Preparing a radiator for painting

Refreshing the look of your radiators is just as important as redecorating the rest of your home. Giving your radiator a new lease of life can help to tie your new look together with no particular object sticking out like a sore thumb. Like any other surface you need to prepare your radiator for repainting.

It's an easy job to do but if there is a possibility that the radiator can be removed from the wall your life will be even easier. If you can't remove it, it isn't the end of the world. Here are some key steps into preparing your radiator for painting.

• Get ready. Before starting the task of removing paint from the radiator make sure the area is clean and you have everything you need. Lay down protection for the floor and remove any furnishings which are too close. Have tools at the ready such as your Biostrip Plus paint stripper and a pressure washer.

• Apply Biostrip Plus. Decorating your radiator isn't as simple as painting over the top. In order to get great results you need to strip off the previous paint and start again. Paint stripping is easy with Biostrip Plus. As it is a water based solution there are no fumes so it is completely safe to use. The solution adheres to the surface and in no time at all you will see the paint blistering. Wait until all the paint has softened before you start the next step.
• Remove the old paint. After the Biostrip Plus solution has done its work you can start removing the softened paint. Unlike many other surfaces, the removal of paint from a radiator needs to be done gently. Due to the nature of the surface of a radiator steel tools or wires could cause damage when removing the paint. The best method to use is a pressure washer. Having the washer on a low setting you will be able to start removing the softened paint gently. If you can't use a pressure washer a sponge and clean water will do.
• Clear the area. After you have successfully removed all of the old paint from your radiator clear up the entire area. Removing all the old paint and wiping over the radiator then means you are ready to prime and paint your radiator.

For all of your paint stripping tasks try Biostrip Plus - available from our webstore