A Guide To Remove Radiator Paint
One of the very best and most budget-friendly ways to refresh your home heating arrangements is to paint your radiators Especially so with cast iron and metal models, hot water radiators can be prone to their finish wearing in time, as the contained liquid warms up and cools down, and general bangs and chips occur.
But to bring a vibrant new style to your existing radiators, whatever your interior intentions, you’ll need to know how to remove paint from a radiator safely and effectively. It’s highly important to get radiator paint removal right for the very best basis for your fresh radiator painting job.
This blog will harp on how to remove a radiator for painting, the best way to remove paint from radiators and include recommendations on the best paint removers for radiators and more.
What Do You Need To Remove Paint From Radiators?
Sandpaper is a highly valuable asset in removing paint from radiators. It will make the surface of the paint more abrasive, creating the ideal foundation for paint stripper to get to work. It can help tackle any areas with corrosion or rust build up as well.
It is best to use relatively low graded sandpaper for radiator paint removal, with a grit level ranging somewhere between 40 and 60. The lower the grade, the coarser the sandpaper.
For the actual application, an electric sander will make life much simpler. However, a standard cork block can be wrapped in sandpaper as you set to work – just bear in mind that this method to remove radiator paint will take considerably longer and require a lot more elbow grease.
Scrub the radiator surface in a vertical motion to rid it of as much paint as possible, then wipe it down to eliminate loose paint specs or chippings.
From here, apply paint stripper as the next step in your bid to remove old paint from your radiator. Be sure to read the specific instructions on the bottle with regards to application, removal and the right length of time to leave it on the surface. Different paint strippers will have different recommendations in terms of what to use to add the stripper and take it off. And you might find in the instance that especially thick paint dons the radiators, paint stripper or radiator paint remover might have to be applied multiple times for proper radiator paint removal.
It is also possible to remove paint from radiators with a heat gun to aid the cause, especially with metal or cast iron radiators. Heat guns help to melt the paint away from the surface, making it easy to pull away without resistance. Be wary that high levels of heat can warp metal though, so keep the heat gun on a low setting a few inches from the radiator, moving in a back and forth motion.
Using a heat gun for a head start, the process of radiator paint removal is likely to be less time consuming.
How To Remove Paint From Radiator Pipes
Another commonly asked question is how to remove paint from copper radiator pipes or any other type.
Ammonia and acetone are the two main chemicals to bear in mind for stripping paint from pipework. These solutions will react with metals like cast iron and copper, and raise the PH level to stabilise emulsions.
This loosens the bond with the paint, in turn, and enables it to easily peel away from the surface.
How To Remove Paint From Radiator Covers
A similar principle to above applies to the notion of how to remove paint from metal radiator covers too, and the same chemical reaction can be expected to make it simple to strip paint away with ammonia and acetone.
In terms of restoring a metal radiator cover, spray paint is a popular pick to touch up the component in style.
Selecting The Right Paint For Repainting Radiators
Once you’ve gone about the best way to remove paint from your radiators, you can, in some ways, look forward to the repainting part of the process in stylising your heating. The most painstaking aspect of the job is over with.
You can decide whether you want a colour to match or contrast with your home interior, and look for an appropriate shade of heat-resistant radiator paint well after you’ve removed the old radiator paint. Several reputable brands offer specialist radiator paint, so shop around online or at your local hardware store.
If you are hoping to prime your radiator with extra protection against paint scuppering and chips, you can invest in a clear enamel coating to paint over the top for a durable, premium-quality finish.
Should your existing radiators have this layer of protection already, and you’re wondering how to remove emulsion paint from a radiator, you simply follow the same process explained in this article, though you might want to use a lower grade of sandpaper.
Shop Radiators From Bathroom Takeaway
If you have looked up how to remove paint from cast iron radiators or any other types and think that the job just isn’t for you, fear not. Bathroom Takeaway offers a great choice of designer radiators and heated towel rails to enhance the bathroom and all other rooms in a household.
Shop online today, or choose from a huge alternative variety of UK bathroom supplies to upgrade your home. And don’t forget to browse the Bathroom Takeaway blog for helpful guidance on things like how to prevent mould in the bathroom and for handy bathroom cleaning hacks.
