Jackson Heights Life

I was wondering how to do this exact thing.  I've gotta get the 38 layers of paint off my radiatiors along with a gross looking pipe in my bathroom.  Unfortunately, I've read up a lot on this subject and I don't think there are any real easy ways to do it.  It's gonna take a lot of chemicals, scraping, and sanding.  Here is a link I found to be helpful.  Let me know how yours goes!  http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infpai/infstripmetal.html

There's a thread at brownstoner that mentions this company http://www.evernumetal.com/home.htm for radiator stripping. 

Has anyone done this to their old, cracked and overly painted radiators? I am interested in stripping my old radiators and would like to know if there are any recommendations or better yet, where do I start?

This is a messy, dirty, and horribly labor intensive job.  Are you currently living in the place, or are you renovating a currently vacant apartment ??   also, is the heat on in them ??

If your radiators currently have heat coming through them (i.e., if they are hot), I wouldn't even consider doing this until the spring, because extra heat will drive the chemicals into the air, and into your lungs and anyone else nearby.  I recently stripped all my radiator covers and windowframes, (not the radiators themselves, thank God), and also the steam return pipes in the bathrooms, and spray painted all of them (came out beautifully, but the job took weeks).  I used a product called Peel-Away, which takes a long time, but is much less toxic than products with methylene chloride (which I also used, and it's much quicker than the PeelAway).  Both of these are available in the paint section at Home Depot, BTW.

How they worked:

PeelAway is a product that you spread on, then cover with some special paper that's included.  You need to trim the paper to the job.  You brush on the peelAway (GENEROUSLY), then cover it with the paper.  You then WAIT ABOUT 2-4 DAYS, then pull/scrape the paper off.  Most of the paint will come off with it.  The longer you wait, the deeper the penetration into the old paint.  You may have to follow up to get the residual bits, or deeper layers.  Once you get most of the initial paint off, you can hit it again with PeelAway, just put it on and wait a few minutes, then get it off with a scraper or steel wool.   You need to wear gloves and you should wear a mask, but it's not too bad.  Anything that's left, you need to get after with a methylene chloride based stripper.  You can get it in a spray can.  It is nasty, vile stuff, but it will clean up anything that's left.  Get a good RESPIRATOR or filter type mask - spend the $25 that it's going to cost for this piece of equipment.  Methylene Chloride is not good to breath, you will get dizzy, light headed, and a little headachy. (see here: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/423.html).  But it will get the last bits off.  ALWAYS wear thick gloves, esp with Methylene chloride strippers.  And not just the thick $5 rubber gloves for heavy duty cleaning.  I'm talking the really thick rubber ones that come up halfway on your elbows.  Wear clothes you intend to throw away after the job, too.  AND W@EAR A SERIOUS AIR FILTRATION MASK, not just a dust mask.  Open ALL of the windows.

If you can't take the time to use the peelaway, use the methylene chloride stripper, but (again), all of the above cautionary notes apply.  It will do the job, but it's nasty, vile stuff.

After you strip it, I suppose you will want to paint it.  MAKE SURE TO USE PAINT THAT TOLERATES HIGH HEAT.  This goes for the steam return lines that everyone has in their bathrooms as well (usually a pipe that's hot in the winter and located in a corner of the bathroom somewhere).  Rustoleum makes a good high heat paint, it's available in 4 colors at Home Depot in spray paint cans.  Again, there's lots of problems using spray paint in your home, cover everything in the entire room, then seal the bottom of the doors with tape while you're painting (it will get under the door and onto the floor just outside the door if you don't).  The high heat spray paint does seem to not fly as far as regular spray paint (which I repainted all my windowframes with).  Wear a respirator with this too.

Hope this advice helps you.  Good luck with the job. 

TheMariner

i got a quote of about $75/hr for sandblasting with evernu and he estimated about 2 1/2 hours for a standard radiator. He also said powder coating was another $200. do i need the powder coat? i actually like the look of clean metal but was wondering if radiators needed a coat of something.

I think you do need to have them coated/painted.  Bare metal will eventually oxidize (rust).  Remember that you also have steam (i.e., vaporized water) going through the radiator.  What happens to iron/steel in the presence of water?
Corrosion.  I don't think you can get away with just leaving it unfinished.  What does Evernu say about it?  They almost certainly have a better idea than I do.  FYG, I left one of my windowframes unpainted, but even that one I used some spray shelac to "seal" it.  Good luck, in any case.  - Mariner

I live in Fairfield County, CT - got a quote from these guys - $40 PER SECTION (tough when you have 9 radiators...) BUT they seem to do a super job...see the website for pics of their process
http://www.mmresto.com/

I was told any paint that goes on to metal and stays, is lead based.

well, i decided to do the work myself. didn't use any chemicals, just chipped away at the old paint with a screwdriver, hammer, a wire brush and sandpaper. i didn't get to remove all the layers but i got a lot off and smoothed it for a good old primer and painted with silver enamel paint. here is the final project completed.

Nice Job    :rockon:

I was told any paint that goes on to metal and stays, is lead based.

Most interior and exterior oil-based paint prior to 1950 contain lead but the technology existed that bonded paint to metal.  Lead was used as a pigment in house paint and it is still used widely in lead-acid batteries, fishing weights, and in the manufacture of some plastics and a number of other products including (and obviously) bullets.  So, if you get shot, make sure they test your lead levels in your blood...hehe

Lead is good for technology, not good for your health (long story).  Look, you are not going to get sick by stripping your own paint unless you use a sander in which case you would be expose to lead dust.  If you are scrapping lead based paint grab a bottle of Windex or similar product and wet scrape it.  Then add the peel away or "Back to Nature".  You can always call a licensed company (Gotham Stat Industries,,,hehehe) and give them your hard earned money.  On the other hand, if you have received a violation from the DOH or other eager agency then you should call the pros.  Yes, there is no denying Lead-based paint is the most common source of lead poisoning for children in the nation. That doesn't make your landlord an evil villain it was simply a product (no pun intended) of the times. 

My advise to anyone with concerns is go to the EPA web site,  They will give you the "scare tactics" but it is good education.  If you have children or even pets at home then please, make sure you don't have any chipping paint of surfaces like doors or windows rubbing.  If you have children do take the most cautious approach to paint management.  One of the reason children seem attracted to the lead based chips is supposed to be because the paint somehow tasted semi sweet (Never tried it myself).  If you are in an adult only home...I'm sure you wont reach out and eat the paint chips on the floors (beside Chuckie, liam and Rose)  but everyone else probably won't.

On a last note...lead dust is not like asbestos dust.  Asbestos dust is very aerodynamic and it can float 48 to 72 hrs from a single air flow episode.  Lead in dust is relatively heavy and would not become airborne for long (at least not long unless continuously agitated) using a respirator is always a good idea but using wet methods are your best wet to avoid exposure