How Easy is It to Break a Cast Iron Radiator

There are x cast atomic number 26 steam radiators in our house, most of which are in varying stages of rusty, paint-peeling horribleness. We've sent a couple of them out to be sandblasted and powder-coated (I've never really written much well-nigh that, merely I get a lot of questions — I'll put a postal service together shortly!), simply that'south wayyyyy out of our upkeep for the kitchen renovation. Every bit I've mentioned, we're only putting ane of the one of the two radiators back after the tiling and the floors are complete. Over the weekend, I went ahead and gave my all-time effort to rehabbing the 1 that'south in improve shape.

And no, the back porch isn't painted green, that'due south all algae. Yes, it would be very nice to take a roof on the porch, and maybe fifty-fifty screening. Someday…

The kitchen radiators don't take any of the ornate, Rococo elements that the others in our house exercise, so I'1000 assuming they're a little newer. They were manufactured by the American Radiator Company (ARCO), for whom one of New York City'southward most beautiful skyscrapers was built in 1924. A little cyberspace sleuthing tells me that ARCO patented a similar style called "Corto," named for French industrial designer Louis Courtot. Co-ordinate to Miss Florence McComb, a decorator who endorsed Corto radiators in a print advertizing from 1925, its "graceful Gothic lines add charm to any well-planned room." Indeed, Florence, indeed! I need to practise a fiddling more digging into old ARCO catalogs to compare more closely and look at later models, just I retrieve information technology's a safe estimate that they were put in erstwhile in the 1930s, which, based on the manner of the bathtub, is effectually the same time we believe the downstairs bathroom was added.

Only enough about that stuff! On to the dirty work…

I've mentioned this earlier, but if you have bandage iron radiators in your habitation, and then you NEED a dryer vent brush. Trust me on this — information technology's the only way to really get between the fins and keep them dust-costless within. Mine is from Casabella, but I'm sure they all work just fine.

After giving the radiator a very thorough cleaning inside and out with the vent brush, I moved on to a copper wire brush and hard-bristled nylon brush. That got most of the flaking paint off, but in that location were a few tougher chunks that I had to hit with a chisel. I gave any surfaces I could reach a light sanding, and then did another round with the vent brush to get go all of the rust grit and pigment bits out. The final grooming stride was a through washing with TSP substitute and a skillful, long hose-downward. I don't have a power-washer, so I just did the best I could with my hose nozzle on the "jet" setting.

Did all of the existing paint come up off? No, of course not, but everything that was loose or peeling did, and that's good enough for me.

And then I went to the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck and let the radiator dry completely overnight. (Yous could probably leave out the fair office, but that does make everything more fun. Friends! Fried dough! Rides! Waves of nausea!)

Before busting out the spray paint, I very carefully taped upwardly the new contumely nut and pipe fitting that my plumber put on (he was supposed to wait to practice that, but he forgot). I took the vent off of the side and rolled upwards a little wad of paper towel to stick in the hole and then pigment wouldn't get in there and touch the threading.

Side note: RADIATORS ARE Actually HEAVY. I mean, plainly, but yous don't realize quite how heavy until you lot actually try to move ane. If I had to guess, I say this affair weighs at least 300 pounds. My lower dorsum — unhappy fifty-fifty in its best moment — hates me right now. I proceed hearing Joe Garagiola shilling for Doan's in the dorsum of my head. Exist careful. I should have asked Evan for help every time I needed to move the radiator, merely I get sort of temporarily bionic when I'm working on firm stuff, and I feel like I tin do everything myself. I'm paying for it now. Owwww.

Bandage iron radiators don't become hot enough to require that special high-heat pigment they make for stuff like barbecue grills* (meet edit annotation below), so you lot can really use simply most any pigment that's rated for use on bare metallic and rust. I am a Rust-Oleum devotee when information technology comes to spray paint. I initially thought I'd need to use a split rusty metal primer first, but Rust-Oleum's two-in-1 Universal line actually advises against using a separate primer. I didn't want to take a chance with screwing up the adhesion, so I did indeed skip the primer.

I decided to go with the hammered-finish spray pigment in glossy black. Equally lovely as I know a flat blackness would take been, I want the radiator to be as easy to clean as possible. Loftier gloss finishes tend to accentuate flaws, and so I figured the hammered effect would help to annul that. I wound upwardly doing three coats of paint to brand sure everything was totally and evenly coated — about four cans' worth in all.

As easy as the bodily spray-painting was, I really tin't imagine doing this indoors unless you're non living in your business firm or if you lot accept the about amazing ventilation ever. The fumes were horrendous — I fifty-fifty apologized to my neighbors. I guess if you could REALLY mask off everything super well (spray paint goes everywhere), open all of the windows and so exit the house for the rest of the 24-hour interval it would be alright, but given the pick…practise it outside.

*EDIT, one year subsequently:
Since a lot of people accept asked in the comments, I have now gone through a full winter with this radiator in use, and it has held up but fine without any issues at all. That said, if you know that your radiators attain surface temperatures college than 200°F, you should probably pay attention to the directions on the can and not use this kind of paint on them. Rust-Oleum makes High Rut and Ultra Loftier Estrus spray paints that might piece of work better for you. I accept no personal experience with either product.

Goooooooorgeoussssss!!! I'm really, really happy with how the radiator came out. For $28 worth of spray paint, this is a very good consequence. Sandblasting and powder-coating would have been upwards of $500. Yeah, in ten years I might need to do some bear upon-ups, only really…information technology'due south fine. Better than fine. For a while Evan and I had been considering replacing these radiators since they're not as "pretty" as the ones in the rest of the house, but now? No way! I love the way this looks. (Just wait until you meet it in place with the subway tiles!! LOVE.)

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Source: https://doorsixteen.com/2013/08/29/refinishing-cast-iron-radiators-small-budget-edition/

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