-degree (rotating) nozzle. This one was a bit more difficult than usual as the first paint coat had been done quite well with the radiator removed. Probably about 5 coats total but as you see, it strips down to the original bronzing. I've yet to find a rad from a residence that wasn't originally bronzed. This one was from salvage as the one where it goes had burst and I still haven't found replacement sections (including both ends).

The remaining paint is extremely well adhered and has never caused me a problem. Will prime with flat oil-based paint and "bronze". Primer will be medium-light grey with antique silver mica. BTW. Had to buy the mica this time as my cache is running low. Best price I could find was from a theatrical supply house of all places. They use it for makeup and 1# was only about $9.00.

Brad White_9

One notch below bead-blasting...

Looks great, Mike- that is encouraging... Not a spec on the pumpkin either.

The fact that you did that in front of your house has the neighbors musing a bit.... "That Mike fella... always up ta sumpthin..."

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Wouldn't be good enough for a powder coat job, but for bronzing or painting it works great and I can't beat the price--a bit of gasoline and some water.

That's the easiest route out of downstairs and I was moving it alone. I did all the 2nd floor rads on the balcony.

Neighbors hardly pay attention anymore. They never know what they'll see.

John_102

Looks great!

I've got 13 from the same litter in need of a similar scrub.

I just called my wife from the other end of the house - "Quick, come look!" She came running; I'm afraid she was expecting something other than a picture of a radiator.... Oh well,; at least I'm not crawling through the pubs.

Brad White_131

We should all

take our radiators to Cape Girardeau for a drive-by power wash...

Big Ed_3

Looks to Me......

.......like like the original snow melt system .

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Just the moisture in the air will cause bare cast iron to rust very rapidly. What you're probably seeing is the remains of original bronzing.

While water stripping leaves much of the old bronzing intact, as you see it's difficult to remove every bit of the paint and you'd need to resort to dental picks or similar but even then I wouldn't hold my breath expecting a decent (or even) appearance.

Chemical strippers or sandblasting will remove everything and you'd have to do something to keep rust from forming. Some guy in the U.K. regularly sells sandblasted rads sprayed with clear lacquer--rather attractive if that's the look you want.

Peel Away would likely be an extremely expensive and difficult way to strip a radiator--I'd NEVER try to strip a radiator in place via any method--most particularly with chemicals. I know someone who tried and all they wound up with was a terrible mess and a ruined floor finish. Old House Journal did an article many years ago entitled, "Thrilling Tales of Girls Stripping Radiators". There were a number of first-hand stories of people stripping them in place. In every case, they gave up, did not succeed well or vowed "NEVER again!" after only one.

Best way I've heard to chemically strip radiators is to build a wooden box large enough to hold the biggest rad you're going to strip, line with heavy plastic, add rad, fill with a strong lye solution at least half way up the rad and soak for a few hours then rinse very well (preferrably with a pressure washer) and likely repeat if there's a lot of paint. If doing this it's important that you plug EVERY hole in the radiator! (I've never tried this as the pressure washer with zero degree nozzle works fine for my purposes.)

I'll say that sandblasting will be the best way to utterly strip a radiator but also the most expensive unless you already own a very high-powered sand blaster. Monument (tombstone) works generally have the highest powered sandblasting equipment.