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Pex, Pex, Pex

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Tony Massi
Tony Massi Member Posts: 86
in Plumbing
I'm old school and used about a million feet of copper in my life. Now Pex is just about everywhere. Its not really Pex its anything that uses a plastic tube they call it Pex. I guess back in the day when copper was first being used the old timers said that stuff will never last and had a dozen reasons not to use it. Anyway I have to replace some baseboard heat and want to just use Pex from the element down into the floor and not copper to Pex under the floor.
I know this customer will complain if they see orange or red tubing for that short spot going into the floor. I was thinking of painting it with spray paint. Has anyone has this experience painting the Pex?

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  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
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    Realistically, there is nothing you can paint on polyethylene that will reliably and durably adhere to it. The slipperiness of the material is a big part of what makes it work so well across a broad range of fluid conditions. Sleeves might be a good option.

    White hePEX with F1960 fittings & rings trims out fairly clean as long as it's not too long (at which point keeping it straight can become an issue, hence PEX-Al-PEX.)
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,626
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    I'd be leery of using any kind of paint on plastic without mfgrs approval. Perhaps a short sleeve of copper could be slid down before the termination is applied?
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,143
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    There are some vinyl snap around covers for covering the pex.

    Heat shrink tube comes in a lot of colors, slip a piece over the pex and warm it with a hair dryer.

    Or transition to copper below the floor.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,376
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    Make sure that you use O2 barrier pex.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    SWEIdelta T
  • Guelph_Plumbers1
    Guelph_Plumbers1 Member Posts: 1
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    Hmm, we install pex pipe aswell, this has worked for us before but you should try this on a test peice... take a bit of girtty sand paper, quickly go over the pex just to rough it up ( an x patern is the best, this will allow the paint to stick) and use a spray paint with a primer in it. This shouldn't be too much of a hassle if its a smaller piece.
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,432
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    I would stick to the snap on cover pieces of plastic. I would be concerned that sanding the pex would damage the oxygen barrier.

    Look here down on the page 7.

    http://www.hydronicalternatives.com/getattachment/49d1bdaf-bb98-42af-8dbc-46d3d6826eed/Radiator-Accessories-Price-List
    delta T
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,677
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    Wouldn't it be easier to use copper from the element to down below the floor and then continue with Pex rather than trying to sand, prep and paint Pex?

    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    lchmbGordyBoondelta T
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,785
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    Use end caps on baseboard see very little ... I would use the better hePEX which has an white see through tone ... Expandable is more full port and easyer to use with the battery power expander tool
    I have enough experience to know , that I dont know it all
    delta T

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