How to paint radiators with your own hands? Painting cast iron radiators at home How to paint a cast iron radiator.

The heating radiator is perfectly combined with the situation in the apartment, if it is evenly painted with a brilliant emulsion. Old batteries, the coating of which has faded and began to bubble, spoil the interior. Therefore, it is important to update them from time to time, painting them in a color identical to the tone of the walls in the room. True, this process can be difficult to do it yourself.

Difficulties of painting the battery in the apartment

Often problems arise when updating heating radiators, but they all have a solution:

• It happens that the coloring emulsion is smeared unevenly. In this case, the work must be interrupted. When the already applied emulsion dries up, the process must be resumed, starting from the forgotten stage - removing the old layer and treating the battery with a solvent;
• Some elements of the heating radiator are often not stained. This problem can be encountered using inappropriate tools. Hard-to-reach places are covered not with a foam roller or an ordinary brush, but with a special curved brush small size. A simple toothbrush is also suitable for painting the internal elements of the battery;
• Renewing the coating of a heating radiator is always inconvenient. In order to completely facilitate the task, it is worth dismantling the painted object. Such a trick will allow you to get a brush dipped in paint into absolutely all places that seemed inaccessible. But this does not mean at all that the battery must be removed from the wall. In this case, one should focus on the shape of the radiator and the complexity of dismantling;
• The paint may not lie on the surface in a neat layer, forming stains, or bubbling. This problem is often caused by staining a hot radiator. In order for the new coating to be even, you only need to update cold battery. If the heating radiator was repaired in the winter, it is necessary to block the access of heated water to it and wait until it becomes cold.

It should be noted right away that it does not always make sense to cover the battery with a new layer of coloring emulsion. It is worth updating the heating radiator if it is made of cast iron. Being flaky and faded, such heating equipment negatively affect the quality of heat transfer. It is also recommended to periodically paint convectors that look like a rounded pipe supplying hot water, with ribbed elements added to it.

You should not start painting the battery if it is aluminum. The coating on the heating radiator made of such metal is unlikely to be updated accurately. The factory method of painting heating equipment cannot be compared with applying an emulsion with a conventional brush. Therefore, it is more expedient to cover an aluminum heating radiator, the paint on which cracked and faded from time to time, with a decorative element.

The nuances of choosing paint and calculation

How the heating radiator will look after updating its surface is significantly affected by the quality of the paint. Therefore, it must be resistant to high temperatures (up to 100 degrees), resistant to abrasion and does not emit toxic substances.

Also, the type of coloring emulsion affects the result of the work on coloring the battery. Each has its own characteristics:

• Acrylic paint is easily taken with a brush and does not flow down on the treated surface, since it is the same consistency as sour cream. The battery covered with it acquires a uniform glossy shade that does not wear off and does not turn gray for a long time. While this colorant dries, a faint smell of acetone can be felt in the air;
• Alkyd paint is chosen by many of those who decide to upgrade the heating radiator. It has such advantageous characteristics as high thermal stability, wear resistance and a huge range of shades. But such a coloring emulsion dries for more than one day and smells of something caustic, since Stoddard's solvent is included in its composition;
• Water-dispersion paint. It is so named because it requires the addition of water when applying the first coat. Such an emulsion dries on the battery during the day, and most importantly, it does not emit a pungent odor;
• Oil paint. It is considered a relic of the past, which is why almost no one uses it. This coloring matter is not suitable for covering heating radiators, as after a while it becomes faded, loses its luster and is mottled with cracks.

How to calculate the required amount of material

How much coloring emulsion is required to treat the surface of a heating radiator depends on its area. One section of a cast iron heating radiator is equal to 0.254 m 2. Approximate consumption paints per 1 m 2 manufacturers will certainly indicate on the label of the jar, because each emulsion has its own consistency. A battery of 9 ribs usually takes more than half of a can weighing 0.9 kg.

Instruments

In addition to thermal insulation paint, for future work need to cook the following tools and means:

• Soft and narrow brush to cover the visible areas of the heating radiator;
• A small and curved brush that makes it easier to paint the internal elements of the battery;

The size of the brush is very important, because the process of painting a heating radiator requires special care. This indicator of the tool can correspond to half the width of one section of the battery. Too narrow a brush will make the work long and poorly miss many parts of the heating system equipment.

• Bulgarian, which is not difficult to hold in your hands, with an iron brush impaled on it;
• Hand brush, cleaning metal;
• A primer intended for the treatment of heating radiators;
• Solvent to degrease the surface of the battery.

Instructions for the correct application of paint with your own hands

In the process of coating the heating radiator with a new layer of paint, the following steps must be performed:

• Clean the surface from the previous layer of emulsion, using a grinder with an iron brush on the outer areas, and a manual metal brush on the inner ones;

Withdrawal old paint carried out with protective goggles and a respirator worn on the face. It is necessary not to inhale a large number of rising dust.

• Moisten a small piece of cloth and wipe the scraped heating radiator with it until it is completely clean;
• Treat the surface of the battery with a solvent to degrease and protect the metal from corrosion;
• After a few hours, when the solvent is absorbed, it is necessary to apply a primer to all sections of the heating radiator, which is heat-resistant and prevents rust. Without it, it will not be possible to mask all the spots formed due to metal corrosion, even after treating the battery several times;

If desired, in a hardware store you can find a coloring emulsion, which has already added both a regular primer and an anti-rust liquid. When using it, the previous paragraph can be omitted.

• Lay cardboard from a cut box or film under the heating radiator so that drops of paint do not fall on the floor. You can also protect the wall from emulsion stains by putting paper behind the battery;

• Stir the coloring matter to knead the formed lumps;
• Start painting the battery, starting with its internal elements. If the first step is to start processing the outer areas, then later, when applying the emulsion to hard-to-reach areas, you can get dirty and spoil the already painted places with the brush handle;

The paint will lie on the surface perfectly if you first apply the emulsion to the top of the battery, and then to the bottom. Heating equipment must not be smeared with a thick and thick layer of paint, because of this, irregularities will appear on it.

The coloring of radiators is sometimes quite important. After all, you can bring them and damage them, this applies to new generation radiators. But you also have to periodically paint the old cast iron ones.

Today we will tell you how radiators are painted and in what sequence. You will also receive information on right choice dyes and on the video in this article, get Additional information about this question.

All work can be done entirely by hand. Then its price will not be significant. There is also a sequence that should be followed.

Attention: Some do not prepare the surface for painting. It is not right. After all, then you have to do the painting every year.

Choosing a dye

The exact choice of paint color depends appearance. After all, you can't really hide radiators.

There is a need to take into account the requirements for battery paint and heating systems, namely:

• Radiator paint must be heat-resistant (not less than 100°C);
• Stability to hostile environments;
• Abrasion resistance;
• No toxicity when heated.

Attention: There is also an odorless radiator paint, only the instructions must be studied before purchase and the material must meet the parameters set out above.

Special paints that are intended for painting batteries are divided into subspecies:

Which paint is better for radiators? Each of them has its pros and cons, so the preference in any case remains with the consumer.

Convectors and batteries

It is worth mentioning a small feature. In many current apartments, convectors (ribbed tubes) are installed as a heating device. You ask: how to carry out their coloring?

Such devices (especially those with a dense arrangement of aluminum fins) are not painted, as paint can adversely affect their heat transfer.

Convector installation device

In addition to the coolant, a removable housing is placed in it, which can be painted to improve the appearance. If the convector is completely outdated, then it’s a good idea to simply replace it with a new one.

So:

• Old solid batteries are cast-iron radiators (domestic veterans), which most often require painting. They proved to be excellent during the period of operation, and consumers often refuse to change them for new heating devices, not only because of the lack of money, but simply not seeing such a need - they heat up such convectors quite well, and it is suitable to dry small things on them.
• Quite often, outdated metal radiators are covered with countless layers of paint, and the lower layers have long turned into "antique stalactites", from which without fail must be released before applying paint.

How to prepare for painting

There are several ways to prepare the radiator, namely: to completely remove all the old paint, or by processing the old coating in a special way before coating it with new paint.

Let's take a closer look at these methods:

• The removal of the previous layers occurs with the help of chemical agents - washes such as: ACE, Dufay, B52, SP-6 and others, both domestic and many foreign companies. Wash with base fatty acids and acetone softens the old paint, separating it from the metal. It should be applied to the entire surface where there is paint and left for some time, unequal for various kinds washes (from 15 minutes to 5 hours).
• After the coating has completely softened, it is removed with a coarse brush or a hard scraper. The more layers of old paint applied to the device - the large quantity times it is necessary to re-apply the wash. During the period of cleaning the convector, be sure to ensure sufficient ventilation of the room, and in other episodes (when using especially strong compositions), any respiratory protection may fit.

Caution: Be aware that some alloys used in radiators may react with flushing. The exception is cast iron - this is one of the few alloys that allow long time maintain the temperature of the contents, which are not dangerous to solvents. If the appliance is not made of the above material, be aware of the risk of acquiring a less than perfect surface after cleaning is completed.

• There is another nuance to which you should pay your attention: most of the current washes do not work well with oil paints produced in the 60s of the 20th century. What is connected with the use of natural components in their composition (which is why such paints are often called "natural").
• After complete removal of the previous paint, the plane is cleaned with sandpaper. Cast iron radiators are covered with so-called “bumps”, therefore, to improve aesthetics, it is best to try to clean at least the front side of the device - this work is quite laborious, where the main thing is not to overdo it, since cast iron castings are considered to be the strongest upper layer and, by taking up the stripping too zealously, you can make the device unduly fragile. Following the release of the paint layer, rust spots may open that will need to be treated. special tool from metal corrosion.
• Next, the surface must be primed, for example, with GF-021 or its substitutes, which are good to apply under domestic paints of the MA and PF brands. If you want the longest lasting effect, then there is no need to save money - choose a soil material foreign manufacturer, brands such as Deluxe, Sigma Coatings, ACE and the like.
• Another method of preparing the plane is that the painting takes place over the old coating. If there are no "centenary layers" on the convector, and the old coating is quite strong - do not be cunning, paint on top of it. Before painting, you need to scrupulously wash the surface, degrease it and let it dry properly. Most often, in this case, there is no need even for priming.

Important:

• You should know that the heat transfer of a cast-iron appliance increases by three to four percent when oil paint is applied on top of the primer.
• Paints containing in their composition heavy metals(lead or aluminum), reduce thermal conductivity, unlike oil.
• Heat output is not affected by three coats of applied paint, but each successive layer reduces heat output by one percent.

Product coloring

Turn off the heating system before painting the appliance. Excessively fast drying of the coating is facilitated by the heat of the operating radiator and heating pipes, and it does not have time to distribute normally, which leads to the appearance of irregularities on the surface (frozen drops and streams, marks from the brush).

If there is no chance of turning off the heating system, you can try to apply a thin layer of paint, which is undesirable.

• In the trade there are paints from various manufacturers, designated as specially designed for heating radiators. Nevertheless, domestic finishing specialists insist that this is just a move in the marketing system, since temperature regime batteries usually does not exceed 80 ° C. Such heat is perfectly tolerated by impeccable paints and varnishes.
• Radiators are recommended to be covered mainly with alkyd enamels, which tolerate well even temperatures up to 90 o Celsius, keeping their strength and endurance to wear. You can also paint batteries with enamels such as acrylic and acrylate, which have fast drying properties and do not have a too strong odor.

If, according to the intention of the buyer, the color of the radiator should match the tone of the wall wallpaper (see Wall decoration with wallpaper in the correct design), then there are several options for solving this problem.

• The best thing is to choose a paint for radiators to match the wallpaper, or to tint it when buying (see How to tint the paint: we select the option).
• Another version is to paint the radiator with paint to match the interior, before covering the device with a selected primer. However, when choosing this method, one should not forget that wall paint loses its stability when heated. It is also not recommended to dry wet things on heaters painted with wall paint - chipping (peeling) of the coating is possible.

Radiators aluminum and bimetallic

Such devices are initially painted in production conditions. powder paint, and their home coloring is mainly associated with either painting over scratches that occurred during transportation or installation of the device, or with a complete modification of an unacceptable color.

• It is relatively difficult to achieve the same smooth application by improvised methods. Therefore, if the question arises only in the selection of a shade, immediately buy a radiator of the desired color.
• If this is not possible, then there are two ways to solve the problem. One of them is to paint the device with high-quality alkyd enamel over the factory coating. Before this, the radiator must be treated with one of the special primers. The main thing in this place is the initial and subsequent thorough processing of the base from debris particles and its complete degreasing.
• Another option applies to cases where there are chips and other defects on the production painting - it would be best to clean the surface of the battery to the base with a grinder. After that, the metal is processed using a primer according to a non-ferrous metal, then it is painted with alkyd paint.
• In the role of an improvised tool for painting, you can pick up a high-quality professional brush or aerosol. However, when using aerosol cans, some difficulties arise; It is worth noting and financial side problems - the cost of an aerosol is much higher than enamel. With this method it is convenient to paint the removable parts of convectors, and you can use barbecue paints that can withstand a temperature that is stable up to 400 ° C.

Now you know perfectly well how to paint the radiator grille. So look at the photo and you can get to work. Use only high-quality dyes, then the coating will not require replacement with a fairly large area time.

Today, dear reader and I, we have to figure out how to paint cast iron battery. We will learn which paints can be used for painting, how to prepare the surface of the radiator, and how to apply paint to the prepared surface. Let's get started.

Before starting work, let's find out: is the result worth the effort?

Painting is contraindicated

The coloring of cast iron batteries is meaningless in three cases:

1. If the radiator (new or standing on heating for several years) will be covered with a decorative screen or installed in a closed box. Coloring performs purely decorative purposes, since cast iron is a corrosion-resistant metal, and an extra layer of coating will only reduce heat transfer;

It is worth clarifying: the author is categorically against fixed screens covering most the surface of the batteries, and even more so against the installation of heating devices in blind boxes. In addition to a sharp drop in heat transfer, the owner also gets serious problems with the availability of connections when eliminating leaks between sections and on the connections to the heater.

1. If the radiator flows between sections. The layer of paint will not stop the leak, and rusty streaks will be even more noticeable on the new coating. Before application decorative coating the leak should be eliminated by changing the intersection gaskets or tightening the nipples;

1. If part of the radiator sections does not heat up for several years. The reason for this is usually the silting of the extreme sections, and in 10-15 years without washing, the silt acquires the strength of a stone and is removed from the radiator only during annealing, which we will talk about a little later.

Painting desirable

In what cases can painting batteries - cast iron or steel - radically change their appearance?

• If part of the coating has peeled off or has traces of abrasion;

• If the paint has turned yellow from prolonged heating;

Reference: color change is typical for paints with zinc white ZnO. Since 2007, their production has been discontinued: zinc oxide has been replaced by more stable and less toxic titanium white TiO2.

• If repeated painting of cast-iron radiators over the old coating gave untidy sagging.

Paint selection

Now let's find out how to paint cast iron batteries.

The main condition is the heat resistance of the coating: in the system district heating the temperature of the coolant at the peak of cold weather can reach 95 degrees. The compliance of the dye with this requirement is indicated by the inscription “heat-resistant” or “for radiators” on the package.

Look for the word "heat resistant" on the packaging

It is worth clarifying: cast-iron radiators are used not only for water, but also for steam heating. In systems steam heating the temperature of superheated steam can reach 150-400 degrees Celsius. However, in our time, such systems have survived only in industrial environment, at the enterprises of the old building.

Here are some examples of appropriate colors:

Radiator preparation

How to paint batteries - cast iron or steel?

For some manufacturers, the instructions for using paints (for example, the last two in our mini-review) directly indicate that they should be applied directly to the metal. And even if this requirement is absent, the old coating must be cleaned.

There are three reasons for this:

1. The thicker the coating, the lower the heat transfer of the radiator;
2. Paints are compatible with each other only within the same family: for example, alkyd enamel does not adhere well to a base painted oil paint. Meanwhile, you do not always know the type of paint applied to the battery during the last repair;

1. Old coatings are often decorated with untidy streaks, which are better to get rid of.

How to clean old paint with your own hands? Here are some ways of varying difficulty.

• The front (visible) surface of the radiator can be cleaned to metal with a metal brush (manual or made in the form of a nozzle for a power tool);

• Layers of old paint can be easily removed with a spatula, having previously treated the battery with a universal wash and wrapping it in plastic wrap for a dozen or two minutes;

• Instead of rinsing, the paint can be softened by heating each section with a hair dryer or blowtorch;

This method has a serious drawback: heating will lead to burnout of intersection gaskets and winding of threads on the radiator connection. Use a blowtorch or a hair dryer is only worth it if you are going to sort out the radiator.

• Finally, the most radical solution is to anneal the battery in a fire. Several dismantled heating devices are lined with firewood and ignited for an hour.

At the same time, the paint completely burns out on the surface, and the petrified deposits of silt inside the vertical channels and collectors turn into scale, which is easy to knock out of the radiator with a rubber or wooden mallet.

Captain Evidence suggests: in this case, after annealing, the cooled radiator is sorted out with the replacement of gaskets. Annealed nipples unscrew with minimal effort.

If grease or oil stains remain on the surface of a cast-iron battery cleaned of paint, they can be removed with any solvent (gasoline, acetone, solvent, etc.). Manufacturers alkyd enamels it is usually recommended to apply them on the ground; in this case, cast iron is primed with one or two layers of glyptal anti-corrosion primer GF-021.

Painting

Unless otherwise specified by the paint manufacturer, the heater must be painted cold: otherwise the coating will dry too quickly and give untidy streaks. Tool - a narrow brush or spray gun; in the latter case, the battery must be removed or at least reliably protected from staining the floor and walls by covering them with polyethylene. The paint is applied in at least two thin even layers with intermediate drying.

The video in this article will show you more clearly how to paint cast iron batteries.

Attention: if streaks remain on the battery when applying the next layer, sand them after drying, and then apply another layer. Sagging is usually produced by excessively thick (not diluted before use) or applied with a thick layer of paint. Its normal viscosity should correspond to the viscosity of liquid cream.

Conclusion

We hope that our material will help you return a second youth to old heaters. Good luck!

Heating appliances are installed in almost every apartment. If the apartment has just been bought, the happy homeowners have a lot of questions related to the repair. For example, how to paint a heating battery and what color?

What is a heating battery?

1. Firstly is a heating element that creates the necessary comfortable temperature in room;
2. Secondly- This is a metal device subject to corrosive processes;
3. Thirdly- this is an element that, one way or another, catches the eye. And this means that it must be properly designed.

Having completed all the activities for installing the heating system in the apartment, many are wondering what paint to paint the radiators with? After all, you don't want to be like everyone else. In this case, you need to understand what needs to be done to self-fulfillment assigned task.

Our article will discuss how and how to update the heating battery, as well as how to do the work yourself.

Choice of colors

Usually heating equipment is painted in the most boring colors:

• green,
• blue,
• yellow, etc.

These colors are not at all pleasing to the eyes of some people. On the contrary, they repel with their primitive design.

What color to paint the radiators is up to you. But, when choosing a paint for updating heating appliances, it is better to focus on light, less conspicuous colors. For example, white or slightly grayish tint.

ON A NOTE! In order to understand how to paint batteries in an original way, it is best to focus on a pre-compiled design project. But in any case, you need to remember that appliances painted in light colors, reflect heat well! Therefore, it is advisable to use light shades as the design of the radiator.

Choosing materials

The choice of materials for updating heating appliances with your own hands must be approached with a certain degree of responsibility. For painting radiators and radiators, it is necessary to select the appropriate materials, given that heating devices are exposed to a huge range of temperature differences. ().

In general, submissions must meet the following criteria:

• Excellent resistance to temperature fluctuations (heat resistance);
• High degree of tenacity paintwork materials with a processed base;
• Protection of metal of a heating element from influence of rigid corrosive processes.

Consider which materials meet the above requirements:

• Oil based materials- a relic of the past. Still produced and used in some cases. May be suitable for updating the surface of radiators or other elements. But in any case, they are already quite outdated, as they are being replaced by more high-tech compounds.
• Lineups on alkyd base – when exposed to temperatures above 90°C, they retain their structure perfectly. Strong enough to adhere to the base. Less susceptible to mechanical stress, but have an unpleasant specific odor. The price of the material is relatively high.

• Compositions on acrylic, water-dispersion basis - immediately seize after application. They practically do not have a particularly tangible, bad smell. Suitable for indoor work.
• Lineups on acrylic base with the addition of chemical solvents. It is possible to apply on a previously unprimed base (which is not recommended), High performance moisture resistance and preservation of the original color. They have a glossy finish. Perfect for this kind of work.
• You can also apply fire-retardant paints for metal Polistil. Or alternatively, Zinga conductive paint may be suitable. These types of materials are excellent for protecting metal elements from corrosion processes and temperature extremes.

As you can see, it is not difficult to choose the necessary material, given the rich assortment.

We paint the battery ourselves

Carrying out measures for painting a particular surface, it must first be prepared. And heaters are no exception.

Preparing the surface of the batteries

The instructions for preparing the battery before painting are as follows:

1. Removing old flaking paintwork via building hair dryer and hard;
2. Thorough cleaning of the surface sandpaper(coarse-grained);
3. Removing dust after work performed with a regular rag or vacuum cleaner;
4. Surface priming with special heat-resistant compounds designed for such purposes.

We hope you understand how to prepare the battery for painting. Let's move on to painting.

For work, you will need the paint itself and a brush, or an electric spray gun. You should also prepare a clean rag and gloves. Apply paint in thin layers at least twice. Moreover, each layer must be thoroughly dried.

If work is carried out on hot radiators, then you need to paint very quickly, as there is a possibility of instant setting of the material. However, it is very desirable to paint this surface in unheated times.

TIP: When doing work, do not forget to ventilate the room by opening the window vents and turning on the air conditioner. If work is carried out, for example, in the bathroom, turn on the hood and open the doors.

If it is possible to update the heating element without removing it from its place and without disassembling, then all work can be greatly simplified for you.

What to Consider

Note that painting aluminum radiators modern samples, originally painted in the factory, is not the best option. The thing is that at the factory, paint is applied to heating appliances in a certain way using special equipment, which allows the spraying method to evenly cover the surface of the heating element with a thin, especially durable film, which in turn ensures uniform heat transfer.

And in the case of self-applying paint on the surface of the radiator, one way or another, you will violate the heat-conducting characteristics of the heating element.

TIP: The best way to paint radiators is by spraying with electric spray guns. These devices allow you to apply thin layer material, while painting hard-to-reach places between the rib plates and without leaving sags and smudges of the material.

Summary

Now you know how to properly paint radiators in an apartment. A painted old heater will practically not differ from a new one if the technology for performing work with self-updating is followed ().

To finally resolve this issue, as an alternative, we suggest watching the video in this article.

You have cast-iron radiators installed in your apartment, which are famous for their thermal conductivity. True, the only thing that depresses is their appearance (especially if they were installed several decades ago). Replacing such radiators is a very laborious and costly task, and there is no particular need to replace them. Batteries work well and heat well. To give them a new and beautiful appearance, their appearance can be improved, for example, by simply repainting. You ask: how to paint cast iron batteries?

It is worth noting that the cost of paint will also differ significantly from the price of conventional enamels. Therefore, in order not to overpay for paint products, you just need to calculate required amount. Let's take a closer look at all the subtleties and nuances painting work for cast iron radiators.

Preparatory work

Beautiful cast iron batteries can't look perfect in a niche that needs a makeover. Therefore, the first step is to determine the amount of work that needs to be done. First of all, carefully inspect the place under the windowsill where the batteries are installed. Wouldn't it hurt to do a little renovation? Then be sure to include it in the list of works, and of course the direct painting of the radiators themselves.

Payment necessary materials We carry out, based on the amount of work required. They include:

1. high-quality repair of the niche in which the batteries are installed.
2. painting cast iron radiators.

Very important: painting cast iron batteries should be done at a time when heating season already ended. Do not paint hot radiators. The point is also that when repairing a niche and the batteries themselves, it is desirable to remove them from the wall, and this requires a mandatory disconnection from the central heating system.

If this is not possible, and for some reason you cannot wait until the heating season ends, then you will have to spend a little more effort on repair and painting work. In particular, the paint you purchase for cast iron radiators must have high temperature performance.

Preparing the battery for painting

• The first step is to carefully remove the old paint, which has probably already cracked and turned yellow. To remove the old layer of paint, you can use a brush with metal bristles, coarse sandpaper or a spatula.
• When choosing a paint, pay attention to what it must withstand elevated temperatures. If you ignore this requirement, you risk getting a very undesirable effect. Some enamels or paints lose their color when exposed to high temperatures. Thus, it is possible to get an unsightly yellow battery at the very beginning of the heating season instead of an ideal crystal white radiator.

• Carefully choose the brushes with which you are going to paint cast iron radiators. Don't buy too cheap brushes. Very often they begin to “shed” during painting work, leaving ugly villi on the painted surface. Be sure to purchase a special curved brush. It will help you paint over hard-to-reach places in the battery.

Cast iron radiators are painted in two layers. There is no need to do more, because then it is very difficult to make the paint lay down in an even layer, without streaks. Be sure to dilute the paint material if it is too thick. But if you buy a special paint, then its consistency is normal and does not require additional dilution.

If you are in doubt as to whether you have diluted the paint material correctly, try painting small plot batteries. So you can determine the consistency you need. What can be used to dilute the paint is usually indicated on the paint can itself.

After the first layer of paint has dried, it is recommended to lightly process it with sandpaper (fine). This allows the second coat to be applied more evenly and improves adhesion between coats.

Window sill repair

Painting a window sill niche is also required to start with preparatory work. The first step is to completely remove the old layer of plaster. Sometimes it also happens that there are significant cracks in the niche. They will need to be carefully sealed.

To do this, remove poorly adhering plaster in places of cracks. If the cracks are deep and go into the wall, they are sealed with ordinary cement mortar. Other work can be continued only after the cement has completely dried.

Small cracks can be easily eliminated using a special primer. It allows you to strengthen the base and in the future to avoid cracks and chips. After the primer has dried, it is desirable to apply a layer of finishing plaster. Its fine texture easily lays down, making the surface even. Now you can proceed directly to coloring.

The painting of cast-iron radiators begins with the painting work of the place of their further installation, that is, the window sill niche. So, the base of the wall is prepared, you can start painting. When choosing a paint, also remember to prefer materials that can withstand high temperatures without losing its color. The fact is that being next to heating radiators, the wall can get very hot, so we choose resistant paint materials.

If you decide to decorate the wall with tiles or tiles, try to imagine in advance how it will look with radiators. This type of finish is very demanding on matching colors and surfaces. by the most the best option is wall decoration with paint or decorative plaster. Be sure to consider the color of the batteries. In order to avoid colored blunders, it is undesirable to make a colored niche. Neutral White color, this is perhaps the most optimal choice, especially if you paint the battery in a color that emphasizes the interior of your room.

Finishing touch

The last step is the direct decoration of the heating radiator. Many are wondering how to decorate a cast-iron battery. All it takes is a little imagination. To make the battery unusual will help its painting in an unusual color.

For example, on radiators in a children's room, you can draw funny cartoon characters using templates. You can come up with a relief pattern and paint over it with a different color. Let's look at some of the options in more detail.

To create a relief pattern on the battery, you will need paper flagella. They can be wound from napkins, the paper should be thin. Make as many paper blanks as you need for the pattern. It is advisable to lay out the entire drawing first on the windowsill.

Currently, the design of objects with the effect of "old times" is very relevant. If your interior allows, you can, for example, paint over the radiator with black paint and use a sponge with gold or bronze paint to apply light strokes. The effect is amazing.

If you don’t want to suffer and draw different patterns, you can use decorative screens. There is standard options protective screens, there are unique models with beautiful openwork inserts. The colors are varied. In any case, you can choose the option that suits you best. This way you can make beautiful cast iron radiators with ease.

Wooden screens look very nice. If your battery is not located under a window, then the top of the screen can be used by placing beautiful frames with photographs, figurines. Just do not put flowers, they will be too hot there. Such screens may in addition be provided with small drawers on one or each side of the screen.

Ideal solution for small rooms: a beautiful screen that effectively hides the battery, plus a convenient shelf and bedside table in which you can store any things. It should be noted that the use of protective screens practically does not affect the thermal effect of the batteries.