Can I paint a wall heater cover? (Or Home Improvement Thread)

[Pineapple_Juice]

I'm not sure if we already have a general home improvement, non-clothing related DIY thread but if not then I propose that this become it.

If we do, then I'll keep this simple and ask whether or not it's possible to paint a wall heater cover without burning the place down or having the paint bubble up and get ruined. I may be moving into this apartment soon and the previous tenants didn't clean jack shit in the 6 years they were there. I'm helping to get it cleared up, but ew.

The heater is the type that sits tall on the wall with the metal cover over it and grates where the heat comes out. It looks yellow and dingy and gross-is there anything I can paint it with that will withstand the heat?

Thanks in advance.

http://ocapsupply.com/store/productimages/5009622.jpg
^ Like that.

[Saya]

I looked it up for baseboards but it should also apply:

http://www.ehow.com/way_6610841_diy-...er-covers.html

Basically, you're probably not going to boil a death fume from your heater. You can even get heat resistant paint! but the most important thing is a good primer.

[Solumina]

If the radiator at my grandmother's old place were any indication then painting is fine. I think she just used regular paint (as it matched the walls exactly) but as Saya said they have heat resistant paint.

[Fruitbat]

Originally Posted by Saya

I looked it up for baseboards but it should also apply:

http://www.ehow.com/way_6610841_diy-...er-covers.html

Basically, you're probably not going to boil a death fume from your heater. You can even get heat resistant paint! but the most important thing is a good primer.

You'd probably have to lightly sand the surface before you paint, so the new paint will bond to the old paint.

I would just scrub the sucker as clean as I could then hang a pretty piece of cloth over it when i wasn't using it. Painting that is going to be a complete and utter bitch.

Good luck PJ.

[Pineapple_Juice]

Well I just want it clean white, and the cover's easy enough to take off. I could just spraypaint it (If heat resistant paint comes in spraycans). If not, Sol's grammie did just fine with regular paint so I think I'll be okay.

[Timeless Rebellion]

I painted radiator pipes with regular paint once. If the paint resists the pipe, I don't imagine the rest being any different.
But if you can afford it, heat resistant paint is the very safest choice I suppose, but regular paint should work.

[blareblare2000]

Even paint that resists heat is available! But a solid primer is the most crucial component. www.joplinsprayfoampros.com/new-construction