Paint Stripper on Radiators

[helensy]

Hi

I've got 2 radiators where the paint (not sure if it's gloss) is peeling away and it's obvoiusly been painted over many times as it's thick slabs of paint coming off. I can't keep on ignoring the problem so I'd like to take the radiators back to metal, prime and do the job properly.

However, how's best to do this? I've bought some paint stripper but have since heard that this is not advisable. I've attacked the radiators with knives and coarse sandpaper but the only parts of the radiator that are stripped right back are the bits where it's peeled off. This only accounts for about 20% and it just looks a complete mess.

Any advice on the right kind of paint stripper or doing this job another way would be much appreciated!

Thanks Helen

[Mr Fixit]

I used Nitromoors with no problems and then sprayed with a aerosol radiator paint

[Lobster]

Why / in what way? A sod of a job to do, what with all the indentations that radiators have, but I can't see why else not.

David

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Don't see why - that's how you do car bodies made of steel if you're doing a bare metal respray. Don't get the stripper into any seams, though.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Dave Plowman (News) wrote: [SNIP]

Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

For what you would pay out to complete the job of stripping 2 rads it would have been easier and cheaper plus cleaner to strip with a heat gun.

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Assuming you're removing them, a local 'sand' blasting firm would be the easy way to go.

[Chris Bacon]

That'll take a year and a day - the metal is a good conductor of heat, and it's hard to strip paint properly like that - however, you could always take them outside and light a paper and kindling bonfire under them!

[helensy]

Tempting....

Yes it really is going to take a year and a day, starting chipping off what I can and using paint stripper on some of it. Found some particularly vicious sandpaper which is helping to take it back to metal pretty quick as well, and my fingers back to the bone.... I'll just plod away at it when I'm bored!

[.]

radiators are cheap as chips so the best solution overall on both cost and bodged home brew finish vs factory finish will be: buy new radiators.

(assuming we're not talking period cast radiators)

[Pete C]

Are these still on the wall? If not a door stripping place might do them, though take care the inlet and outlet are well blocked off.

The main problem stripping in situ is fumes in a confined area. Something that might be worth trying on a sample area is applying a thick layer of normal bar soap made into a paste, taping thick polythene over it then leaving the radiator on full for a few days/weeks. This might also work with some of the fume-less 'safe' strippers.

cheers, Pete.

[Mr Fixit]

1 tin of nitromoors and 1 aerosol of rad paint is a lot cheaper

[Peter Lynch]

Only if you value your time at zero. Seriously, a single 1000mm rad is 27 quid at screwfit, plus delivery costs take the total to 33. What's the minimum wage now (shows how out of touch I am) - say 5/hour If it takes you more than 6.5 hours (less cost of Nitromors, gloves, paint etc.) you're really not doing yourself any favours.

Here's a thought: do a shift at McDonalds to pay for it. You may even get a free burger!

Pete

[Mr Fixit]

what F***** crap if I "charge" for my time I would not bother to repair anything or do anything and I would live in a pigsty , I repair things that have next to no value like computer keyboards,computer mice, kids toys, I paint radiators and things because I like doing it not every thing is throw away you can carry on filling the worlds land fills up if you like but I don't see the sense in buying a new radiator kids toys when you can paint/fix it but your obviously in the wrong group this is DIY or "do it yourself" not BIY buy it yourself either that or your paid way to much

[Peter Lynch]

Fine, if it's your hobby carry on. However I wasn't actually replying to you. If you look closely at the order of messages, you'll see I was responding to the comment about _cost_.

Rather than flying off the handle on a hair trigger (and a rather abusive one at that) I suggest you take a more relaxed approach to things - maybe go paint some radiators.

Pete

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

..........................................................................

But you used Mrfixit's post to comment hence why he thought you was having a go at him.

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[Mr Fixit]

I would suggest you look at the post immediately before yours which was mine! and I can only assume if we are all bottom posting you are replying to me and I find it just as abusive that I would work in Mc whatever

[Rob Morley]

Either your newsreader is broken or you don't understand threading.

[helensy]

So many messages...

Firstly they are old fashioned radiators and I don't want to replace them with the open top ones as they are less efficient, single bar and won't go as well in my humble opinion.

The tin of paint stripper is doing the job beautifully and I reckon I'll be undercoating this afternoon. As for valuing time, it's different for everyone, I like a job done properly and that doesn't involve doing a shift at McDonalds (I didn't graduate in Computer Science to get a job there thank you very much). I'd rather spend my pay chq on things that really do need replacing, rather than things that just need a bit of hard work and TLC. You of course can choose to do it however you like - I just wanted advice on paintstripper!! Thank you!

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Or Mrfixit is stripping PL's sig seperator?

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite