Heating batteries are an indispensable element of the interior of apartments and houses. They look beautiful when they have a smooth and clean surface. Old batteries with faded and cracked paint are immediately noticeable. Applying a new dye to radiators is easy, but it is important to follow a number of requirements so that the paint for radiators retains a pleasant appearance for a long time.
The choice of paint for heating batteries and pipes
The paint used for radiators must meet the following requirements:
- Resistant to high temperatures;
- Impact and abrasion resistance;
- Resistant to household cleaning agents;
- Safety.
Dyes of the following types are intended for painting batteries and pipes of the heating system:
- Alkyd. A very common type, produced in a wide range of colors. These enamels are resistant to high temperatures and mechanical stress. Among the shortcomings is a long drying time, during which an unpleasant odor persists.
- Acrylic. The advantage is a glossy sheen that lasts for a long time. This type has the same disadvantages that are observed in alkyd formulations.
- Water-dispersion. For these paints, water is used as a solvent, so that an unpleasant odor is not formed. Drying lasts 40 minutes - 1 hour. After drying, a film of polymers is formed, which is resistant to water. Water-dispersion formulations have recently appeared on the market, so they have not yet become widespread.
Traditionally, white enamels were used for cast iron batteries. Now there is a wide choice of compositions for coloring. Radiators painted in accordance with the interior and the general design of the room look good.
Batteries and pipes painted in shades of bronze and gold look very unusual. Patterns and ornaments are applied as decorations.
Preparation of heating radiators for painting
In many ways, the quality of painting depends on the thoroughness of the preparatory work. Often the preparation takes much more time than the actual application of the paint.
The first step is surface cleaning. Dirt is removed with a wet cloth. It is better not to remove old enamel if it is firmly attached to the battery and does not have cracks or swelling. Most often, the old coating is in poor condition, and the battery needs to be cleaned of it. The entire layer of paint should be removed - if you leave firmly holding pieces, then the new coating will not be able to be applied evenly, and protrusions will be visible, from which the destruction of the new layer will begin. As a result, the new surface will last much less than it could with high-quality processing.
To clean the surface of paint, washing solutions are used, applied with a brush to the surface of the battery. After their application, the radiator is wrapped with a film. After about an hour, the paint softens and is removed with a spatula. The cleaned surface is rubbed with sandpaper. Particular attention is paid to rust spots. They need to be cleaned to bare metal, a drill nozzle in the form of a round brush with metal fibers will help with this. Rust removers can also be used. If you are not serious about cleaning up the effects of corrosion, then the cast iron battery will continue to rust, and the paint will not last long.
Dust is blown off after mechanical cleaning. For degreasing, white spirit or Galosha gasoline degreaser is suitable. Similar operations are performed with pipes of the heating system. Cleaning and degreasing must be carried out even for new designs.
An anti-corrosion primer is applied to the cleaned metal. It helps to increase adhesion and protects structures from rust formation.It is better to use primer and paint from the same manufacturer, this guarantees good adhesion.
Wall and floor surfaces around radiators and pipes are protected from ingress of coloring compositions. In addition to "traditional" fabrics and newspapers, it is convenient to use masking tape. It can be glued on surfaces in contact with the elements to be painted.
Paint application
The main condition for high-quality painting is the performance of work with cold batteries. If painting is required during the heating season, the radiators are turned off by valves. Turning off the entire riser is a complex procedure that must be agreed with the neighbors. In this case, the batteries must cool down and remain cold during the curing of the paint.
The tool for applying the coloring composition consists of two small brushes with soft bristles. One brush has a straight shape, it does most of the work.
Hard to reach places are covered curved brush, which allows you to paint structures from all sides.
Instead of a straight brush, you can also use roller with dense foam nozzle.
Paint is applied from top to bottom. First, it is better to paint the inner surfaces and hard-to-reach places, so as not to get your clothes or hands into the paint. After the first layer has dried, the second is applied. This will ensure uniform coating thickness and a smooth surface.
To paint the radiator, you can use spray guns. To do this, it is better to remove the batteries. However, it will be difficult to paint the heating pipes from all sides in this way, it is better to use a curved brush for them.
