How to Paint Baseboard Heating Covers
Despite taking a considerable amount of space, baseboard radiators play an essential role in heating our home when the temperature goes low. It reaches a time when the baseboard heating covers get ugly due to rust,accumulated scuff and scraping. If you want to give them a facelift, painting them to match the color of the wall is your best bet. Here’s how to paint your baseboard heating covers;
Baseboard radiators are of two types – electric and forced hot water. It’s a forced hot water if you have a gas or oil boiler in your basement. Otherwise, it’s electrical if you have a separate circuit for radiators or heaters in your home breaker panel or fuse box. Be sure to disconnect the power source.
Your choice of the paint will depend on the type of heating system you have and the nature of the rust. Use an oil-based primer if you have painted but slightly rusted radiator covers. Heating resistant paint is not necessary if you own a forced water system. Consider heat resistant paint if your system is electric.
Materials Required
- Wire brush
- Clean cloths
- Soapy water
- Cleaning bucket
- Degreasing cleaner
- Foam paint brushes
- Rust inhibiting metal paint
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Paint thinner
- Painter’s tape
- Sawhorses
Step by Step Process
1. To paint horizontally and to ensure a smoother finish, disassemble the covers and paint on saw horses. Start by removing the corner metal pieces or caps. Label the back of each cover as you remove them.
2. Remove the front panel usually sandwiched between two brackets (top and bottom) by lifting up and down. No need to remove the back panel of the radiator cover as it’s attached to the wall. Simply paint it while still in place.
3. Remove the hinged damper attached to brackets. To do this, grab the damper on either side and slide it out of the brackets by pulling up. Do this for all the brackets until the damper gets released.
4. Scrub each piece of the radiator cover using the wire brush to remove rusty patches.
5. Use a fine-grit sandpaper or sanding sponge to sand out the outward sides of your radiator covers.
6. Get your soapy water in a bucket and scrub down every inch of the radiator cover parts. Upon drying, use a sponge to wipe away any remaining soap residue.
7. The radiator covers should be clean and dry by now. Grab your clean metal primer and prime the outward sides of each piece. Remember also to prime the top radiator cover attached to the wall. While it should be dry within an hour or so of applying the primer, let it rest until next day.
8. Use a natural bristle paint brush and apply long overlapping strokes painting from end to end of each radiator cover. Be sure to apply two light coats while giving time to dry up before applying the next. Leave them for a few days to dry before reassembling to avoid scratches.
9. Reassemble the radiators by simply following the reverse process of disassembling. Replace the corner pieces. Now, you should have something that blends with the wall and your home décor.
