Painting cast iron radiators?

Ken_44

I am reburbishing several cast iron radiators and I have nice clean surfaces free from rust and I wondered what is the best type of paint and method of paint application?

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Use ONLY oil-based paint on bare cast iron! Water-based paint will rust through with amazing speed.

If the "nice clean surface free from rust" means a nice clean painted radiator, you can use latex or oil paint. Again, if currently painted and you suspect that the last coat was brushed on in the last 20 years or so, I would suggest that you use latex as the paint you see is probably latex.

You can change between latex and oil one time. After that you should stay with whatever was used last. This goes for any surface.

Jim_66

but plan for yellowing


Ya, oil is the way to go. It's pricy, but superior.
Latex does work (although I wonder if it might tend to be soft at steam temps? Dunno, I've never dealt with steam).
but you'll get a smoother finish with oil.

Ben Moore Impervo is a good choice. Check the can for solids, many oils presently are poorly made. Go for the highest percentage. Good paints have it on the can, bad ones dont like to tell you.

With oil, do plan on yellowing of your chosen color though.

By the by, on this list and elsewhere its been pretty conclusively determined that color is pretty much irrelevant as far as radiation goes.

One tip: Buy an angled radiator bursh, you wont regret it. Its a rare item (probably have to go to a pro paint store) but its wayyyyy easier to paint without drips and holidays.

Spraying is an option too, but its tricky to prevent drips!

Finally a question I can help answer rather than asking!

jim

Ray M

Powder coat is final.

Thanks
Ray M

Mike T., Swampeast MO

One other thing.

There seems to be no need for "high temp" paint even with steam. As with ANY paint job, the key to longevity is a clean and "rough" surface so the new paint can adhere.

If the present surface is glossy paint, it should be "deglossed" either by chemical or mechanical means.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

You're certainly right about oil paint "yellowing".

The yellowing WILL happen over time but the rate at which it occurs is inversely proportional to its exposure to light (esp sunlinght). The less sunlight it sees, the faster it yellows. This FACT caused some serious problems when paint mfgrs tried to make "historic" colors. It took SERIOUS component analysis of old paint to determine the original color.