How best to paint cast iron batteries. Painting radiators: what and how to do. Acrylic heat-resistant enamels

Today, the dear reader and I will have to figure out how to paint a cast-iron battery. We will learn which paints can be used for painting, how to prepare the surface of the radiator, and how to apply paint to the prepared surface. Let's get started.

Before starting work, let's find out: is the result worth the effort?

Painting is contraindicated

The coloring of cast iron batteries is meaningless in three cases:

1. If the radiator (new or standing on heating for several years) will be covered with a decorative screen or installed in a closed box. Painting serves purely decorative purposes, since cast iron is a corrosion-resistant metal, and an extra layer of coating will only reduce heat transfer;

It is worth clarifying: the author is categorically against non-removable screens that cover most of the surface of the batteries, and even more so against the installation of heating devices in blind boxes. In addition to a sharp drop in heat transfer, the owner also gets serious problems with the availability of connections when eliminating leaks between sections and on the connections to the heater.

1. If the radiator flows between sections. The layer of paint will not stop the leak, and rusty streaks will be even more noticeable on the new coating. Before applying a decorative coating, the leak should be eliminated by changing the intersection gaskets or tightening the nipple;

1. If part of the radiator sections does not heat up for several years. The reason for this is usually siltation of the extreme sections, and in 10-15 years without washing, the silt acquires the strength of a stone and is removed from the radiator only during annealing, which we will talk about a little later.

Painting desirable

In what cases can painting batteries - cast iron or steel - radically change their appearance?

• If part of the coating has peeled off or has traces of abrasion;

• If the paint has turned yellow from prolonged heating;

Reference: color change is typical for paints with zinc white ZnO. Since 2007, their production has been discontinued: zinc oxide has been replaced by more stable and less toxic titanium white TiO2.

• If repeated painting of cast-iron radiators over the old coating gave untidy sagging.

Paint selection

Now let's find out how to paint cast iron batteries.

The main condition is the heat resistance of the coating: in the central heating system, the temperature of the coolant at the peak of cold weather can reach 95 degrees. The compliance of the dye with this requirement is indicated by the inscription “heat-resistant” or “for radiators” on the package.

Look for the word "heat resistant" on the packaging

It is worth clarifying: cast-iron radiators are used not only for water, but also for steam heating. In steam heating systems, the temperature of superheated steam can reach 150-400 degrees Celsius. However, in our time, such systems have been preserved only in industrial conditions, at enterprises of old construction.

Here are some examples of appropriate colors:

Radiator preparation

How to paint batteries - cast iron or steel?

For some manufacturers, the instructions for using paints (for example, the last two in our mini-review) directly indicate that they should be applied directly to the metal. And even if this requirement is absent, the old coating must be cleaned.

There are three reasons for this:

1. The thicker the coating, the lower the heat transfer of the radiator;
2. Paints are compatible with each other only within the same family: for example, alkyd enamel does not adhere well to a base painted with oil paint. Meanwhile, you do not always know the type of paint applied to the battery during the last repair;

1. Old coatings are often decorated with untidy streaks, which are better to get rid of.

How to clean old paint with your own hands? Here are some ways of varying difficulty.

• The front (visible) surface of the radiator can be cleaned to metal with a metal brush (manual or made in the form of a nozzle for a power tool);

• Layers of old paint can be easily removed with a spatula, having previously treated the battery with a universal wash and wrapping it in plastic wrap for a dozen or two minutes;

• Instead of washing off, the paint can be softened by heating each section with a hair dryer or blowtorch;

This method has a serious drawback: heating will lead to burnout of intersection gaskets and winding of threads on the radiator connection. Use a blowtorch or a hair dryer is only worth it if you are going to sort out the radiator.

• Finally, the most radical solution is to anneal the battery in a fire. Several dismantled heating appliances are lined with firewood and ignited for an hour.

At the same time, the paint completely burns out on the surface, and the petrified deposits of silt inside the vertical channels and collectors turn into scale, which is easy to knock out of the radiator with a rubber or wooden mallet.

Captain Evidence suggests: in this case, after annealing, the cooled radiator is sorted out with the replacement of gaskets. Annealed nipples unscrew with minimal effort.

If grease or oil stains remain on the surface of a cast-iron battery cleaned from paint, they can be removed with any solvent (gasoline, acetone, solvent, etc.). Manufacturers of alkyd enamels usually recommend applying them over the ground; in this case, cast iron is primed with one or two layers of glyptal anti-corrosion primer GF-021.

Painting

Unless otherwise specified by the paint manufacturer, the heater must be painted cold: otherwise the coating will dry too quickly and give untidy streaks. Tool - a narrow brush or spray gun; in the latter case, the battery must be removed or at least reliably protected from staining the floor and walls by covering them with polyethylene. The paint is applied in at least two thin even layers with intermediate drying.

The video in this article will show you more clearly how to paint cast iron batteries.

Attention: if streaks remain on the battery when applying the next layer, sand them after drying, and then apply another layer. Sagging is usually produced by excessively thick (not diluted before use) or applied with a thick layer of paint. Its normal viscosity should correspond to the viscosity of liquid cream.

Conclusion

We hope that our material will help you return a second youth to old heaters. Good luck!

This article is about how to fully restore and how to paint a cast iron battery. However, we do not limit ourselves to simply applying a new layer of paint over the layers of old ones: our goal is to bring the old heater into a completely new condition. Read on to find out how to do this with minimal financial costs.

Problems

After two or three decades of use, a cast-iron radiator often begins to suffer from several types of, in medical terms, functional disorders;

• The slow circulation of water in the outer sections leads to the fact that they are gradually silted up with particles of sand, rust and scale. In the absence of regular flushing (note, not the annual flushing of the heating system with a compressor, which effectively cleans only the wiring and risers, but the flushing of the heater itself), silt acquires the strength of a stone in a couple of decades.

Accordingly, the entire battery or part of it ceases to give off heat due to a circulation stop;

Note: at this stage, flushing will no longer give any significant result. If both the collectors and the vertical channels of each section are filled with petrified silt, the pressure difference between the heating circuit and the atmosphere is not enough to clean them. This has been verified by the author's many years of practice.

• Numerous cycles of heating and cooling, accompanied by changes in the linear dimensions of the sections, gradually lead to the fact that the paronite intersectional gaskets lose their elasticity. With the next cooling and the accompanying compression of the sections, the first drops of water appear on the gaskets. After a few years, leaks become massive, and intersectional joints are overgrown with untidy rust stains;

• Repeated painting of cast-iron radiators turns their surface into something strongly reminiscent of a lunar relief: layers of paint with overlapping streaks look frankly untidy;
• In addition, the painting of cast iron batteries is often performed using conventional paints for atmospheric conditions or for interiors - PF-115 enamel, MA-15 and MA-25 oil paints. They are not intended for operation at temperatures above +60 degrees; after a few years, the once snow-white radiator turns yellow.

Tasks

So our task is as follows:

1. Remove deposits from the internal channels of the sections and from the collectors;
2. Clean the surface of the sections from old paint;
3. Change gaskets;
4. Repaint the radiator.

Implementation

Dismantling

Do-it-yourself dismantling of the radiator begins with the discharge of risers: cast-iron radiators were extremely rarely equipped with shut-off valves on the connections.

In addition: the service life of screw valves in cast-iron cases, which were in use 30 years ago, does not exceed 10-15 years. The chances of them remaining serviceable are minimal.

In order to drain the riser in a bottom filling house (that is, a house in which both the supply and the heating return pipe are located in the basement), it is necessary:

1. Focusing on the entrances (their lower marches are issued to the basement), find the heating riser to which the desired heater is connected;
2. Close the valve on it;
3. Block two adjacent risers - on the right and on the left;
4. Partially unscrew the plug on the riser and wait for the pressure drop on it;

1. Alternately open the valve on the adjacent risers to reveal the pair to yours;
2. Fully open the valve, manipulation of which did not cause an increase in the pressure of the jet from under the plug on your riser;
3. Close completely the valve on the other riser;
4. Unscrew the plugs to reset the paired risers.

To dismantle the cast iron battery, you need:

1. Drive the locknuts along the threads on the eyeliner until they end;

Note! If layers of paint prevent the locknut from being removed, first burn off the paint on the threads with a building hair dryer, blowtorch, or gas burner.

1. Drive the radiator plugs through after the nuts. They are unscrewed with gas wrenches No. 2 - No. 4. If the cork does not move out of place, do not apply excessive force, but heat it with the same hair dryer or burner, after which the thread will turn off much easier;
2. Remove the battery from the brackets;
3. Laying it on the floor, unscrew the blind plugs. Do not forget: they have left-hand threads, which must be unscrewed clockwise.

Annealing

It is most convenient to anneal several multi-section radiators at once in a fire: a hair dryer, burner or blowtorch will stretch the heating of all sections to a cherry glow for tens of hours.

The instructions for annealing are extremely simple:

• Batteries fold into a house;
• A fire is lit in the center of the house. The flame is maintained for at least 1.5 - 2 hours: all sections and, most importantly, their contents must be calcined to 700 - 800 degrees;
• Then the radiators cool down naturally for 2 to 4 hours. In no case should they be placed in snow or poured with water: a sharp temperature drop can lead to cracks.

cleaning

After heating, the silt deposits in the channels and collectors of the sections are completely destroyed; however, their remains must be removed from the radiators. For this:

• The battery is disassembled with a radiator key into separate sections. After annealing, this operation requires minimal effort: you can not be afraid of stuck nipples;
• Then each section is tapped with a wooden mallet in a vertical position. The sand and rust pouring out of it are the remnants of the silt that previously clogged it.

In the process of warming up, the old paint burns out completely, leaving only a thin layer of soot on the surface of the cast iron. Since painting batteries - cast iron or any other - requires cleaning the base, we clean the surface with an ordinary metal brush. Cleaning each section takes no more than two to three minutes.

Bulkhead

Now we need to reassemble the sections into a heater. Since the old gaskets are burned out, they need to be replaced.

The price of a new paronite gasket for a cast-iron battery is more than low - from 1.3 rubles apiece.

However, instead of hard paronite, which requires a lot of effort to compress, it is better to use homemade gaskets cut from an old car inner tube.

They are cut with ordinary scissors:

1. The chamber is cut in a circle, turning into a flat strip;
2. The nipple is applied to a sheet of rubber and encircled by a handle;
3. Then the middle of the future gasket is cut out with scissors with sharp blade tips;
4. Finally, the gasket is cut in a circle. The width of its rim should be approximately 10 millimeters: when the sections are pulled together, the rubber is flattened, and if the gasket is made wider, then its edges will protrude beyond the sections.

After installing the gaskets, the nipples are tightened one by one, one turn at a time. It is important to avoid misalignment, which can lead to thread jamming or even rupture of the nipple.

Primer

How to paint cast iron batteries correctly, ensuring maximum adhesion of the paint to the base? Obviously, it is worth starting with a primer. Manufacturers of cast-iron radiators supply them coated with GF-021 anti-corrosion primer; For us, it will also be the best choice.

The primer is diluted to a working viscosity corresponding to the consistency of skimmed milk with a solvent and applied with an ordinary brush in one layer. Drying time at room temperature is 30 minutes to an hour.

Attention: GF-021 is positioned by the GOST 25129-82 standard as a low-toxic material. All work with it is carried out in a ventilated area; the use of a respirator is highly recommended.

The primer is applied as thin as possible; streaks are immediately picked up with a brush. Dried primer irregularities are removed with fine sandpaper, after which the area is primed again.

Painting

How to paint cast iron batteries for maximum color stability?

Any in the description of which the word "heat-resistant" is present. Here are some examples.

Note! Glossy paints emphasize all surface defects. Matte ones hide them, but they tend to actively collect dirt due to the rough surface.

How to paint cast iron batteries so as not to get drips? Diluted to the consistency of fatty milk already familiar to us, the paint is applied in two or three as thin layers as possible with intermediate drying.

The tool is a brush with medium pile and the most durable sleeve. If you, holding the pile and pulling the handle, pulled out a few hairs, then they will remain on the painted surface.

It is better to apply paint on the front surfaces of the sections by laying the battery horizontally - this way there will be less streaks. The back surface is painted similarly; for obvious reasons, the radiator turns over only after complete drying.

After each layer has dried, the radiator is inspected for leaks; all detected defects are immediately cleaned with fine sandpaper. The last layer is not sanded.

Do not forget: before painting, it is worth enclosing dense polyethylene under the battery. No matter how careful you are, a few drops of paint will inevitably fall on the floor.

A special case

In industrial environments, special requirements may be placed on the coatings of heating devices, which, accordingly, require the use of special materials.

Here are some examples of exotic paints rarely used in everyday life.

• Zinga conductive paint is a dispersion of zinc powder in a weather-resistant varnish. After drying, it provides the most durable and strong anti-corrosion protection that tolerates prolonged contact with aggressive media;

In the photo - Belgian-made Zinga paint packaging.

• Fire-retardant paints for metal Polystil swell when heated and form a thick coating on the painted surface with low thermal conductivity and fire resistance up to 90 minutes;
• Certa anticorrosive paint is able to tolerate heating up to 900 degrees without changing color and other characteristics. It can be used for painting steam heating radiators, steam lines and engine parts.

Conclusion

The above recommendations for restoring old batteries may seem overly complicated, but they will greatly reduce the cost of repairing plumbing in a secondary fund apartment. Additional information, as usual, can be found by watching the video in this article. We would appreciate your additions and comments. Good luck!

To make repairs in the apartment perfectly, you need to take into account a lot of nuances. Wrong actions can lead to not very good consequences. Any forgotten or ignored little things will make themselves felt. This will soon lead to repeated repairs. No exception is the renewal of the appearance of heating elements. The most common type of repair that pipes or batteries undergo is painting. They do this to give a beautiful appearance to old products or to prepare for the installation of new, recently acquired ones.

Before you paint the radiators with your own hands, you need to familiarize yourself with all the existing types of materials and the procedure for working so as not to resort to re-processing.

When is it necessary to paint

Quite often, updating the appearance of batteries is carried out during the general repair of the entire room. The owners decide to paint the heating radiators in a different color that will complement the interior created in the apartment.

When painting batteries is needed:

• When purchasing a new heating element. You can get it in a ready-to-install state in rare cases. Most often, new radiators are sold unpainted.
• In the process of long-term operation, the device has lost its external characteristics, the paint has turned yellow, cracked or peeled off. This item is relevant if the apartment has old cast iron products that were popular several decades ago.
• During the renovation of the entire room, it was decided to paint the batteries in a color that complements its interior.

Necessary materials

To do the work yourself, you will need:

• dye;
• building hair dryer;
• special composition for removing old paint;
• grinder or screwdriver with special wire nozzles;
• metal brush, sandpaper;
• primer;
• special solution for degreasing the surface;
• putty knife;
• putty;
• brushes, rollers;
• cotton rags;
• film for covering surfaces that do not need to be painted;
• masking tape.

Preparatory work

A quality result depends not only on the correct choice of material and painting. Careful preparation plays a huge role in this. In order to prevent cracking of the new paint on the batteries, you should do a few manipulations with your own hands:

• Remove the old layer.

With the help of a building hair dryer, you need to heat the old paint until it melts and begins to peel off. Then it can be removed with a spatula.

In the absence of a mounting hair dryer, use special paint removers. The entire battery should be covered with liquid, covered with polyethylene and left. Usually the corrosive process takes no more than an hour. After the specified period of time, the paint is removed with a spatula. So you can remove almost all the old coating, but in some places it will remain, so additional manipulations should be carried out.

Important! When using flushing fluid, ensure good ventilation of the room and use personal protective equipment.

To remove residues, use a grinder or a screwdriver with special wire nozzles. With their help, the battery can be cleaned to metal. If such a power tool is not available, then cleaning is done with a special brush with a metal pile or sandpaper.

In the event that there are rusty places on the batteries, it is necessary to use a special liquid designed to remove rust. You can buy it at any hardware store.

• Metal degreasing.

This is done using special tools: acetone, white spirit. It is necessary to soak a rag in the liquid and carefully wipe the entire surface of the heating radiator.

• Primer coating.

At this stage, the battery is coated with a special anti-corrosion primer. It will prevent corrosion on the heating element. The adhesion of paint to the surface of the radiator will become better.

• Elimination of irregularities.

If the product has cracks, bumps, chips that need to be hidden, you will have to putty them. It is best to use automotive putty. After removing the defects, wipe the surface again and treat with a primer.

Choosing a paint

This stage is no less important than the preparation and painting of the batteries itself. Therefore, before painting cast iron radiators, it is necessary to choose the right material. It must have a number of qualities that will later become a guarantee of safety, beauty and durability.

So, the choice must be made taking into account the following criteria:

• The paint must be resistant to high temperatures. Due to the fact that during the heating season cast-iron batteries will get very hot, they need to be covered with a material that will not lose its characteristics under the influence of high temperature. Otherwise, after the first heating season, you will have to paint again. It is necessary to purchase only the paint that can withstand temperatures of at least 100 degrees.
• Resistance to abrasion and other mechanical influences. Since heating communications usually also perform the function of dust collectors, they often have to be cleaned. Therefore, it is important that the coating is not worn off after a dozen cleanings.
• The absence of harmful components in the composition. To prevent the release of substances harmful to the human body, it is necessary to paint the batteries with a material that does not contain them or contains them in the smallest amount. If there are a lot of them in the paint, then when the radiator is heated or it is cleaned, air will be released, which will not affect the well-being of everyone living in the apartment in the best way.

Types of materials

Basically, for painting heating elements, the following paints are used:

• alkyd;
• oil;
• acrylic;
• water-dispersion.

All of them have their advantages and disadvantages, given that everyone chooses the most suitable option.

Alkyd paint is famous for its strength, resistance to abrasion and other mechanical stress, but it has an unpleasant odor. Demand is due to the large selection of colors and shades. When applied to the surface, it is very easy to achieve a uniform tone.

oily It has an unpleasant odor and takes a long time to dry compared to other types. During painting, difficulties arise with uniform application of it to the surface.

Acrylic materials boast an attractive glossy appearance and abrasion resistance. Its main disadvantage is an unpleasant odor that has to be weathered for a long period of time. The reason for this is the presence of a solvent in its composition.

Water-dispersion paints do not stink, dry quickly, but do not resist abrasion as much. They are not popular, as the painted surface is dull and slightly rough. The choice of water-dispersion paints suitable for metal and at the same time heat-resistant is small.

You can buy paint in a jar or aerosol can.

When choosing a color, some buyers prefer dark colors, guided by the opinion that they are more suitable for heating radiators than light ones. In this, a huge role is played not only by the desire to add a kind of zest to the interior, but also by the judgment that dark radiators give off more heat than light ones. From the point of view of the laws of physics, this is true. But how significant the difference in temperatures will be needs to be checked in practice. Why not try some DIY with dark paint. If the painted product successfully fits into the interior, it will give the apartment character and originality.

There is a moment in which light colors are clearly inferior not in theory, but in practice. So why is it better to cover radiators with dark paint? The fact is that over time, the white coating gradually turns yellow. As a result, it needs to be updated more frequently.

Before you paint the radiators with your own hands, it must be carried out in compliance with certain rules. This will ensure a good end result.

• Cover surfaces that are not going to be painted with film or newspaper. Use masking tape to attach to the wall.
• Do not paint heated radiators. The unpleasant odor will be released more intensively and the risk of cracking of the coating will increase.
• It is better to start painting from the top, as drops can flow onto the covered areas, which will be ugly. It will also be more difficult to achieve an even layer.
• It is recommended to start painting with your own hands from hard-to-reach places so as not to get dirty in the process.
• Professionals recommend applying several thin coats of paint rather than one generous one. This will make it easier to achieve a uniform tone. It will also contribute to the quality of heat transfer. The next layer should be covered with a heating radiator only after the previous one has completely dried.

If the battery is already installed in its place, then it will be easier to work with small rollers or straight and curved brushes. In this case, the spray gun will be inconvenient to use. It may be difficult to apply a uniform layer when painting the back of the product.

It is better to paint a removed or not yet installed battery from an aerosol can or spray gun, which will reduce time costs.

Important! Aerosols and spray guns can only be used in well-ventilated areas. Respirators must be used.

Painting radiators with your own hands is a rather laborious and responsible process. This process does not tolerate mistakes and ignoring important points. Only by following all the recommendations of specialists, you will be able to update thermal communications in a high-quality and creative way.

It is necessary to paint the heating battery for two reasons: if the old paint is irradiated, cracked. They also repaint if you need to change its color: it turned yellow, but has no defects. Yes, it just doesn't fit into the new decor. In the first case, the procedure is as follows: first you need to remove the old paint and only then paint. If the paint is in good condition and there are less than three layers, then it can not be removed.

We paint the battery

When painting, an important rule applies: two or three thin coats of paint are better than one thick one. And do not try to paint over perfectly the first time. By taking more paint on the brush, you will most likely get a greasy streak that will not be easy to get rid of. At the same time, it will be no closer to the ideally native surface than to painting. Therefore, we take a little paint and carefully rub it. Even if you can see a little metal or old paint. Everything will be corrected by subsequent layers.

First, paint the inner surfaces. A brush with a bent handle can help with this. You may need several of them: from quite thick to very thin. Some places can only be climbed with an old toothbrush, so find that too. We start painting from top to bottom from the outermost section. Where is the extreme - on the right or on the left - as it suits you.

After you have painted everything inside, you begin to paint the outer surface. The sequence is the same: from one edge to the other, from top to bottom. Why not vice versa? Because when painting from below, drops will fall on the already painted surface, they will again need to be rubbed with a brush. Extra labor and time.

After applying the first layer, wait until it is completely dry. The drying time before applying the next layer is usually indicated on the label. Then apply the second one in the same sequence. Then decide if you need to paint again.

One more thing: if after the first layer it lay unevenly, streaks and bumps remain, after drying, take the skin and level them. The second time there will be more experience and everything will turn out better.

Painting a radiator with normal paintwork

In the normal state of the paint without visible flaws, if there is only one (or two) layer and they lie evenly, you can paint on top without removing the old coating. Only pre-processing is required.

We paint an aluminum and bimetallic battery

If you want to paint aluminum or in which you are not satisfied only with the color, think carefully about whether it is worth spoiling a good coating. Maybe it's worth in this case to close the radiator? And one more thing: if your radiators are under warranty, then after painting the factory (or the seller) will refuse warranty repairs. Even if the reason is completely different.

If you want to get a color similar to the "factory" contact a specialized service station. They paint cars using the same technology. Maybe they will agree to paint your radiators

If there is still a need to paint an aluminum or bimetallic radiator, it is better to contact a specialized car repair shop. Only they can professionally help. If you want to do everything yourself, you can use paint for cars in a can. But with this option, it is likely that in those places where the radiator is often touched, the top layer will be erased, although it depends on the quality of the enamel and the starting coating of the radiator.

If you still decide to use car enamel, you need to work on hot batteries. And the hotter the better. Drying time at 130 o C - 20 minutes, at 60 o C - 40 minutes, and at 20 o C - a month.

An important condition: during work and all the time while the paint dries, the window must be open, the doors to other rooms must be closed. Please bring mask and gloves.

Everything around will have to be covered with paper, old rags. The spray can is a good thing, but it almost turned in the wrong direction, and everything is painted in the tone of the radiators ... During operation, keep the distance you need for uniform spraying - this is about 20-30 cm, but it is written on the package for sure. And in general, even before buying, carefully read the instructions and recommendations for use. So you will understand whether you can provide the required conditions for applying paint.

The order is the same: start with the inner surfaces, then walk along the outer ones from top to bottom. Don't try to achieve the perfect color the first time. This is almost impossible, especially if the base color is white, and some bright shade is applied to it. If you keep the jet in one place for too long, there will be sags and streaks. They are much more difficult to deal with than unpainted places. It is better to apply one or two more layers after complete drying. The result will be better.

Changing the color of cast iron

Most often, old-style cast-iron batteries need painting. It is definitely better to carry out work after the end of the heating season: it will be safer for you, and the coloring will be better. Then the order is:

We paint a panel radiator

There may be two options here. If there is a factory coating of enamel, it is better to use a can of car enamel. If the paint is normal, the procedure is the same as for cast iron. The only difference is that it will be easier to paint the front panel with a roller, and not with brushes.

But in panel radiators, you also need to change the color of the grilles. They already need to be painted with brushes. If there is rust on the grilles, they should first be cleaned, then treated with a rust converter, primed (composition with an anti-corrosion effect), and only then painted. All these funds are easiest to buy at the car market - there are a lot of them in different packaging.

How to remove old paint from a battery

Often the question is not how to paint, but how to remove the old paint. There are several ways.

Mechanical

You can remove the paint from the radiator using a drill and a special nozzle. Another mechanical method is the processing of the radiator with sandpaper. But this is a very long process that will take a lot of time and no less effort. If there is no drill, you can pay for its rent, and in a few hours remove all layers of paint to the metal. Manually, you will have to spend a whole day on this, or maybe more than one - it depends on the size of the battery and the amount of paint on it.

Chemical

Often a special paste is used to remove paint. It has the appearance of a gel. Take a clean brush and apply the composition to all surfaces. If there is a lot of paint, the treatment must be repeated after 20 minutes (right on top of the previous layer). Then it is recommended to cover the radiator with a film - so the impact will be more intense. After waiting the period of time specified in the instructions, put on a mask, gloves, arm yourself with a spatula and a brush with metal bristles. First remove the paint with a spatula, then clean the residue with a brush. Particularly "harmful" or hard-to-reach places can be rubbed with sandpaper.

thermal method

The paint and varnish coating on the batteries is applied thermally resistant, but even at certain temperatures it begins to peel off. Therefore, in order to remove old paint from the radiator, it must be heated.

It will be enough to heat a metal radiator with a building hair dryer or a blowtorch. When the temperature of the metal exceeds the critical point for the paint (this is usually 120-140 o C), it will swell and begin to bubble. This is where you need to remove it with a spatula.

A cast-iron battery will have to be heated in this way for a long time, it will take a lot of time, and the effect will be insignificant. Cast iron has a very high heat capacity, it is very difficult to heat it with a building hair dryer to 120-140 o C. As an option: partly use the chemical method, partly the thermal method, sometimes cleaning it with your hands or a drill.

There is one way, but only for old accordions. It will simultaneously remove all the deposits that have accumulated inside. But for this, the battery will need to be removed, and then completely repackaged. And immediately about the sad: when using this method, casting flaws can be revealed. During the cleaning process, rusted particles fall off and fistulas may appear. But on the other hand, it is better to immediately exclude all leaky sections than to repair damage during the heating season later. Moreover, you still have to sort out the entire radiator.

Now about the method itself. Remove the radiator and throw it into the fire. All paint burns, you just have to clean the surface with a metal brush or a drill with a nozzle. The cooled battery must be disassembled into sections, burnt-out gaskets on the collectors must be removed. Then tap each section with a mallet and pour out all the garbage that has accumulated there over the years. When assembling, put new gaskets, you can use new nipples, or you can put old ones if they are in good condition. The assembled battery is pressed and then painted. It takes a lot of time, but this is not only painting, but also a “general cleaning”.

How to paint a cast iron radiator

After the old paint is removed, the battery is cleaned to a metallic sheen (drill with cord brush). Then carefully, they are treated with a "non-greasy" solvent, for example, acetone or pure gasoline. You need to wipe everything until the rag soaked in the solvent is clean.

After drying, cover the entire surface both inside and out with a primer. For a cast-iron battery, it is imperative to take a composition that provides anti-corrosion protection. Otherwise, after a while, rusty spots and streaks will appear on the surface. You can (and even need to) use primers for cars. They provide quality protection. The method of applying paint is described above: we start with the internal parts, and we start from the top, move down. Then, according to the same principle, we process the outer surfaces. Apply thin layers. Each time we wait until it dries completely. We clean up the flaws, then we go through the second, and if necessary, the third time. This is the only way to achieve high-quality coloring.

How to paint only a section

There are times when only a small area needs to be painted. It makes no sense to remove all the paint and repaint the battery (or pipe). Then you need to clear the necessary area in any way possible, capturing a few "adjacent territories". Sand it to the metal, and treat it with a solvent to a “clean rag”, apply a primer. After the primer dries, apply paint.

If there is a difference in levels between the painted and cleaned surface, it is necessary to equalize the difference with metal fillers. They are epoxy and polyester. Sold, also in auto shops. Despite the fact that these are car enamels, the heating temperatures are “kept” normally. Smooth the surface with fine grit sandpaper, then prime and apply several coats of paint.

Is it possible to paint a hot battery

Basically, you can. But then you need to select a paint with a suitable application mode, and they cost twice as much, require compliance with security measures (a respirator and open windows), they “smell” much stronger, and are available in a much smaller assortment. So it's a debatable decision.

Can regular paint be applied to a hot battery? This is not recommended. But, as usual, so do many. The smell is then much stronger, but when working in a mask and with an open window, the risk of poisoning is minimal. But that's not all the trouble. Some types of paints change color when applied “hot”, there is a risk of getting instead of a white battery

yellowish.

The second trouble is that the paint on a hot battery dries very quickly. You can’t break away or be distracted, you need to work intensively with a brush all the time. Still, it will be difficult to achieve an even color. If you only need to “refresh” the color, it is still possible, but a radical change is unrealistic. Wait for the end of the heating season or turn off the battery with ball valves.

There are several types of paints that it is desirable to apply on hot radiators. These are some types of car enamels. More acrylic enamel "Rainbow" for metal and heating radiators. Here it is desirable to apply it to a hot battery or pipe. On cold cracks will appear after drying. But before work, carefully read the instructions and follow them exactly. Enamel is good, no smell. If repairs are needed urgently - look for such a suitable color.

Read more about paints for radiators here.

Results

A simple, it would seem, process is the coloring of the battery, but there are many subtleties. From how to remove the old coating, to the procedure for applying new layers.

Painting radiators to improve their appearance is a topical issue today. Of course, it would be easier to install new radiators, but this is not always technically possible due to the peculiarities of new brands of radiators, which simply “do not fit” into some heating systems. And then the problem arises: how and with what to paint the radiators? After all, the range of materials from which they are made is very wide: cast iron and aluminum, steel and copper ... Each of these metals requires an individual approach when painting - our article will be devoted to these subtleties.

Convectors and "batteries"

From the very beginning it is worth mentioning one nuance. In many modern homes, as a heating device, convectors- pipes with fins. How to paint them? No way. These devices (especially those with frequent aluminum fins) are not painted, since painting can adversely affect their heat dissipation. The design of the convector, in addition to the heat source, includes a removable casing - a convection chamber - that's what you can paint to ennoble the general appearance of the device. If the convector is already completely “morally obsolete”, then it is better to simply change it to a new one.

Most often, good old “batteries” need painting - cast-iron radiators, veterans of the domestic heating front. They have proven themselves in operation, and people often do not want to change them for new devices, not only because of a lack of finances, but simply not seeing such a need - after all, these radiators heat regularly, and it is also convenient to dry small things on them.

Very often, old metal heaters are covered with numerous layers of paint, and the first layers have already turned into “ancient fossils”, which must be disposed of before painting again. How to do it?

Surface preparation

You can properly prepare the surface of the radiator in two ways: either by completely removing all old paint from it, or by treating the old coating in a special way before applying a new one. Let's take a closer look at both of these methods.

1. Cleaning from the old "layers" produced using chemicals (washes) of both domestic and foreign manufacturers: B52, SP-6, ACE, Dufa, etc. A solvent and fatty acid based remover softens old paint, separating it from the base. The product should be applied to the entire painted surface and left for some time, different for different types of washes (from 15 minutes to 3-5 hours). After the paint has completely softened, it is removed with a stiff brush or scraper. The more layers of "old" paint applied to the radiator - the more times you will need to re-apply the wash. In the process of cleaning the radiator, be sure to take care of good air circulation in the room, and in some cases (when using especially “powerful” compounds), even a respirator may come in handy.

Be aware that some of the metals that radiators are made from may react with flushing. An exception here is cast iron - an inert alloy that is not afraid of solvents. If your radiator is not cast iron, consider the risk of getting a less than perfect surface after cleaning.

And one more thing to pay attention to: most modern washes do not do well with oil paints made before the 60s. XX century. This is due to the use of natural ingredients in their formulation (which is why such paints are often called "real").

After removing the old paint, the surface is cleaned with sandpaper. Domestic cast-iron appliances are initially covered with “pimples”, therefore, for a more aesthetic appearance, it is better to try to clean at least the “facade” of the radiator, although this work is very laborious. The main thing here is not to overdo it, because the most durable of cast iron castings is just the surface layer and, taking on the cleaning too zealously, you can make the radiator too fragile. By the way, after removing the paint, pockets of rust may be found that will need to be treated with a corrosion inhibitor.

After cleaning the surface, it must prime- for example, with the domestic primer GF-021 or its analogues, which "fit" well under domestic paints of the MA or PF series. And if you want the most durable result, then you should not save money - choose an imported primer, brands ACE, Sigma Coatings, Dulux and others like that.

2. The second method of surface preparation is used before painting over the old coating. If there are no "secular layers" on the radiator, and the previous paint is holding well - do not be philosophic, paint directly over it. Beforehand, it will only be necessary to thoroughly wash the surface, degrease it and allow it to dry properly. In this case, most often, even a primer is not required.

ATTENTION!

You should know that when applying oil paint to the primer, the heat transfer of the cast-iron "battery" increases by 3-4%.

Two or three layers of applied paint do not have any effect on heat transfer, but each next (fourth, etc.) layer reduces the heat output by 1%.

Let's move on to coloring

Before painting the radiator, turn off the heating system. The heat of the turned on radiator and heating pipes contributes to the paint drying too quickly, and it does not have time to spread normally, which results in the appearance of irregularities on the surface (frozen streaks and “wrinkling” of paint, brush marks). If it is not possible to turn off the heating, you can try to apply the coating in a very thin layer, but this is not desirable.

On sale there are paints from various manufacturers (for example, Dufa), positioned as specially designed for heating radiators. However, domestic finishing professionals consider this just a marketing ploy, since the temperature of radiators usually does not exceed 80 degrees Celsius, and such heat is well tolerated by all high-quality paintwork materials.

It is generally recommended to cover radiators alkyd enamels, which "behave" well even at temperatures up to 90 degrees, while maintaining strength and abrasion resistance. Such enamels are produced by ACE, Dulux, Sigma Coatings and other brands. In addition to alkyd, it is also possible to paint radiators acrylic and acrylate enamels, which dry faster and have a less pungent smell. By the way, it is worth noting that Sigmaferro Primer ZP can also be used as a top coat.

If, according to the owner's intention, the color of the "batteries" must match the color of the walls, there are two options for solving this problem. The first (the most optimal) is to buy paint for radiators of the same color as the walls, or tint it upon purchase. The second option is to paint the radiator with the same paint as the walls, after covering the device with an appropriate primer. However, when choosing the second option, it should be remembered that wall paint loses its durability when heated. And it is not recommended to dry wet things on radiators painted with wall paint - the coating may break off (or peel off).

We paint bimetallic and aluminum radiators

Such radiators are initially painted with powder paint at the factory, and their “home” painting is usually associated either with a complete change in the wrong color, or with painting over scratches that appeared during transportation or installation of the device. It is quite difficult to achieve the same smooth coverage with improvised means. Therefore, if the problem is only in choosing a shade, it is better to immediately buy a radiator of the right color.

If this is not possible, then there are two ways to solve the problem. The first is to paint the radiator with a good alkyd enamel (ACE or Dulux) over the factory one. Before this, you can treat the device with one of the special primers (for example, Dulux). The main thing here is a thorough preliminary cleaning of the base from dust and its degreasing.

The second option concerns cases when there are peeling and chips on the factory paint - then it would be better to clean the surface of the device to bare metal with a grinder. Then the radiator is primed using primer for non-ferrous metal, after which it is painted with alkyd paint (you can also try water-based paint).

As a tool for coloring, you can choose a good professional brush or an aerosol. However, when using an aerosol, certain difficulties arise - it is difficult for them to paint over the internal cavities of the device. In addition, the back wall must be closed so as not to stain with paint. Yes, and the financial issue is also worth taking into account - aerosols are more expensive than enamel. It is convenient to use the aerosol method to paint removable casings of convectors, and even barbecue aerosols that can withstand a constant temperature of up to 400 degrees can be used.

By the way, some manufacturers of heating appliances (for example, Zehder and Global) additionally sell branded spray paints for them in different colors (including shades from the RAL catalog). Such an offer is very convenient for further self-tinting of scratches, chips, etc.