How best to strip the enamel paint from a radiator ?

[JBrennand]

Well a towel rail actually & my master plan has been scuppered !

I am about to remove quite a large old central heating towel rail on which the paint is cracked and peeling. I had planned to send it off to the paint removers - "dippers" - I have done garden gates that way and it is great. However, they say that the caustic soda dip they use wont remove enamel paint from radiators so they wont do it.

So is there any paint remover that will - organic solvent based ? Alternatively, I am thinking of burning it off with a blowtorch - as there are 20 tubes running across the rail and wire brush, physical methods etc., are likely to be tricky and time consuming (as well as hard graft !)

Any recommendations appreciated.

John

 

[Robbie uk]

I would say "No chance". might be easier to buy another one.

 

[JohnD]

I doubt a blowlamp will be much good as the metal will absorb the heat. You may also melt the solder holding it together.

Your stripping company might think you mean factory-applied stove enamelling. they will also make it rust inside if they dip it.

If it has been hand-painted with ordinary household gloss, a paint stripper like Nitromors will do it, there various brands in DIY shops.

Use eye protection and keep a bucket of cold water handy to wash any splashes off your skin, including clothes in contact with the skin - it burns but takes a minute or two to eat through your skin before you feel it.

It also eats plastic gloves

Like Robbie, my first reaction was also "buy a new one"

 

[JBrennand]

I would say "No chance". might be easier to buy another one.

Yeah - all my buddies say the same !

I'm reluctant to do this not just for cost but because it is quite a biggish one and I haven't seen an identically sized one in all of the DIY stores i've been in. So any new one will be a different size and therefore require re-plumbing the pipe feeds as mine has one pipe going in the side and at the other side it comes out at the bottom. Also the mounting brackets will be in different places so that will leave unsightly holes in the tiles that will need filling and will always be obvious.

Still - it is my last resort if I cant get the paint off.

Cheers John

 

[JBrennand]

I doubt a blowlamp will be much good as the metal will absorb the heat. You may also melt the solder holding it together.

Your stripping company might think you mean factory-applied stove enamelling. they will also make it rust inside if they dip it.

If it has been hand-painted with ordinary household gloss, a paint stripper like Nitromors will do it, there various brands in DIY shops.

Use eye protection and keep a bucket of cold water handy to wash any splashes off your skin, including clothes in contact with the skin - it burns but takes a minute or two to eat through your skin before you feel it.

It also eats plastic gloves

Like Robbie, my first reaction was also "buy a new one"

It's definitely not stove enamel and it is quite a thin coat, it peels off very easily in places. I would have blanked the holes with "radiator stops" to prevent it getting inside.

Good tip about melting the solder - I will try Nitromors and elbow grease first then.

Cheers John