Radiator Paint

What is Radiator Paint?

Radiator paint is metal paint that is heat-resistant in order to ensure the paint maintains adhered to the radiator long-term. These come in both oil-based and water-based forms, which both provide their own advantages.

Water-based paint is much faster drying, will not yellow and is easier to clean up compared to oil-based paint. Oil-based paint can take up to 12 hours to dry, has a tendency to yellow, however it offers higher durability and can achieve a higher level of sheen.

Can You Paint Radiators With Emulsion?

Not all paints can be applied to radiators, not only as some will not adhere to the metal surface, but also any heat will cause the paint to peel or flake. That is why it is essential to use a paint that has been either designed for interior metal or has been identified as a paint that can be used on radiators.

Why not read out full guide to painting radiators?

Do You Need To Prime A Radiator?

It is always advised to use primer on any bare surface, although some metal paints are self-priming. Apply a general use primer such as Zinsser BIN Primer on to the surface using a brush or roller before painting will prepare the surface ready for painting.

Can You Paint Radiator With Emulsion?

When people refer to emulsion paint, they generally are talking about paint for interior walls & ceilings. While these paints can adhere to metal if it has been primed, the results and longevity will not be satisfactory. When painting a radiator, use a good quality metal paint that offers the heat resistance required for long-term performance. There are paints that can be used for both, such as an acrylic eggshell paint, that provides exceptional durability on interior walls & ceilings, which allows it to be applied to radiators.

If you would like to match the colour of your radiators and your walls, instead of using the same paint, why not get them mixed in the same colour? This can be done with the colour match paint we stock here at Painters World, that can be mixed in any colour. The colour match range includes paints of all types, including matt and eggshell emulsions, satin paints or dedicated metal paints.

Is Retail Radiator Paint Any Good?

Here at Painters World we only stock trade paint, plus a number of particularly high-quality retail paints. This is due to the fact that trade paint is much higher quality, has better durability and offers better value for money than standard retail paints that are widely available in large DIY stores.

Retail radiator paints as with most retail paints generally offer a much lower quality than a specially designed product, which is why we often say that if you opt for a cheap product, you will have to pay for it twice.

Why Does Some Radiator Paint Crack?

Paint cracks for a number of reasons depending on external factors. In the case of radiator paint, this is caused by the radiator heating and cooling on a consistent basis. This caused the paint to weaken as it expands and contracts. As this movement occurs, cracks begin to open that are gradually expanded over time.

Radiator Paint Colours

As with any painting project, getting the right colour is one of the most important aspects of achieving the results you want. Some of our radiator paints are available in our paint mixing service here at Painters World.

This means that you can get a radiator paint in a colour of your choice. Simply find a paint labelled 'tinted colour', then on the product page you can select what colour you would like by searching through our colour palettes, or alternatively you can type in the name of a colour in the text box. We mix RAL, British Standard, NCS and equivalent shades of all major paint manufacturers, so no matter what colour you are looking for, we can do it. This also includes designer shades.

For example if you want a radiator paint in Dulux Jasmine White, just type "Dulux Jasmine White" into the box and checkout!

When it comes to picking a paint colour, white and brilliant white is the obvious choice and by far the most popular. Having said this, matching your radiator to the colour of your wall has become increasingly popular, as well as using darker colours for interior woodwork and metal such as anthracite grey, navy and jet black. Alternatively why not go bold with colour and use a yellow, orange, green or red shade that can bring a beautiful brightness to the home.

Where To Buy Radiator Paint

At Painters World we stock a wide range of high-quality trade and retail paints, including radiator paint, as well as vast array of paint brushes, rollers & decorating supplies, so you can get everything you need to get decorating in one place.