How To: Paint a Radiator

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about How To: Paint a Radiator and hope the blog can help you.

Give an old radiator a cool new look with the right spray paint products and techniques. Here’s how.

Radiators have been keeping homes toasty for about 150 years. While yours probably doesn’t date back that far, it may well bear signs of age—rust, chips, or an original color that doesn’t suit your décor.

Fortunately, paint can roll back the years on any operational or non-operational, hot-water or steam cast-iron radiator; it can even dress up a unit made of mild steel, which is steel with a small amount of carbon. (Naturally rust- and fade-resistant stainless steel or aluminum radiators, on the other hand, aren’t commonly painted. Those metals are less likely to need restoration in the first place, and these radiators have a more rigid, less pliant surface that isn’t particularly receptive to sanding/painting.) Like any paint project, it all boils down to proper prep, materials, and technique.

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Consider what color best suits your old-fashioned radiator—a traditional metallic or something that makes more of a statement—then read on for complete the details on how to paint a radiator. You can freshen up an old appliance into more of a focal point than an eyesore in just a weekend. And don’t delay: You’ll want to makeover this metal fixture sometime you can leave it turned off long enough to apply paint.