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During repairs, one of the tasks is to paint the batteries. In order for the result to please later, the paint for heating radiators must be chosen correctly. It’s not as easy as it sounds – there are a few pitfalls to be aware of.
What paints are suitable for heating radiators
Our heating systems are unpredictable – the battery can be cold, or it can heat up to high temperatures. And although most systems today operate at low temperatures, it is better to play it safe. Therefore, the paint for heating radiators must be heat-resistant – it must withstand heating up to 90 ° C. Also, it should be designed for painting metal.
There are universal compositions that meet these requirements, there are special ones, on which it is written: “Paint for pipes and heating radiators.” If there is no large inscription, look for a similar line on the paint you like in the section that describes the scope. If there is nothing similar, it is better to look for another option.
What else you need to pay attention to is the presence of the address of the manufacturer and the name of the company. There are many fakes on the market today. The label is very similar to some famous brand, but there is no address information. If so, it is better not to risk it – it is not known what is in this bank.
Types and differences
In addition to the above requirements, it is desirable that the paint for heating radiators does not smell strongly, but it is better that it be odorless at all. Another wish is the durability of the coating. The normal appearance of the surface should be maintained for several years. Well, for sure – the color should not change over time. Not many compositions meet all these requirements and wishes.
Alkyd enamel
Alkyd enamel forms a durable shiny film on the painted surface. If the surface has been properly prepared (cleaned, degreased and primed), a double layer of alkyd enamel will last at least 4 years. These paints are made on a different basis, which is why they have different properties:
- Based on organic solvents. This group has a characteristic odour. They have a wide range of applications, but you need to look for a use temperature of at least + 70 ° C. The base color is white, a coloring pigment is added to give colors and shades. A well-known representative is PF-115.
- Water based acrylic alkyd enamel. The advantage of this type of paint is that there is almost no smell. With a choice in this group, you must carefully read the scope. There are compositions that are in no way suitable for heating radiators, therefore the description should state what can be used for metal. Do not forget also about the temperature regime of operation. If you choose white paint, carefully read the composition – there should not be chalk. This is a cheap pigment, but when heated, it turns yellow very quickly. Titanium white is added to paints for heating radiators, which do not change color, but this pigment is expensive, and therefore ready-made compositions are almost twice as expensive.
Alkyd enamels are a good choice, but they have a persistent smell - The silicone base is used for heat-resistant paints with applications up to +600°C. They can be used not only for pipes and radiators, but also for painting stoves.
The release form of this type of paint is buckets or metal cans of various capacities. Packing is usually from 0,5 kg to 3 kg in cans, in buckets up to 25 kg, then packed in barrels. This paint is applied with a brush, roller, some types can be applied with a spray gun.
In the group of alkyd enamels there is a very interesting option – hammer. It contains special coloring pigments that create various visual effects. The surface painted by them looks like beaten with a hammer (hence the name). This texture perfectly hides the imperfections of the painted surface. A very interesting volumetric coating is obtained.
If you need to paint old cast iron radiators or pipes with an imperfect surface, this is your chance to do without putty and sanding. It will not be possible to find a pure white color in this group, but there are light tones, although not in the same quantity as saturated ones – the surface looks more interesting if the color is bright or deep.
Acrylic enamel
These are water-based formulations with polyacrylates as a film-forming component. They practically have no smell, and even that disappears in a matter of hours. They are usually referred to as “odorless radiator paints.” Despite this, when working indoors, after work it must be ventilated – this is, after all, chemistry, so harmful fumes are present, although not on such a scale as in solvent-based enamels.
These paints are used for painting facades or interior walls, there are also acrylic paints for painting. Naturally, they are not suitable for painting radiators. Look for acrylic paint for metal, and with a temperature range of at least + 70 ° C.
What makes them convenient is that they are diluted simply with ordinary water, but after drying they do not wash off, do not get wet. The created film is very reminiscent of a plastic surface, remains elastic, does not crack, and washes well. Usually it is semi-gloss or matte.
Acrylic paint for heating radiators can be sold packaged in buckets or paints, at authorized points of sale you can order any color from the RAL palette. They are tinted with special pigments.
What is the disadvantage of these colors? Like all water-based compounds, it requires careful surface preparation. First you need to remove all rust, then treat the surface with a rust converter, degrease, repair irregularities if necessary, then prime. Only after that it is possible to paint radiators or heating pipes. If this is not done, rust will show through the paint layer very soon.
There are acrylic enamels that do not need a primer, but all other preparation must be carried out in full. For example, acrylic water-based primer-paint Aquametallic (the cost per 1 kg is about 250-350 rb, depending on the packaging). It is suitable for painting cast iron and ferrous metal, not for painting non-ferrous metals or galvanized surfaces.
A good option is acrylic enamel PROFI VD-AK-1179. This option is glossy, has good hiding power and adhesion. Under this coating a primer is needed. In general, the range of these paints is wide, there are a lot of them in stores.
Powder coating
This type, perhaps, is currently the most durable and resistant to damage, but its application requires the creation of certain conditions. You need a special powder spray gun, a low voltage power source, and the ability to heat the surface to high temperatures.
The coloring composition of these paints is a powder. They need to evenly cover the painted surface. To do this, the powder is given a positive charge, the painted part is negative (this is what a current source is needed for). After that, the paint is heated, as a result of which the powder polymerizes (sinters), and a strong film is formed.
Powder paints are available with different polymerization temperatures – from +200°C to +350°C. As you understand, heating a cast-iron battery to 200 degrees is not at all easy. This requires a camera. Therefore, this type of coloring at home is practically not found. If you really want this particular paint for your heating radiators, you can contact the service station that paints cars. They do it with the same technology. You may be able to negotiate with them.
Oil paints
Most of the old batteries are painted with oil paints, but today it is already completely unpopular – there are too many flaws. Firstly, the smell is very strong and does not disappear for a long time, and secondly, the paint cracks and, over time, changes color. In the presence of equal in price special paints for heating radiators, this choice becomes quite rare. The only difficulty is cleaning already painted old batteries, since the surface is usually cracked and applying another coating on top, even if it is compatible, does not make sense – it will still be ugly.
Paint in cans
In recent years, a lot of paints have appeared in aerosol packages – spray cans. There are such paints for heating radiators. The principle of choice here is similar: you need to pay attention to the temperature regime.
Some difficulty without experience is the process of applying such paint. In fact, everything is simple here: it is necessary to spray from a distance of at least 20 cm from the surface to be painted, to conduct a stream quickly, evenly, without stopping for a long time in one place.
Spray paint is applied in several passes. You may need two, three, or maybe more layers, depending on the complexity of the relief. To obtain a uniform color, the direction of the jet is changed. If in the first passage they moved from top to bottom and from bottom to top, then in the second – from right to left and back.
Another point: cover the place where you will work with paper or newspapers, and a fairly large area. At first it is difficult to control movements.
glossy or matte
When choosing a paint for heating radiators, you must choose what type of surface you want to get – matte or glossy. It is necessary to choose taking into account the type of surface. The fact is that glossy paint emphasizes surface irregularities. Cast-iron batteries are most often painted, and their surface is far from ideal. By covering it with a glossy composition, you will only emphasize its imperfection.
Matte compositions are better in this regard – they visually hide many irregularities. So this is a good option. But there is a drawback here: matte white paint quickly acquires a grayish tint. This happens due to the fact that dust and dirt clog into the pores, and they are wide in matte paint. This dirt is not washed out. The way out is a fresh coat of paint or painting in a color other than white. A smart choice is to match the paint to the color of the walls. From a design point of view, this is a better solution than white radiators.
There is another way out – to repair the irregularities of the radiator. Do this with metal putty, you can use automotive. First, old paint, rust and other contaminants are removed, then the surface is degreased and then all irregularities are sealed with putty. After it dries with sandpaper with medium, then with fine grain, the surface is polished to a smooth state. Then it is dusted, primed and painted. In this case, you can safely use glossy enamels for heating radiators. If the surface is carefully leveled, the result will please you.
The procedure for painting heating radiators
Just a few phrases about the order in which it is more convenient to paint heating radiators. To make it easier to work, first paint the inner surface. If you are right-handed, it is better to move from right to left, if you are left-handed – vice versa. So less likely to get dirty. Then the outer surface is painted over in the same direction.
The composition is applied from above, rubbed with up and down movements. Rub the paint carefully, not trying to immediately achieve a perfectly painted surface. After the first layer, slightly less colored places are acceptable. It’s much better than drips. They will close when applying the second layer, and the streaks will have to be cleaned with sandpaper after they are completely dry.