Cast Iron Fireplace - to paint or not to paint

[ceedee]

Hello,

we were thinking on buying an old original victorian combination bedroom fireplace, for our living room. its painted white currently (the hood and the mantle).

We've had the chimney swept and want to reconnect the gas so we have a working fireplace. I've read that the paint on these fireplaces is not heat resistant and will bubble/peel off when we start a fire.

Is this true? Can we get away with only stripping the hood of the fireplace and leaving the mantle (also metal) in white.

Since its all the rage to strip paint away from the fireplace, I can't find any information on painted fireplaces ... and heathens that we are we actually quite like the white painted cast iron fireplaces.

Is there any way we can have both a painted white fireplace that doesn't look horrid and one that works?

Attaching a picture of the fireplace - we do plan to strip it down (and close your eyes if you can't bear reading this) and then paint it white again if someone tells us we can and what sort of paint will do the trick.

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/corene_d/fireplace

Thanks

 

[Third_Eye]

Only thing i can think of is http://www.thermoguarduk.com/intumescent-paint.html

Though they are for fire resistance.

Maybe send them an email !

 

[Robbie uk]

Could try hammerite smooth, this is both heat resistant and will give a smooth finish. paint or areosol. The heat wont be as hot at the front of the fireplace as the heat is radiated away, it will get quite warm but Hamerite will cope with that no probs.

 

[Zampa]

Theres a black polish you can get for old fireplaces..i cant remember the name of it though..but its a beautiful finish.

 

[serge33]

If you are going to strip off the old paint, then you will probably need to get it done professionally, either dipped or sand blasted,

You can get very high temperature paints for BBQs etc, i believe the do a colour choice. or once it is stripped black lead it.

 

[Zampa]

Just remembered...its called Z-Brite

 

[Growler]

Stove enamel spray............. in white.