Steel oil tank paint

[nwrmartin]

I have a steel oil tank for my central heating oil, installed quite recently. I would like to touch up the paint in a few places, especially around the edges of the tank. It’s the usual shade of green.

I hear bad things about hammerite. Can anyone recommend a decent suitable paint that isnt too expensive or requires multiple coats?
Should I put on any kind of undercoat? (Red oxide, maybe?)

Is this any good, for example? https://www.alltank.co.uk/green-metal-tank-paint-1-litre.html

The base of the tank hasn’t been painted (and it will be very tricky to paint it now, given the plinth it’s intalled on). Should it have been?

(I found one old thread on this subject, so I thought it worth asking again, in case things have moved on.)

Thanks.

 

[oilboffin]

Up here on the isle of Lewis we use boat paint the type for steel hulls it does the trick and is easy to put on and lasts a good while.Bob

 

[Madrab]

hear bad things about hammerite

Bad things about hammerite??? We used to prep/base coat our old escort floors/inner wings and chassis with it, tis great stuff IMO. It made the steel impervious to just about everything. The secret with hammerite, as always, is in the prep .... and with plenty of coats it should last a long time.

 

[Nige F]

Rustoleum combi color - loads on eBay free delivery around £30 for 2.5 litre.

 

[baldykev]

Used Hammerite on mine 15 years ago and still going strong. As Madbrab said a good prep is needed, I cleaned any rust of mine then washed it with washing up liquid to de-grease it, then painted with Hammerite

 

[Burnerman]

9 times out of 10 the tank will deteriorate at the points that its resting on the plinth or whatever.
With mine - before I succumbed to plastic - I waited until it was as empty as possible in the summer, and then carefully jacked it up with a trolley jack pushing against a heavy timber beam at the edge, one edge at a time. I could then paint where the tank would rest.
International boat paint somehow came my way
John

 

[muggles]

Have to agree with others - people who are saying Hammerite is no good are bad workmen blaming their tools. It's great stuff when used correctly