Painting radiators: doing it right
Coloring of heating radiators is not so often done. But it is extremely important. After all, if you just apply the dye, then the heat transfer will be lower. So pre-preparation is always done.
How to paint heating radiators and how to do it today we will consider. Also in the video in this article you can see a lot of additional information and in the photo all the stages of this work.
The content of the article
paints and varnishes
To begin with, consider how to paint heating radiators. In general, a large number of high-quality materials consisting of varnish and paint are able to withstand a heating temperature of up to eighty degrees without changes.
Of course, they produce paints for heating radiators:
- To match the colors on the radiators and walls, it is advised to buy varnish and paint with the original tones or make the right choice of color when buying. You can use the same paint for radiators and walls.
Attention: For example, radiator paint can be used for walls as well. When buying, instructions should simply be studied.
- Enamels with alkyds are traditionally used simultaneously with special-purpose compounds. They are able to maintain mechanical stability and surface condition during heating.
- From the contents of the instructions it is clear that they can be used at temperatures up to plus ninety degrees Celsius.
- Enamel with acrylic is different from alkyd in that it has no smell and dries quickly. But their price is slightly higher.
Caution: Before buying a dye, the instructions for use should be studied. The paint must withstand elevated temperatures. And so is the painting of radiators and heating pipes
Aluminum radiators
This type of radiator is painted directly at the factory and they just need to be installed. But it happens that radiators damage during transportation. It can also damage already installed ones.
From the very beginning, the surfaces of steel and bimetal radiators are painted in the factory using powder paint (see How is powder painting performed?) Achieving the right quality when painting at home is not easy.
There are two options for the restoration of this plane:
- First, dust, fat residues are removed from the working surface, it is dried.
- Primer is now applied. This will have to be done. After all, a primer enhances the adhesion of surfaces.
- After the plane has completely dried, an acrylic dye is applied.. It is best to use a spray gun to do this job. After all, then you apply the layer evenly and without smudges.
Caution: The primer mix with enamel is recommended to be used by the same manufacturer. Then they will be fully compatible.
- If there are significant defects on the powder coating, they are removed.until pure metal appears, using a grinding machine.
- Do not recommend using chemical compounds, since they can interact with non-ferrous metal. Then apply a primer, alkyd enamel, sometimes - acrylic or acrylate.
Cast iron batteries
In most cases, cast iron radiators are installed in the apartment. Previously, they were the best and therefore are quite common. The price of modern radiators is high and therefore they are mainly painted and the service life is extended.
Before you start painting the heating radiator, you need to prepare a surface that can be done on its own:
- Remove dust from obsolete coating;
- Wash thoroughly with water;
- Remove fat using a one percent solution of ammonia, soda or other detergents;
- In the presence of rust, it is removed with sandpaper;
- Dry the surface.
Attention: Primer for painting a radiator made of cast iron is not necessary. The more coating layers, the less heat transfer will be.
- When the surface contains places with chips, they are treated with a primer that has anti-corrosion properties, is leveled with a putty made of epoxides or polyurethane, and the primer is again applied in a single layer in the upper part.
How to clean the surface of obsolete layers of paint
There are two ways to remove old paint (see How to remove old paint from heating batteries).
- Mechanicalusing a brush made of metal similar to a disk placed inside an electric drill;
- Chemical, using formulations in which there are solvents and fatty acids that soften the paint and weaken its adhesion to the surface.
Attention: You need to know that compositions with chemicals to eliminate paint are harmful and cause a risk of fire, so you need to follow safety precautions: use personal protective equipment in the form of a respirator and glasses, ventilate the room.
Mechanical cleaning - This is a completely manual method. First of all, we need to clean the surface. After all, if this is not done, then the paint will simply peel off.
Attention: New batteries also need cleaning. After all, the dye should lie down as tightly as possible. This will increase the heat transfer of the surface.
It is made using sandpaper. During the preparation of the surface of cast iron, this is necessary, since the plane on the batteries has irregularities from the very beginning, and will not be able to hide the paint.
- Quite often, these are not new radiators, so paint is removed from them. Coarse sandpaper is used for this. We pass along the entire plane.
- Paint remains in the sinks. To do this, there is a brush for metal. If cleaning does not work. Then you need to use a solvent. Which just washes away the paint.
- After that, the battery dries. A hair dryer is best suited to speed up the process.
- Now you need to walk along the plane with a degreaser. Then all oil stains will be completely removed.
- After that, the entire plane must be covered with a primer. To do this, it is best to use a spray gun. Then you will not have streaks and get a uniform layer.
- The compositions must be applied suitable for the paint to be applied. For example, the Russian primer mix GF-021 can perfectly suit PF and MA enamels. For paints of foreign manufacture, it is advised to use a primer of the same manufacturer.
How to paint cast iron batteries
Regardless of which color with paint is chosen, the painting of heating radiators is done in a certain sequence and the rules are observed so that there are no smudges, it must be kept for a long time, not form places with cracks and not peel off. To observe this, you need to follow a few simple rules.
- This is best done in cold conditions, when the battery has a temperature no higher than in the room, because products made of varnish and paint at a temperature higher than eighty degrees can lie non-uniformly, forming cracks before the surface completely becomes dry after painting . Without affecting the fact that the very application of paint on a hot radiator can deliver a lot of not quite pleasant moments.
Performing different stages of work, it is necessary to observe a certain sequence:
- It is recommended to start painting the radiator partly from above, with the help of this there will be no smudges and irregularities after application.
- The paint is applied in two layers. During this, a second layer of paint is applied to the surface of a completely dry first layer. The period of time during which the enamels with paints dry out is most often indicated on the packaging. For example, for acrylic paints to completely dry, you need about one and a half to two hours, alkyd paints dry within twelve to twenty-four hours.
- It is not advised to try painting the radiator completely, using the same brush, when painting each surface inside the radiator, it is advised to use several brushes with different sizes and shapes.
- Sometimes the use of paint rollers justifies itself. Staining in accordance with all the rules for a long period of time will be able to keep the batteries in excellent condition.
Caution: Behind the third coat of paint, any new one reduces heat loss by one percent. Paints with metal (aluminum or lead) reduce heat transfer.
How to paint a heating radiator you now know. Choose a high-quality dye and do your job honestly and then this question will not let you remember for many years. Moreover, having done everything with your own hands you will avoid additional costs.
