When painting a newly stripped radiator, do I have to use special radiator paint

[MuffinMclay]

or will bog standard white gloss paint do?

No, it will discolour in the heat. Special rad paint (you must at all times refer to them as "rads") is the way to go.

Grrr. I throught so. That means a trip to B&Q at the busiest weekend of the year. Oh joy!

Message withdrawn

Oo-er, B&Q on Easter weekend. My thoughts will be with you ...

Rads is what dh calls them too, MuminBrum ... must be a man-thing!

Ordinary paint can bubble up and peel off with the heat as well, Muffin. Good luck in B&Q ... you'll probably need it

Maybe I'll just paint everything in the room except the radiator (sorry, 'Rad'). Got my parents coming to stay in it on Monday. If they get offended at the sight of a naked radiator I'll send them off to B&Q.

Maybe get a lacy throw to put over your 'naked' radiator a la the Victorians?

My mother is the sort of person who would actually do that.

umm, i painted my 'rads' with bog standard b&q gloss stuff... no problem so far (3 years ish)

It can be Ok - esp if not painted white

if it helps, we got our rad' paint at a local hardware store,thus avoiding the whole B&Q/Homebase-visit.
it was spray paint - went on the radiator well, as well as the surrounding carpet. Strangly, it vacuumed up!?

Mmmmm - I just gave my "rads" 3 undercoats before then doing 2 topcoats. Paint's gone slightly yellow with age (4 years old now in room I'm aware of it changing (against white bathroom tiles), but I don't think that's unreasonable.

Has to be white paint. I love the idea of spray paint. Will check that out. Just remembered there is an old-fashioned hardware store in town. I'll check it out on Friday.
Yomellamohelly - you have much more patience than me - 5 coats in total! I'm hoping to get away with 1, 2 at most.

If you're going to a proper old-fashioned hardware store, or a builders' merchant, you definitely have to say "rads"! Can't have you being sniggered at by callow youths in brown overalls.

I think this is a big conspiracy. I'll go in now and ask for 'rad paint' and they'll all snigger at me.

I just put on a coat or two of water based eggshell (stinks less than oil based, easier to clean brushes and more eco friendly) and then redo it every 4 years or so.
Always worked fine for me.

Ah, interesting. Only planning on being in this house for a couple of years, so that might work fine.

Yep! Radiator (Rad!!!) paint is the only solution. Not only does it last for years and years, it's much easier to apply. And oooooh! get the little rad-roller as well. Better than sex! (she says, slurping red wine and wondering where her libido has flown).

OK, OK! I will get radiator paint and won't cut corners. Didn't know you could get rad rollers. I'm not sure it is worth it for one rather tiny radiator. Most of the others in the house are the sort that don't need painting.