Painting radiators properly is all about choosing the right paint and the best process. Get interior designer-worthy results with our how-to.
Is it a good idea to paint radiators?
It's a great idea decor-wise, so long as you pick the right paint for the job and that you prime your radiators properly if they need it, to protect their efficiency.
How to paint a radiator
When it comes to painting radiators properly, there are quite a few steps. The key again is to not skip on prep and priming. You will need the following materials:
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Dust sheet
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Cardboard
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Painters tape
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Screwdriver
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Wrench
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Bucket
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Old towels
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Paintbrush
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Paint
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Primer
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Water and sugar soap
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Sponge
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Sandpaper
Choose the right paint for the job
Decide on the look you want and then choose the most suitable paint. You need to opt for a specially formulated radiator paint that will be able to withstand constant temperature changes without damaging the integrity or quality of the paint. Look for any paint designed for wood or metal such as gloss, satin or eggshell.
Turn off your radiator
For safety and better painting conditions, you need to switch off your radiator completely and ideally leave it to cool down overnight...if your radiator is still warm, the paint will drip and not adhere to the radiator’s surface very well.
Give your radiator a good clean
You'll need to wipe your radiator down completely, if your radiator isn’t in too poor of a condition, you could just use a sponge, warm water and mild detergent to get rid of dust and dirt.
Start painting!
You can prime the radiator before painting, but actually, not all radiator paint requires priming so check your radiator paint before you decide.
You can paint your radiator with either a roller or a brush or you can combine; brushes are useful for getting into grooves whereas rollers are useful for painting broad, flat sections. If you like, you can even use spray paint. If you leave the radiator on the wall and want to paint the back then you will need a special brush to reach those tricky areas like this one.
Let it dry
As we mentioned above, let the radiator dry in between coats. Because you are using a special radiator paint it may look patchy after the first one but don't worry, the paint will build up nicely over two or three coats.
So, for all your supplies look no further than the team at Johnsons Timber supplies. Call our experts on 0121 706 0404 or email sales@johnsonstimber.co.uk.