Powder Coating Radiators; Yes or No?
So, you’ve decided to give your old cast iron radiators a new lease of life. You love them but they look like they’ve seen better days, besides, you really want to show them off more and admire them as a piece of furniture, not just as an efficient heating appliance.
It must be said that having your radiators refurbished or restored by a reputable dealer is not cheap, however, this is reflective of the amount of work, the tools and equipment, the experience and expertise, and the care that goes into completing the finished product to ensure that you get the results you were looking forward to.
Don’t be fooled by offers of cheap ‘renovation’; our workshop is often full of radiators that make their way to us for attention and repair after having been subject to that “too good to be true” cheap deal.
So what are your options?
At Vintage Cast Iron Radiators, we take pride in offering an extensive array of services designed to cater to your unique requirements. Whether you are looking to upgrade, restore, or maintain your cast iron radiators, our knowledgeable team is here to assist you every step of the way.
We understand that making the right decision can be complex, which is why we encourage you to reach out for further details. We are more than happy to provide you with our informative service brochure, ensuring that you have all the information you need to make the best choice for your home.
The most inexpensive method of finish is powder coat. This is simply because it’s less labour intensive as it saves having to get into all those nooks and crannies with a paint gun - The powder is attracted to the radiator by way of an electrical charge, it finds its own way to those hard to reach parts. The powder is then baked at around 200 degrees for around 20 minutes. We do have to say that we would NEVER choose to powder coat our own radiators and strongly advise you against doing so
Less reputable companies will use powder coating simply because it’s so much easier and cheaper – or they don’t know the product.
What are the main pros and cons of powder coating?
Pro:
Powder coating is less expensive than paint.
Powder coating is easier to apply
Powder coating is harder wearing than paint
Con:
Powder has less choice of affordable colours
Powder coating conceals delicate pattern and patina
Powder coating leaves imperfections and surface bubbles around jointed areas
Powder coating can chip when knocked and cannot be touched up
BUT MOST OF ALL - Powder coating is likely to break otherwise good seals due to the baking process.
It is the potential risk to the seals that we must emphasize and draw the main focus of your attention to. In our extensive experience, approximately 10% to 20% of seals tend to fail due to the powder coating process (we cannot predict how it has affected the integrity of the remaining seals). While it may initially appear as a more affordable option, it is essential to carefully consider this risk before making your decision; ultimately, the choice is yours. Depending on the size of the radiator, we typically charge an additional fee in the range of £8 to £14 per section to finish the radiator in paint. This approach eliminates the risk of seal failure associated with the baking process, and, in our professional view, provides a finish that is far superior.
A further drawback to using powder coating is that we do not have any way of knowing if a seal has failed until after all the work has been completed and a final pressure test has been carried out. By that point, you will have been charged for the entirety of the work. For this reason, we never powder coat fully renovated radiators or any radiators where we have replaced seals. Our policy in this area is firm because we do not wish to subject the new seals to any potentially damaging baking processes.
However, if you do decide to instruct us to powder coat your radiator to save some money (or perhaps you simply prefer the aesthetic or desire something a bit more durable) and a seal does indeed fail, all is not lost. We can disassemble your radiator as carefully as possible and replace the faulty seal. It is important to note that there will be an additional charge for this repair service, and there is a high risk that we could inadvertently damage the already applied powder coating in the process. Therefore, you should be aware that the costs associated with repairing seals that are damaged by the powder coating process will often exceed the costs you would incur by choosing the painted option from the outset.
