Painting radiators

[Wilmslow]

Need to paint the radiators in the bungalow I am getting.

What is the preferred method?

1. Strip off the old paint, and repaint with special radiator paint?

2. Gloss

3. Undercoat, then gloss?

Buy shares in Dulux - they will be booming over the next couple of months...

[NickFitz]

Knock holes in the roof and burn wood in the centre of the room you wish to heat.

[Wilmslow]

Knock holes in the roof and burn wood in the centre of the room you wish to heat.

Had enough burning wood today (chipboard lorry fire on the M62 and 3 hours parked up....)

[BrilloPad]

Need to paint the radiators in the bungalow I am getting.

What is the preferred method?

1. Strip off the old paint, and repaint with special radiator paint?

2. Gloss

3. Undercoat, then gloss?

Buy shares in Dulux - they will be booming over the next couple of months...

My sister works for the former ICI (its some Dutch company now) - you hgave just gone up in my estimation!

[miffy]

Depends if they've been painted many times before. If that’s the case (and they’re shabby), I’d change them for new ones, it's a lot less hassle.

The way gas bills are rising I'd also look at swapping the boiler for an A rated jobbie as well. I'm thinking of swapping mine next month as it's about 12 years old.

If you really want to paint them, I've taken two approaches in the past.

1) Rub down the radiator and simply paint them using radiator paint (don't use ordinary gloss as most paints turn yellow pretty quickly with the heat). Use an undercoat if they are anything other than white at the moment. I've also found the quick drying radiator paint is tulip.

2) Remove the radiators one at a time. Key the existing paint, prime and spray them in the garage. I used basic white car paint to do the last lot. They turned out pretty well with a really nice finish.

The big question on my mind is have you ordered a king size orthopaedic bed for your bungalow yet?

<<canned laughter>>

[Wilmslow]

Depends if they've been painted many times before. If that’s the case (and they’re shabby), I’d change them for new ones, it's a lot less hassle.

The way gas bills are rising I'd also look at swapping the boiler for an A rated jobbie as well. I'm thinking of swapping mine next month as it's about 12 years old.

If you really want to paint them, I've taken two approaches in the past.

1) Rub down the radiator and simply paint them using radiator paint (don't use ordinary gloss as most paints turn yellow pretty quickly with the heat). Use an undercoat if they are anything other than white at the moment. I've also found the quick drying radiator paint is tulip.

2) Remove the radiators one at a time. Key the existing paint, prime and spray them in the garage. I used basic white car paint to do the last lot. They turned out pretty well with a really nice finish.

The big question on my mind is have you ordered a king size orthopaedic bed for your bungalow yet?

<<canned laughter>>

I actually have a queen sized ortho bed.....

[Bob Dalek]

Unless architecturally wonderful, bin 'em and buy new. Cheapskate!

[NickFitz]

Unless architecturally wonderful, bin 'em and buy new. Cheapskate!

Permy

What he needs to do is find a contractor's house that's being done up, and get the discarded-but-perfectly-painted radiators out of the skip.

[Diver]

Rads are dirt cheap, but to be honest, go for a Baxi Duo-Tec 33 HE Combi Boiler, A rated. and have a complete new system installed with thermostatic valves on all rads.
I had one installed here in January and it's brilliant.

Don't forget to have your loft and cavity walls insulated on the government grant. Only about £150 for each. makes a hell of a difference and a big saving in heating costs.

[TykeMerc]

Don't forget to have your loft and cavity walls insulated on the government grant. Only about £150 for each. makes a hell of a difference and a big saving in heating costs.

Wish I could, but they don't cover pitched rooves in attics, only lofts and my house has a plastered attic and no cavity stone walls. I've looked into it in the last week and run into a brick wall (pun not intended).