When it comes to home renovations, radiator painting might not be the first task that comes to mind. However, a fresh coat of paint on your radiator can work wonders, transforming it from a tired, old fixture to a stunning focal point in your room.
The key to a successful radiator makeover lies in choosing the best paint for the job. In this article, we’ll be analysing the top 6 radiator paint recommendations from various sources and presenting our own fresh take on the very best radiator paints available in the UK market.
- Quick Summary Of The Best Radiator Paint
- Why Is There Specific Paint For Radiators?
- Top 6 Best Radiator Paint In The UK
- 1. Hammerite Radiator Enamel Aerosol & Paint
- 2. Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt
- 3. Johnstone’s Quick Dry Radiator Paint
- 4. RUSTINS Quick Drying Radiator Enamel Gloss
- 5. Ronseal Stays White Radiator Paint
- 6. Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint For Wood And Metal
- Conclusion
Quick Summary Of The Best Radiator Paint
Ultimate All-Rounder: Hammerite Radiator Spray or Hammerite Radiator Paint
Professional Finish: Johnstone’s Quick Dry Radiator Paint
Effortless Application: Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt
Heat Resistant Champion: Ronseal Stays White Radiator Paint
Most Versatile: Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint For Wood And Metal
Why Is There Specific Paint For Radiators?
There is specific paint for radiators because these paints are formulated to withstand the unique conditions and demands that radiators present. Regular paint may not be suitable for radiator surfaces as it may not adhere well, may discolour or peel under heat, and may not provide adequate protection against rust and corrosion. Radiator paint is designed to address these concerns, offering several advantages:
Heat resistance: Radiator paint is formulated to resist high temperatures, typically up to 100°C or more. This heat resistance prevents the paint from discolouring, cracking, or peeling when the radiator is in use, ensuring a long-lasting finish.
Adhesion: Radiator paint is specifically designed to adhere well to metal surfaces, providing a smooth, even finish. This strong bond ensures that when you paint a radiator it will not easily chip or peel away.
Rust and corrosion protection: Radiators are prone to rust and corrosion over time due to moisture and heat exposure. Radiator paint contains rust-inhibiting properties that help protect the metal surface from these damaging elements, prolonging the life of the radiator.
Non-yellowing formula: Some radiator paints feature a non-yellowing formula, which prevents the paint from turning yellow over time when exposed to heat. This feature ensures that the paint maintains its original colour and appearance.
Easy application: Radiator paints are often formulated to be self-levelling, making them easy to apply evenly, even for inexperienced painters. This helps achieve a professional-looking finish without visible brush marks, strokes or roller marks.
Quick-drying properties: Radiator paints usually dry faster than regular paints, reducing the waiting time between coats and allowing you to finish your project more quickly. Especially if the radiator paint requires two coats or more.
In summary, radiator paint is specifically formulated to address the unique challenges that radiators present, ensuring a durable, heat-resistant, and visually appealing finish that extends the life of your radiator and improves its overall performance compared to oil based paints.
Top 6 Best Radiator Paint In The UK
1. Hammerite Radiator Enamel Aerosol & Paint
- Easy application
- Heat-resistant
- Quick-drying
- Durable and long-lasting finish
- Self-levelling
- Rust and corrosion protection
- Low odour
- Limited colour options
Hammerite Radiator Enamel Aerosol is a popular and highly regarded radiator paint product known for its ease of use, durability, and quality finish. This paint is specifically designed for use on radiators and offers several benefits that make it a top choice for many DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike:
Aerosol spray application: The Hammerite Radiator Enamel spray paint comes in a spray can, which makes the application process quick and simple. The aerosol spray ensures even coverage without the need for a paint brush or rollers, resulting in a smooth and professional-looking finish.
Heat-resistant formula: This paint is formulated to withstand high temperatures, typically up to 150°C, ensuring that the finish remains unaffected by the heat generated by radiators. This resistance to heat helps prevent discolouration, cracking, or peeling when the radiator is in use.
Quick-drying: The Hammerite Radiator Enamel Aerosol has a quick-drying formula, which allows you to apply multiple coats within a short period. This feature reduces the overall time required for your radiator painting project.
Durable and long-lasting finish: This radiator paint is known for its durability and ability to maintain its appearance over time. The long-lasting finish ensures that your radiator will look fresh and well-maintained for an extended period.
Self-levelling: The self-levelling formula of Hammerite Radiator Enamel Aerosol helps eliminate brush strokes and roller marks, providing an even and perfectly smooth finish.
Rust and corrosion protection: Like other radiator paints, Hammerite Radiator Enamel Aerosol offers protection against rust and corrosion by being moisture resistant, helping to prolong the life of your radiator and maintain its efficiency.
Low odour: This paint is formulated with low odour properties, making it more pleasant to work with compared to some other paint products. This is especially beneficial for those with sensitivities to strong paint smells.
Hammerite also provides a paint version of the radiator spray paint which we highly rate:
2. Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt
- Versatile
- Matt finish
- Excellent adhesion
- Fast-drying
- Easy application
- Wide colour range
- Potential for imperfections
Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt is another popular and versatile paint option for radiators. It offers several features that make it an attractive choice for those looking to refresh their radiators with a stylish and durable finish:
Multi-surface compatibility: Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt is designed for use on various surfaces, including metal, wood, plastic, and more. This versatility makes it a suitable option for not only radiators but also other items in your home that may require a fresh first coat of paint.
Matt finish: The paint provides a smooth, matt finish, which gives radiators a modern and sophisticated appearance.
This finish can complement various interior design styles and create a cohesive look throughout your space.
Excellent adhesion: Rust Oleum Radiator Enamel is formulated to provide excellent adhesion to surfaces, ensuring a long-lasting and durable finish.
This paint can grip onto surfaces without the need for a separate primer, saving you both time and effort.
Fast-drying: Like other high-quality radiator paints, Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt dries quickly, allowing you to complete your painting project in less time. This feature also reduces the likelihood of dust and debris settling on the painted surface before it dries.
Easy application: The paint can be applied with a brush or roller, offering a simple and straightforward application process. Its smooth consistency helps minimize brush strokes and roller marks, resulting in a professional-looking finish.
UV-resistant: Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt is UV-resistant, which means that the paint will not fade or yellow when exposed to sunlight. This feature helps maintain the paint’s appearance over time.
Wide colour range: Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt is available in a wide range of colours, giving you the flexibility to choose the perfect shade for your radiator and other home improvement projects.
Some potential drawbacks of Rust-Oleum Universal Paint-Matt include the need for proper surface preparation to ensure optimal adhesion and the potential for the paint to show imperfections on to its matt finish.
However, these potential drawbacks can be mitigated by following the proper preparation steps and paying attention to detail during the application process.
3. Johnstone’s Quick Dry Radiator Paint
- Quick drying time
- Low odour
- Non-yellowing
- Self-undercoating
- Easy application
- Mid-sheen finish
- Suitable for multiple surfaces
- Surface preparation is crucial
If you’re after a professional finish that doesn’t break the bank, look no further than Johnstone’s Radiator Paint. Highly recommended by experts, this quick-drying paint is easy to apply and provides a mid-level sheen that is perfect for making your radiators stand out.
Johnstone’s Quick Dry Satin is a high-opacity paint designed for both interior and exterior wood and metal surfaces, such as skirting boards, doors, radiators, and staircases. This paint provides a contemporary, mid-sheen finish, perfect for a quick and efficient paint job. It is easy to apply and dries to the touch in just 1-2 hours.
The water based paint, non-yellowing, low-odour formulation is self-undercoating and quick drying, offering a coverage of 12m2 per litre. This paint is designed to be a time-saving option for projects that require a fast turnaround, with an advanced formulation that is low-odour and non-yellowing.
To prepare for painting, it’s essential to protect your floors with a dust sheet, wipe down surfaces to ensure they’re clean and free from grease, sand down glossy surfaces for a smooth finish, and apply masking tape to edges for neat, clean lines. You will need tools like masking tape, sandpaper, synthetic paint brushes, a medium pile roller and tray, and filler with a filling knife for proper preparation.
Overall, Johnstone’s Quick Dry Satin paint is a reliable and efficient choice for interior wood and metal projects that demand a fast turnaround, offering a contemporary, mid-sheen finish and a low-odour, water-based formulation
Check our other reviews on the best paints:
Best Paint For Skirting Boards
Best Fence Paint UK: Elevate Your Outdoor Aesthetic Effortlessly
4. RUSTINS Quick Drying Radiator Enamel Gloss
- Heat-resistant
- Quick drying
- Versatile
- Low-odour formulation
- Easy cleanup
- Glossy finish
- Not suitable for oil-filled electric radiators
The Rustins Quick Drying Radiator Enamel Gloss is a premium paint specifically tailored for radiators and heat-emitting appliances. Its heat-resistant formulation ensures that the glossy finish remains intact and durable even when exposed to high temperatures, making it a reliable choice for maintaining the appearance of your radiators.
A key advantage of this enamel paint is its rapid drying time. Being touch dry in just 30 minutes, it allows users to complete their painting tasks swiftly and efficiently.
This feature makes Rustins Radiator Enamel Gloss a top pick for those who need to quickly rejuvenate the appearance of their radiators or other heat-generating appliances.
This versatile paint is not just limited to painting radiators; it can also be used for touching up fridges and white appliances, giving your home a cohesive and polished look.
The low-odour formulation and easy water-based brush cleaning make this enamel paint user-friendly, ensuring that there are no unpleasant smells lingering during or after the application process.
Although Rustins Quick Drying Radiator Enamel Gloss is not suitable for oil-filled electric radiators, it remains an excellent choice for most other radiator types and white appliances. This 250ml paint offers a dependable and time-saving solution for maintaining a pristine, glossy finish on your paint radiators and heat-emitting appliances, adding a touch of elegance to your home.
5. Ronseal Stays White Radiator Paint
- Guaranteed to stay white
- Heat resistant
- No strong smell
- Waterproof
- Cost-effective
- Waterproof
- One-coat coverage might vary
Ronseal Stays White Radiator Paint is a high-quality paint designed specifically for radiators. This 750ml pack provides a satin finish in white, ensuring a clean and fresh look for your radiators.
The paint is formulated to be heat resistant paint and guaranteed to stay white, maintaining its pristine appearance even after long-term use. This feature is particularly beneficial for those who want their radiators to look clean and well-maintained for an extended period with its heat resistant properties.
Another advantage of Ronseal One Coat Radiator Paint is that it has no strong smell, making it an excellent choice for those sensitive to odours or who prefer a low-odour painting experience. This paint is also waterproof, which adds an extra layer of protection to your radiators.
The paint is easy to apply with a spray form, ensuring a smooth and even finish. With a 750ml pack, you can cover a significant area of radiators, making it a cost-effective option for homeowners looking to update their radiators without breaking the bank.
In summary, Ronseal One Coat Radiator Paint Satin 750ml White is a high-quality paint designed for radiators that offer a clean and fresh look, heat resistance, no strong smell, waterproofing, and ease of application.
6. Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint For Wood And Metal
- Versatile
- Self-undercoating
- Wipeable and non-yellowing
- Water-based, low odor formulation
- Quick drying time
- Good coverage: 16m²/L per coat
- Range of finishes and colours
- Limited to wood and metal surfaces
Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint for Wood and Metal is an exceptional option for those looking to update their radiators with a fresh coat of paint. This versatile paint is designed for use on both interior and exterior wood and metal surfaces, making it suitable for various home improvement tasks.
The self-undercoating, wipeable, and non-yellowing formula ensures that the paint maintains its brilliance over time. The water-based, low-odour formulation provides a pleasant painting experience, and the quick drying time allows for the efficient completion of projects.
With a coverage capacity of 16m²/L per coat, a 2.5L can offer coverage for approximately 40m² with a single coat.
The paint is available in Gloss, Satinwood, and Eggshell finishes and comes in a range of colours, including pure brilliant white.
In summary, Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint for Wood and Metal is an excellent choice for those seeking high-quality, durable paint for radiator painting projects. Its versatility, ease of use, and quick drying time make it a top contender in the radiator and metal paint market.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing the right radiator paint is essential for a successful and long-lasting radiator makeover. Each of the top 6 radiator paints mentioned in this article offers unique benefits and features that cater to different preferences and requirements. From the ultimate all-rounder Hammerite Radiator Enamel Aerosol & Paint to the most versatile Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint for Wood and Metal, there is an option to suit every homeowner’s needs.
When selecting the best radiator paint for your project, consider factors such as heat resistance, durability, ease of application, and available finishes and colours. By investing in a high-quality radiator paint, you can transform your old radiators into stunning focal points that complement your home’s interior design and ensure a lasting finish