Tip For Decorating Radiator Pipes

Updated Jan 11, 2025 | Posted Jan 24, 2019 | Product Advice | 0 comments

A Handy Tip For Decorating Radiator Pipes

Radiator pipes can be an eyesore, particularly if, like me, you take great pride in your decorating work. What is the answer? Do you paint them? Well, you could, but it isn’t ideal. For me, these little plastic tubes are perfect. All you do is slide them on, and off you go. Perfect pipes, out of view.

The best thing about decorating (well hiding) your pipes like this, is they’re hidden forever. It isn’t like paint, which will discolour or blister over time. Once you’ve slid plastic tube over your pipe, you never need to worry about it again.

No faffing around either. You can pick these pipe covers up online by clicking here. You can cut to length, then just slide them on the radiator pipe, dead easy and they look, well, they hide the pipe. Anyone can use these.

If after reading this blog, you still want to paint your radiator pipes, then that’s fine too. However, water-based paint will react with copper, so make sure you use an oil-based undercoat first. Then you can either opt for an oil-based satinwood, or even a water-based coating. But just remember, painting isn’t ideal and won’t last forever. These pipes are much better.

They look nicer than painting, just see how long they take to discolour if they do.

15mm White 10 x Radsnaps 15mm Pipe Covers

Click here for a place to buy these things

 

FAQs

 

Can I paint over radiator pipes?

You can indeed paint radiator pipes. You should use oil-based undercoat or Zinsser Cover Stain as your first coat. If your first coat of paint is water-based, then then paint will discolour in short order. Any shellac-base paints will blister and fail.

 

Do radiator pipes have to be covered?

No, plenty of people leave radiator pipes exposed. You only need to cover them if you don’t like the aesthetics of bare pipes.

 

Can you cut radiator pipe covers?

Radiator pipe covers are designed so you can cut them to the size of your pipes. All you need is a sharp knife or a hacksaw (depending on which pipe covers you’re using).

 

Should radiator pipes be covered?

You can cover them, paint them, or leave them bare. The heat radiated from the pipes is minimal and undecorated pipes are unsightly. Most people do something with them.

Updated Jan 11, 2025 | Posted Jan 24, 2019 | 0 comments

About the Author

About the Author

Mike Cupit has been in the decorating industry since 2002 and has mostly worked as a Trade Decorator in the domestic sector (peoples’ homes). Self-proclaimed “product geek”, Mike has a passion for paint and decorating tools. Mike now spends most of his time testing paint products and tools, comparing them to similar products on the market, and blogging about the industry in general.

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