It’s fair to say that most radiators are ugly. The old-school white rails that are a fixture of any home tend to be purely functional. If you had the choice, you’d banish most of them from sight forever.
While that’s not exactly practical - especially for readers who rent - there is another option to make radiators either fade into the background or become a room’s statement piece. Paint them.
It’s easier than you might think and will make an instant impact in the room with a relatively small level of effort. In some cases, painting a radiator in a dark colour can even increase the heater’s output and make the room warmer; a handy hack to know with winter on its way.
While the process is straightforward, there are a few steps to take to ensure that you achieve a perfect finish.
How to paint a radiator
Stephanie King, Creative Lead at Dulux, gives her top, radiator–painting tips: “All homes have radiators, but typically we only think about painting our walls even though painting our radiators either the same or contrasting colour to the rest of the room can have a big impact – and even better, it doesn’t take loads of time!
“My top tips would be to make sure you prep the radiator, it needs to be turned off and cool (so the paint dries at room temperature). Now is a great time to do this before the colder, winter weather starts to close in. Also, to ensure it’s a clean surface, it’s best to give it a good clean with sugar soap to remove any surface grease and grime.
Then, to protect the walls and valves around the radiator, use some masking tape to cover the bits that you don’t want to paint.
My final, and probably the most important tip, is to always use a product that is designed for a radiator, so your time and effort won’t be wasted with peeling paint down the line. I’d recommend Dulux Simply Refresh Multi-Surface as it’s a 2-in-1 formula with a built-in primer meaning you don’t have to buy multiple products and saves you time, as well as coming in a variety of beautiful colours.”
An angled brush is a good choice for colouring radiators as it means you can reach all the grooves easily. Be careful not to paint any knobs or moving parts as this could cause issues with operation in the future.
If you’re ready to breathe some life into your radiators, we’ve found the best tins for the job below. We’ve included a range of colours for inspiration as well as one or two whites if you just want to give your existing heater a little spruce.
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Rust-Oleum Radiator Paint in Cerulean, Gloss Finish
Bring the laidback liquid blues of the Mediterranean home with help from Rust-Oleum. The paint brand offers a collection made especially for radiators in bright and bold hues that will have you itching to do some DIY. The heat-resistant paint (up to 60oC) is available in a choice of 123 colours and offers a durable rich pigment that’s also scuff-resistant so won’t chip or fade in a hurry.
Buy now £20.99, Rust-Oleum
COAT Festival Eve
If you want a seamless look to travel across the walls and radiator, COAT has a range of paint formulas to fit. We like Festival Eve, a dreamy dusky pink that leaves behind a low-sheen eggshell finish on both wood and metal. The scuff-hardy water-based paint is ideal for high-traffic areas like the hallway and living room.
Buy now £32.00, COAT
Frenchic Constance Moss Trim Paint
A soothing green hue is perfect for calming spaces or bringing a nature-inspired tone into the home. Frenchic’s Trim Paint range is made for giving skirting boards, door frames and radiators the once over, and with dozens of options to choose from you’re bound to find a colour that suits your space. The water-based paint is also self-priming, which means you can tick one more job off your to-do list. It leaves behind a gentle satin-like finish.
Buy now £14.95, Frenchic
Dulux Simply Refresh Multi Surface Eggshell
Add some moodiness to your space by transforming radiators with dark paint. Dulux’s Decadent Damson shade adds depth without resorting to true black. The 750ml tin should be enough to cover your home’s radiators with a coat or two (leave at least six hours of drying time in between), and any leftovers can also be applied to trims like skirting, doors, and kitchen panels.
Buy now £24.40, Dulux
Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint - Mineral Mist - 750ml
Bring woodwork to life with Dulux’s sky-blue water-based paint, named Mineral Mist. The soothing shade is just one of many in this collection, offering a high-sheen finish after a six-hour drying time. The low-odour formula can be used on door frames, skirting boards and even radiators that need livening up. It comes in a range of colours and finishes including Satinwood and Eggshell, in addition to Gloss.
Want pure brilliant white? Find it here (£16.99).
Buy now £14.66, Amazon
Farrow & Ball Full Gloss Paint Archive Collection: Archive - 2.5L
You’ll find Farrow & Ball’s weird and wackily-named shades splashed across the walls of elite residences, from Windsor Castle and Belgravia to multi-million dollar mansions in LA.
If you want to join the club, the brand has a range of water-based paint to elevate your interiors with a decidedly National Trust-aesthetic. This can contains Farrow & Ball’s highest-shine finish, covering both woodwork and metal accents. Use with a primer and undercoat base to achieve a solid, high pigment colour that should stay looking great for up to six years.
Considered the first “designer paint”, this stuff is undeniably expensive; if you’re on a budget, stick to trims and skirts to make it stretch further.
Buy now £75.00, Homebase
Ronseal One Coat Radiator Paint Satin 750ml White
One coat is all it takes with Ronseal’s radiator paint, shortening what can be a lengthy job significantly. The low-odour formula is made to resist heat and keep heaters an icy shade of white, no matter how old and yellowed they are to begin with. Stir before use and the paint should glide on smoothly and dry quickly, leaving behind a nice satin finish.
Buy now £23.26, Amazon
Johnstone’s Radiator Satin Paint 750ml - White
This low-odour paint offers a satin finish and ridiculously fast drying time. It claims you can start using your radiator up to four hours after application and promises not to yellow either, meaning your heaters will stay looking sharp for longer.
Buy now £23.00, Argos
