Painting Radiators

Kazal | 16:09 Thu 26th Dec 2019 | Home & Garden

19 Answers

My bathroom and cloakroom radiators are showing rust patches. What do I need to use before painting them and is gloss paint as good as radiator paint?

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ummmm

I always use gloss with no problem.

The rust might need treating. I'd probably just paint over it and hope for the best.

TonyV

No Kazal first you need to put some rust remover on after rubbing away any loose paint with wire brush and then some aluminium oxide paper. Then prime with a white primer and finish of with radiator paint.

The Builder

I've done the same as Ummm before. The only thing with ordinary gloss, is that it will "yellow" in time.
Proper Rad paints (aerosols are handy) are made to take the temperatures.

Clean off all the loose rust first. If you want to treat it, Google "rust paint". "Kurust" is good.

TonyV

ummmm my version lasts for years and comes with a guarantee, normal gloss paint will yellow after a few months if rads are on anything above 18 degrees

ummmm

See...sensible answer :-)

Last time we decorated our living room I painted the radiator in gloss (no rust though) just redecorated again and painted the room white, the radiator didn't need doing.

alavahalf

You dont happen to have a damp patch where the rust is do you ?

The Builder

^^^Homer's on the case.

Pinholes maybe. :o(

alavahalf

TheBuilder.. would you honestly dream of painting over rust if you had a the slightest bit of damp near it.
New more efficient cloakroon rad .. not much more than a tin of Dulux.
Funnily enough we are sat here this afternoon talking about jobs where people cut corners and ended up with absolute disasters within the home.

gl556tr

Get rid of radiators!
Oui. Oui!
Even the modern ones are awfully inefficient. ---> "passive-house" is one that requires warming in Winter and stays cool in Summer.
.
After having under-floor heating in my first house in the 70s of the previous(!) century, wanted ditto thereafter. But radiators were generally standard.
---> So, we ripped them out, turned 'under-floor' through 90° and slapped it on one wall in each room. Perfect.
Perhaps not the ideal of "passive-house". But water-temperature in the wall pipes is far lower -- and more energy-saving -- than for radiators.

Ryzen

Kaz...if you have rust on a rad then change it..you're only kicking the can down the road..so to speak..the're not expensive ..however an unexpected and undetected leak on the 1st floor will be.

gl556tr

***********************C O R R E C T I O N*********************

Instead of
Even the modern ones are awfully inefficient. ---> "passive-house" is one that requires warming in Winter and stays cool in Summer.
that should be
Even the modern ones are awfully inefficient. ---> "passive-house" is one that requires only self-sufficient warming in Winter and stays cool in Summer.
----------------------

The Builder

I have to agree with Homer. Any sign of damp and it all changes.

He's right... wrist slapped ...... I put it down to the sherry ;o)

alavahalf

You need to re-phrase that to .. I'll put the sherry down !

TonyV

Still not opened the Sherry may have to in a minute or two. Santa didn't get a mince pie and Rudolf didn't get his carrot either.

Kazal

Question Author

There do not appear to be any damp patches. Both rads. are under a towel rail, so believe the rust is caused from drips of water from family members washing hands etc. as I am always finding water splashes after they have used the rooms

The Builder