Metal Casting Zone Info Blog

Posts Tagged ‘coating’

Painting cast iron radiators

So you have sourced some wonderful reclaimed cast iron radiators, or you want to refurbish your Victorian period radiators, but what is the best way of bringing them back to their former glory?  What is the best way of painting cast iron radiators?

Below are a few tips to achieving a stunning yet hard-wearing finish on cast iron radiators.

1.                   DON’T power coat!

Some companies offer a powder coating service on cast iron radiators.  This method can produce a fabulous finish, BUT… cast iron radiators are not designed to go through the high oven temperatures and prolonged baking process involved in powder coating.  Many experts advise against this option as there is a very real risk that the seals between sections will be damaged during baking which will lead to leaking radiators.  For this reason, powder coating will invalidate the manufacturer’s guarantee on modern cast iron radiators.

2.                   DO use cellulose or acrylic based paint

There is no need to use expensive specialist radiator paints.  You can achieve a perfect finish using cellulose-based paint or acrylic-based spray paint.  For instance, car paint is perfect for radiators as it is designed to cope with extremes of temperature and be tough enough to withstand relatively intense wear and tear.  If you like the look of powder coating, then a similar looking end result can be achieved by using products like “Plasti-kote”, a spray paint available from many DIY stores.

3.                   DON’T use water based paint

If you use water based paint on cast iron you will almost certainly end up with orange “rust blooms”.  Some “specialist” radiator paint is water based and even has a picture of a cast iron radiator on the tin but use this at your peril!

4.                   DO spray paint rather than brush paint

Cast iron’s textured finish is forgiving, so a good paint finish is easily achievable.  If you are planning on painting the radiators yourself by hand, then we recommend using spray paint as it is difficult to reach into the middle columns and achieve a consistent finish using a brush.

For more information on painting cast iron radiators, then speak to an expert such as Feature Radiators. www.featureradiators.co.uk 01274 567789

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Cast iron kitchen sinks

Cast iron kitchen sinks gain the next position to stainless steel sinks in terms of popularity. These sinks are durable, heavy, easily maintained and offer the special attraction which you will not get in stainless steel sinks, the variety of color. Cast iron was most widely used material for sinks in the last century till stainless steel replaced them gradually.

Cast iron is an alloy metal consisting of 95% or more iron, 2.1%-4% and 1%-3% silicon. Cast iron is brittle but when refined to use in sinks last for long years if you maintain them properly. A porcelain coating is laid over the cast iron, known as ‘enamel’, when used in making sinks. This enamel coat comes in various colors and protects the cast iron sink from scratch, corrosion, and breakage. This enamel coat is what we see when look at the sinks and they render the colorful glossy appearance to the basin. This layer if broken, underlying layer of cast iron will be damaged.

Cast iron kitchen sinks have both plus points and drawbacks. These sinks are made up of heavy material and glossy coating, so they protected from cracking and denting. They have long durability and serve your kitchen throughout whole life if you maintain properly. The enamel coat comes in abundant colors apart from white and black and has appealing finish. The glossy surface does not get water spots or stain and easy to maintain.

However, the enamel coating may get damaged by abrasive material, harsh detergents and eventually become porous, holds stains and corrodes. Gradually, underlying layer of cast iron will be exposed and once the layer is open, the sink is no safer to use. The exposed cast iron layer will corrode and break up easily by the harsh action of cleaners, forceful bang up by heavy utensils etc. the method of installing under-mount sinks require many aids due to their heavy weight.

You will get variations in the color, bowl or basin number, flat rim or self-rim, and under-counter or over-mounting style of the cast iron kitchen sinks. Over or top-counter sinks are easier to install than the under-counter sinks. Kohler and CECO are two famous companies who have different specialized cast iron sink designs for various needs. You must check the faucet-hole position and number before buying a cast iron sink, because it is not easy to drill the sink after installing. Get the holes done by some expert before installing them. 

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