stripping paint off radiators, how to do it?

stripping paint off radiators, how to do it?

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Du1point8

Original Poster:

21,604 posts

191 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Instead of buying new radiators (will be doing that in a few months anyway when I remodel the flat) I would like to do a quick job of giving them a quick renovate of shipping and then repainting them.

Can I do that using a standard drill and a wire brush attachment or do standard drills not take them and will I break the drill?

Thought about paint stripper but I think this is too fiddly to do near carpets and Im bound to wreck the carpets so that is out.

I like the idea of a dremel with the wire brush attachment but I think that that is a little small to do such a big job?

Also I would like the solution to be versatile so that I can use it on a 30s banister (think no proper flat surfaces so normal sanding will be a pain) and on the fireplace surround that looks like its been painted over half a dozen times and lost its definition so I would like to bring those back to a nice standard too.

No Im not willing to remove all the radiators and get them blasted as I already thought of that and want a DIY solution as its only temporary to make it look a bit better than the flaking paint I do have and don't want to simply paint over as it will be noticeable.

Ta for help.


Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
erm, sandpaper and a bit of elbow grease ?

Dremel too small, it will take ages.

Drill and wire brush attachment will be fine, but it'll create a hell of a mess. I would advise removing the radiators and doing this elsewhere (like outside) if you want to go this way.

If you don't want to remove them sandpaper will do fine.

Du1point8

Original Poster:

21,604 posts

191 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Crafty_ said:
erm, sandpaper and a bit of elbow grease ?

Dremel too small, it will take ages.

Drill and wire brush attachment will be fine, but it'll create a hell of a mess. I would advise removing the radiators and doing this elsewhere (like outside) if you want to go this way.

If you don't want to remove them sandpaper will do fine.
Was wanting the drill idea as Im lazy and have no outside to remove them too which is a bh living in a 2nd floor flat.

Plus with sand paper it will be difficult to get into all the awkward sections and take hours to remove the masses of layers of paint.

Sheets Tabuer

18,898 posts

214 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Why do you want to strip them, radiators should be painted in enamel radiator paint, there is no need to strip them.

A tub is about £10

Du1point8

Original Poster:

21,604 posts

191 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Sheets Tabuer said:
Why do you want to strip them, radiators should be painted in enamel radiator paint, there is no need to strip them.

A tub is about £10
Paint is flaking off so want to have all the paint as a smooth layer rather than being able to see several layers of paint when done.

Sheets Tabuer

18,898 posts

214 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Ahh quick strip with a sanding wheel on a drill then, you'll never see it when you enamel it.

jas xjr

11,309 posts

238 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Nitromors. Quick and easy. Remove the radiator first. Easy peasy

Wings

5,810 posts

214 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Sheets Tabuer said:
Why do you want to strip them, radiators should be painted in enamel radiator paint, there is no need to strip them.

A tub is about £10
^^^^^This, no need to strip the radiators, just a good sanding down.

Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Friday 18th November 2011
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jas xjr said:
Nitromors. Quick and easy. Remove the radiator first. Easy peasy
Nitromors for me too. But as it's a 'tart up' I wouldn't remove them, just put plenty of newspaper underneath. And leave all the windows open for ventilation.

jas xjr

11,309 posts

238 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Nitromors for me too. But as it's a 'tart up' I wouldn't remove them, just put plenty of newspaper underneath. And leave all the windows open for ventilation.
Trouble is that nitromors goes through everything. Including the marigolds I was wearing last time smile

Du1point8

Original Poster:

21,604 posts

191 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
jas xjr said:
Nitromors. Quick and easy. Remove the radiator first. Easy peasy
Nitromors for me too. But as it's a 'tart up' I wouldn't remove them, just put plenty of newspaper underneath. And leave all the windows open for ventilation.
Still have a bottle or two of this stuff from when I changed the doors in the kitchen from a garish brown varnish to white and the smell was horrendous even with the windows open... had to leave the flat for several hours before I could return.

Might have a look at that too, was just wanting to incorporate the other jobs like fireplace surround and bannister in the jobs and not convinced nitromors would be enough or at not least without a few gallons of the stuff thanks to the previous owners.

Oh and several of the radiators are in carpeted rooms, which I don't think there is enough paper around and industrial covers to stop it eating everything in sight

jas xjr

11,309 posts

238 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Nitromors used to be pretty good. Last time i used it , it was to remove artex from some Walls. Maybe it has been watered down like everything else

Sheets Tabuer

18,898 posts

214 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
If you use nitromors you'll have to degrease afterwards or the enamel will separate.

Just sand the flaking bits until they are smooth and enamel over them.

Sand>clean>paint should take 25 mins.

odyssey2200

18,650 posts

208 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
jas xjr said:
Nitromors. Quick and easy. Remove the radiator first. Easy peasy
I did Nitromors followed by a going over with a wire wheel to get back to bare metal.
Wash down to clean off all the debris and once dry several coats or radiator spray paint.

Lovely job, too!!

Shaolin

2,955 posts

188 months

Friday 18th November 2011
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Du1point8 said:
Instead of buying new radiators (will be doing that in a few months anyway when I remodel the flat)
A few months? Just put up with it, I wouldn't bother messing about with something I'm going to chuck.

jas xjr

11,309 posts

238 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Having said all that I would look at how much a new radiator is vs stripping and painting the old ones

Du1point8

Original Poster:

21,604 posts

191 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Shaolin said:
Du1point8 said:
Instead of buying new radiators (will be doing that in a few months anyway when I remodel the flat)
A few months? Just put up with it, I wouldn't bother messing about with something I'm going to chuck.
A few months could be up till June next year... Said I would finish the flat changes by the time OH gets back in the country (End of June) and I sort out with a friend where to stay whilst they do it and then he stays in my flat when his flat is being done... so could be a bit of time... Just felt like doing some DIY in the flat really and a bit of time and not much money to get them back into something resembling a nice condition would be worth it for a few months.

Du1point8

Original Poster:

21,604 posts

191 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
jas xjr said:
Having said all that I would look at how much a new radiator is vs stripping and painting the old ones
No point the new radiators will be in different locations and different styles...

The flat is being opened up to be open plan and old kitchen is becoming the new double bedroom so want to shift that radiator and the lounge is becoming lounge/dinner and gaining an extra 6 ft of width due to opening up and removing non load baring wall, so its really just something Im fed up of looking at at the moment.

OldSkoolRS

6,718 posts

178 months

Friday 18th November 2011
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TBH the price of new rads isn't that bad anyway though maybe not a good time of year to start messing about with the heating incase it starts to get a bit colder. Each room that I've redone in the house has included replacing the radiator with a new one as a finishing touch and I think even the biggest one was only about £60-70 some of the smaller ones being half that. They come prefinished and even the first one I replaced some 10 years ago still looks good. Can't see much point sanding and striping existing if they are going to be pulled out in 6 months time (it takes me about that to complete a room anyway smile ).

sparkythecat

7,898 posts

254 months

Saturday 19th November 2011
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If it's only a temporary thing to smarten the place up and you don't want to make shed loads of mess with caustic chemicals or power tools. why not just make some fabric covers for them like these?
linky

Obviously the ones in the link are far too expensive for a temporary fix, but you get the idea.
You could blag some old Doris or fashion student with a sewing machine to knock you some up.