"Perge modo et qua te ducit via dirige gressum," said Venus to Aeneas.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
metal radiators
Turning to the eat-in part of the kitchen, I decided to refinish the built-in metal radiator. There is also another one nearby that got the same treatment. I don't think they are original to the building (1926) but I didn't see any reason to replace them. I doubt they were originally just polished metal but I didn't think I wanted them to be repainted. I removed many coats of heavy old paint. The Baad Lamb took the removable covers to his shop where he blasted them and clear coated them. I used an old issue of Details to cover the heating parts and I sprayed a glossy clear coat on the fixed parts and damn if they don't look swell in a butch kinda WW2 way.
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15 comments:
I've always wondered: is there special radiator paint or clear coats due to the heat factor? I'm thinking about fumes being released when it heats up, etc. Not to worry you or anything; just figured you would know.
Dear Peter,
I had thought of that before I selected the product to use for the coating. It claims to be safe for this kind of thing. We'll see.
Well, I'm hoping for some truth in advertising, just for your all's sake!
Hasn't it been cold enough for heat yet in NYC? We've been running it for about the past 3 wks here in the midWorst (obviously, I don't live in Chicago, or I wouldn't be using the Worst root), altho not all day/night like will happen in a few weeks. Of course, we've got a central air/heat system, since we're not in a highrise in uberhip Manhattan; thus, we don't have to worry about painted radiators. Actually, I kind of like our various vent covers; the wall ones look like they might have been painted with an enamel. Hope that turns out to be safe, too!
Do you guys snowbird back to Florida sometime after Xmas? We've snowbirded to Palm Springs and Arizona twice when I could manage contracts while here in the midWorst, and it was always Jan-Mar/Apr. I'm hoping to do it again this year; could do without a repeat of last year's weather. I've actually never considered Florida, just because it moves my partner pretty far away from ANY of his famdamnbly. Which might be something I should consider.
Anyway, good luck with the rest of the redo, and congrats on what you've managed so far!
Dear Peter,
I write to you today from Fort Lauderdale.
The blasting and clear-coating gave a very nice result. I wouldn't even have thought of such an approach. Looks great!
Those covers look very 1960s to me -- they are, at the very least, identical to radiator covers in a building my parents lived in for a while on the corner of 5th Ave. and 14th, that was a 1960s structure.
I love radiators. I have them all throughout my circa WWII house in NJ. They get hot and they retain that heat. When I get home from work and it's too "dry" in the house (static electricity, etc.), I put a few pots of water on the stove and blast the fire under them. The little bit of humidity makes it nice and cozy in the house.
Dear RFR,
We too need to drag out the humidifier during winter. I wonder if they make one in polished metal...I could park it on top of the radiator!
What type for radiator covers are pictured? I have similar covers I need to replac.
What type of radiator covers are pictured? I have a few that need to be replaced.
Dear TomHNYC,
they were the metal ones that were in the building. Not sure I understand your question.
My apartment has the same ones and I would like to replace the covers if possible. They've been painted many times and have become a bit disfigured
why replace when you can refinish?
That's an alternative, but don't have time and labor in NYC is probably more expensive than replacing
I don't have the time and live in NYC where labor is very expensive
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