HOW TO PAINT BEHIND A RADIATOR: 3 EASY STEPS FOR HOMEOWNERS

Painting can either be a pleasure or a pain!

Some people love it, while others think it’s one of the worst jobs to do in the home.

Some might be budding Van Gogh's, others would rather watch the paint dry.

But it needs to be done every so often. And, that bit behind the radiator is often the most tricky.

We were discussing this in the office the other day and it turns out that none of us really had any idea as to how best go about this annoying job.

So we put our heads together and have come up with our best tips!

Should I remove the radiator to paint behind it?

First things first - decide whether you are taking the radiator off the wall, or painting around it. Some radiators are quite literally hooked onto a bracket and can be lifted off temporarily, while others can be a little more tricky to deal with.

If you’re painting, it may well be easier to leave the radiator in situ (particularly if you’re not so confident about DIY). However, if you’re wallpapering, then it’s a different story as you need to get the paper flush and looking great.

Yes! For a professional finish remove the radiator!

If you want a really professional finish, we would suggest that the painting must be done behind the radiator fully. If you are preparing your house for sale, this is definitely how you should do it because people will be looking at all aspects and will notice little things like this.

If you’re using a roller or standard brush, it will be difficult to get right behind the radiator, so removing it completely might be the right course of action.

However, if removing the radiator you'll need to do it properly which can be tricky and if you're not a professional plumber you could find yourself in a tight spot!

Should I do it myself or get a painter and decorator in?

It’s a choice you must make - do you paint it yourself or do you hire a professional to come in to do the job? Painting can be done by almost anyone, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Great painters are hard to come by as they’re always in demand, so you may well have to do some forward planning.

If you’re doing the painting work yourself and leaving the radiator attached to the wall, here are three steps to painting behind the radiator and ensuring you do a good job.

Step One: Prepare

You’ll need to put dust sheets on the floor, ventilate the room and put masking tape around the radiator and its pipes to protect them from splashes. You’ll need to turn the radiator off too, not because you’re painting it, but if it gets hot you could hurt yourself!

Step Two: Choose your Brush

We would suggest that you use a normal type of paintbrush first. Reach as far as you can from the top of the radiator, work down the sides, and then from underneath. Paint, dry, repeat. Be careful and take it slowly.

Tip: Don't Overload your Brush

Sounds simple doesn’t it, and it is. But, don’t overload your brush. It’s not so bad if you do it when it’s a whole wall you’re painting, but when you’re working behind a radiator it’s more difficult to spread the paint out and make it look good. If you have too much paint on your brush, you’re more likely to spill it too - on the floor and on the radiator.

Step Three: Use a Roller

So you have painted around and behind the radiator as much as you can, and now you need a roller paintbrush. You can get these from the DIY store of your choice, and they come with either a short handle or a long one. Reach down and make long, slow strokes with the roller.

When you’ve completed the painting, stop and take a step back. Look over what you have done and how even it is then you can go back and rectify any bits you've missed if need be.

So, you’ve painted behind the radiator, but have you thought about painting the radiator itself? You should. A nice wall is great but if the radiator is discoloured, rusty, and dusty, it’s not a great look - particularly if you’re going to put your home on the market. Don't forget to use special radiator paint if you are going to do this.

We hope our advice helps. In fact, we have lots of ideas to help you spruce up your home. If you want any further tips, get in touch. Call us on 01335 818550 or email stuart@bennetsamways.co.uk.