The unpainted metal surface is unaesthetic and subject to corrosion, so any heating radiator is covered with a decorative layer in the factory. During operation of the device, the external coating loses its appearance. It also happens that you just need to change the color of the battery. Then the question arises, how to paint the heating battery and whether it is realistic to update the coating with your own hands, because the paint is applied at the factory using special technology. Modern coloring compounds allow you to perform such work at home, you only need to know some rules.

Modern coloring compounds allow staining in a variety of colors

What color to paint the radiator

When choosing which paint is best to paint a heating battery, it is important to understand that it does not have to be white at all. You can deviate from bored standards and turn it into a piece of decor. Combinations of shades look beautiful, especially in children's rooms, where you can realize your wildest design ideas. If you paint cast-iron batteries in golden, bronze and silver shades, they will look very original. Especially antique models or those with decorative brazing will benefit from this color.

Cast Iron Radiator

Contrast painting will enliven the kitchen battery, you can also apply a "gradient" - a gradual "flow" of one shade into another.

Where to start work on updating the radiator

To begin with, it is worth figuring out which paint is suitable for such work. You need to understand that a decorative coating must meet several requirements. A radiator is a device that heats up, and the most important condition when choosing a paint is its heat resistance - it should not lose its properties when heated to 80-90 ° C. In addition, the following properties will be required:

1. High adhesion. The coating should adhere well to the metal and not peel off when the temperature of the battery changes.
2. The ability to resist corrosion. The paint must contain anti-corrosion components, especially if it is planned to be applied to a steel radiator.
3. Strength. The coating should be resistant to abrasion, especially for those radiators that are located in accessible places.
4. Color fastness. The composition should not lose its original shade when heated, otherwise it will have to be updated after each heating season.
5. Safety. The coloring substance must be safe for the inhabitants of the house and not contain harmful substances that evaporate when exposed to heat.

Color fastness is a prerequisite for high-quality paint

It is also better to choose odorless and quick-drying formulations.

Note! Odorless paint is best used in nurseries and bedrooms.

Using modern materials, you can create a matte, glossy, and textured coating on the radiator.

It is also necessary to calculate how much pigment is needed.To do this, you need to study the instructions for it and correlate the information on the composition consumption with the size of the battery and the planned number of layers of paint. It is easy to calculate the radiator area based on the data from the product passport. Paint is taken with a margin. After that, you can begin the preparatory work.

Varieties of colors for radiators

You can choose both a modern composition and time-tested.

Odorless and quick-drying paints are ideal for children.

The most popular are:

1. Acrylic paint. It is better to take a water dispersion. Its advantages are lack of smell and safety. Such a composition at a temperature of 20 degrees will dry in half an hour. It will not require updating in the next 7-8 years, as it is durable.
2. Alkyd compounds. Coating with such a paint will also be durable, resistant to mechanical damage, but a rather unpleasant odor is a significant drawback. It can remind of itself for a long time when the battery is warm.

You can also use silicate paint or based on aluminum powder ("silver"). Both of them are distinguished by a strong smell, and it can be used only in a well-ventilated room, and better in a non-residential one.

Important! Aluminum powder is an explosive substance and you should not paint the battery with such a coating where there is an increased level of fire hazard.

Alkyd paint will be durable, resistant to mechanical damage.

To create a textured coating, you can apply a variety of alkyd paint, such as hammer. It gives not a smooth surface, but uneven, with small pores, as if beaten with a hammer or resembling minting. This paint is a good option for a cast-iron “accordion”, the surface of which is also specific.

Regardless of the type of paint you need to stock up on gloves, thinner, work clothing and materials to protect the surrounding area. If the paint smells, a respirator is required.

How to paint the battery with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

Before you paint your home battery with your own hands, you need to study the entire process of updating the decorative coating: it consists of several steps. You need to adhere to the sequence and do all the work carefully. Before work, the adjacent walls, floor and interior items should be covered with foil.

DIY battery coloring

Cleaning the surface of old paint

You can remove the old coating in whole or in part - to process only those places where the paint is cracked, removed from the metal or changed color. It is better, of course, to remove all layers to metal, but this is quite laborious.

To clean the battery, you can use:

1. Hand brush with metal bristles. She just needs to thoroughly rub the radiator in the necessary places. Option - coarse sandpaper. But this method is only good for partial treatment, as the hands will get tired very quickly.
2. Drill or grinder with a special nozzle. The latter may look like an iron brush or a circle with an abrasive surface. With this method, you can completely remove the paint from the radiator in just a few hours. It should be stocked with glasses and a respirator - there will be a lot of dust.
3. Chemicals Such compositions can be bought at any hardware store, they are available in the form of gels, aerosols, pastes. The latter are not very convenient, but a gel or spray is easy to apply even in hard to reach places. Literally in half an hour (on average) the paint will react with the product, soften and be easily removed with a brush or spatula. But when working with such compounds, safety rules should be observed, since they emit a very unpleasant odor. Be sure to protect surrounding objects from liquid.In addition, the reaction of the metal of the radiator can be unpredictable, so before applying to the entire surface, you need to test. Only cast iron batteries can be used with such solvents without fear, but after carrying out the work, it is necessary to check the tightness of those places where hemp or tow was used as a sealant. Chemistry may well dissolve the fibers.

Degreasing and primer radiator

After removing the paint, the metal should be treated with fine-grained sandpaper to remove minor irregularities and other defects. Then the radiator should be thoroughly cleaned about dust. This can be done with a napkin; if possible, use a construction vacuum cleaner.

Before painting, the surface should be degreased.

Then the surface should be degreased. To do this, it is better to use aerosol products, for example, Newton. It is evenly distributed, penetrating even places that are difficult to reach.

Now apply a primer coat. It must be applied carefully, without gaps. It is better to choose a tool with anticorrosive properties.

Note! It is believed that when using solvent-based paint, putting it on top of the primer does not make sense, but the presence of soil will not spoil the coating.

GF-021 primer can be combined with paints of domestic manufacturers. For imported materials, it is better to take Sigma or Dulux products as the basis.

Battery painting

You can paint the battery with a brush, roller or use spray paint. The application of each type has its own characteristics.

Paint the battery with a brush

Aerosol paint is shaken in the can for 1-2 minutes, then the first layer is applied from a distance of 25-30 cm. You need to move from top to bottom. Having painted over the entire surface, you need to let the paint dry for 5-7 minutes, then put the second layer, filling in the gaps. The number of layers depends on the color of the paint and how skillfully it is applied.

For painting with a brush, you should choose a high-quality tool that will not lose fibers during the staining process. You will need two brushes - one simple, the second - with a handle bent at an angle to work with hard to reach places. First, the inner ribs are painted, then the outer surface. They move, as in the previous case, from top to bottom so that falling drops do not spoil the coating. Each subsequent layer is applied only after the previous one dries. To give a special gloss to the coating, after the last layer has dried, it can be treated with a sandpaper.

The spray paint is shaken in a spray can and the first layer is applied from a certain distance

Paint roller can be used to paint modern batteries, which consist of flat sections or have one large panel. With this tool, you can quickly do the bulk of the work, but internal parts and minor flaws still have to be handled with a brush.

Important painting rules

It is worth taking into account these rules in order to get the perfect result of painting:

• it is better to remove the battery for painting. Then you can apply a primer and paint absolutely to the entire surface and be sure that it is protected against corrosion over the entire area;
• Hot batteries must not be painted. If there is a need to carry out work in the heating season, the radiators should be turned off and wait for them to cool. Turn on the media again only after the coating has completely dried. Otherwise, the paint may lie unevenly, swell, go stained and wrinkled;
• paint should be applied in thin layers. At the same time, observe their equal thickness on the entire surface of the radiator, otherwise color differences may occur;
• paint is always applied only from top to bottom.

Painting a heating battery is not difficult, but an excellent result can only be obtained using high-quality materials

All of the above methods are only suitable for devices made of copper, steel and cast iron.As for painting aluminum heating batteries, it is very difficult to get high-quality coating on them at home. This is due to the fact that powder coating of radiators is used in the factory.

Important! If there is such a need, experts recommend using car enamels for coloring.

Painting a heating battery is not difficult, but an excellent result can be obtained only if a certain order of work is followed and high-quality materials are used.