Bathhouses are often equipped with metal stoves. This is because they are much easier to install and maintain.
Unlike a stone stove, a firebox made of metal looks rather unaesthetic. Therefore, the first priority of every steam room owner is to paint a metal sauna stove.
The use of paints and varnishes not only makes the stove beautiful, but also guarantees protection of the metal from corrosion.
You can make the appearance of the stove aesthetic in other ways: for example, by making stainless steel screens or covering the surface with tiles, but using other methods promises a lot of expenditure of both time, energy, and money. In this regard, bathhouse owners are interested in suitable paint for stoves and fireplaces.
Is it possible to paint a metal stove?
Painting a metal stove is an essential process, but there are a number of additional factors to keep in mind. For this task, only heat-resistant paint for metal stoves is suitable, which can easily withstand exposure to prolonged temperatures. Many furnace owners choose a cheaper option that is not suitable for such tasks.
It is unacceptable to paint a metal stove with ordinary paint, since a number of useful functions of the paint and varnish material are lost, including:
- Heat resistance, which allows the metal to serve for many years without degradation under the influence of high temperatures;
- The absence of materials and additives that evaporate when heated and have a toxic effect on the body of others;
- The presence of protective properties against corrosive changes;
- Moisture resistance.
As you can see, the number of useful properties that paint for an iron stove should have is really many. Try to carefully understand the issue so that the service life of the product is maximum.
Manufacturing
- The base is made of red brick. To do this, you need to lay out two rows so that the seams do not coincide with each other. The base should be 20–30 cm larger than the stove itself.
- The firebox is assembled from individual sheets of cast iron. It should be rectangular. Inside it needs to be divided into two parts by a parallel sheet. At the bottom there will be an ash drawer. The separating sheet must have many holes through which waste will flow after combustion.
- After assembling the metal box, you need to make holes on the top to which the chimney from the pipes will be attached.
What to paint with?
A large number of requirements are placed on the paint and varnish material, but the modern chemical industry successfully creates dozens of paints that are ideal for such tasks. Construction stores offer products from dozens of manufacturers, but they are all divided into several large categories.
- The optimal heat-resistant paint for metal stoves is water-based acrylic. It is actively used for painting steel, brass, copper and some other alloys. The price is quite affordable, and the performance characteristics are suitable for many customers. An important advantage is the possibility of use in rooms where the air is not humid enough.
- Polyurethane varnish or enamel is also an excellent paint for a heavily used iron stove. The material can easily withstand high temperatures, and the metal surface acquires a beautiful silver tint.
- The most modern product is heat-resistant silicone paint for metal furnaces, which is marked KO-8101, 822 or 8111. According to ongoing research, the material can withstand temperatures above 650 degrees, and the absence of toxic substances will preserve your health. An unpleasant feature is the rather high price, which is compensated by the high quality of the products.
Packaging
You can purchase heat-resistant paints in various packaging - these can be spray cans or jars. From cans, paint is simply sprayed over the surface, and from a can, paint is used with brushes, rollers or special sprayers.
The volume of the cylinder is usually 500 ml. Cans are produced in 400 g, 800 g, 2.5 kg and 5 kg. There are also large buckets of 5-15 kg and barrels.
Exactly how to apply thermal paint is everyone’s personal choice. For some, it will be more convenient to use a brush or roller, while others will opt for a spray can. In the latter case, the material consumption will be significantly lower, and the paint will apply more evenly and evenly.
Which paint is best?
As mentioned earlier, the wide variety of paints allows customers to choose from several alternatives. You should take into account operating conditions, environmental properties (humidity, dust levels, etc.), as well as your financial capabilities. It is better to use expensive silicone paint, but for many it is still too expensive.
For iron
Iron furnaces are quite susceptible to degradation and oxidation, since the molecular structure predisposes the material to react with oxygen. High temperature also quite actively accelerates this process, which shortens the service life of the furnace.
If you want the stove to serve for many years, then you should use silicone paint from various manufacturers.
One of the leaders in the domestic market is Elcon, which has modern production. This manufacturer belongs to the “budget” class, but its quality is sufficient for domestic use.
It is important to carefully follow the painting technology, since otherwise the paint will not be able to protect against destructive factors. Remember that painting is not a universal solution that is guaranteed to protect the metal - it is important to follow the painting technology!
For cast iron
Cast iron is a fairly strong metal alloy that can withstand prolonged exposure to extremely high temperatures. Some sources report that you can avoid dyeing altogether, but it’s better to be on the safe side.
An excellent option for a cast iron stove is water-based acrylic or polyurethane paint, which has proven itself to be excellent. Moreover, the cast iron alloy tolerates even violations of the painting technology more favorably, so you don’t have to worry about making quite serious mistakes.
Painting with lime
To paint a brick-lined stove yourself, you can use lime.
For this you need to get:
- Rollers and brushes;
- Capacity;
- Solvent or alcohol;
- Enamel in aerosol;
- Lime;
- Water;
- Dye;
- Glue.
Prepare a suitable solution. Lime is placed in a container and filled with water in a one to one ratio. Next, glue is added (about 100 grams per 10 liters of solution) and mixed thoroughly. The glue must first be diluted. It is very easy to check whether the solution is ready: a small amount of solution is applied to a small glass placed vertically. A mixture that has not spread more than 3 cm is considered ready.
Important: Please note! To give the potbelly stove an unusual look, blue or potassium permanganate can be used as a dye.
At the beginning of the procedures, it is imperative to get rid of various contaminants on the potbelly stove. This will significantly increase the opportunity to get a high-quality result.
To apply the lime, you can use a whitewash roller or brush. The layer should not be thick, otherwise a uniform surface will not be visible. Movements must be strictly vertical or horizontal. Paint the potbelly stove in two layers, the second should be a little thinner than the first.
After the procedure has been completed, you can move on to the next stage - painting the handles and doors. In this case, special enamels are used that are designed for painting surfaces at high temperatures.
Note: Please note that the big advantage of such enamels is a fairly long-lasting result and the ability not to spread.
Before applying enamel, handles and doors must be degreased with alcohol. The primer does not make sense, since it cannot withstand high degrees. Before use, the can must be shaken, then the aerosol is sprayed. The distance from the cast iron part should be about twenty-five centimeters. Before using the stove, you must wait until the paint dries, otherwise the result will go down the drain.
All methods are good in their own way and their use depends only on the characteristics of the potbelly stove itself and personal preferences.
Source: kamin-maker.ru
Preparing the oven surface for painting
The process of preparing the stove for painting is simple and straightforward, but it must be carried out in full, otherwise the consequences will be dire. It is important that pure metal remains under the paint layer without any additional impurities.
The process looks like this:
- Thoroughly clean the surface with a wire brush.
- Remove remaining oxides with a solution of sulfuric acid with a concentration of 5%.
- Wash off the acid with a mixture of laundry soap.
- Degrease the metal surface using any available method - usually a solvent.
- Paint the surface with paint.
There is nothing complicated in the process itself, but you should pay attention to the details, since this is where mistakes are made. This process may not seem like a big deal, but if you don't do it, the paint will start to fall off soon enough!
Preparatory work and painting process
The preparation process begins with cleaning the working surface, that is, you need to remove all dirt, remove uneven surfaces, and seal cracks. Then you can start the process.
Important: Please note that ordinary putty will not work for this procedure!
To prepare such a mixture with your own hands, you need to crush one red brick with a hammer. The consistency must be similar to “flour”. The result is poured into a container, 10 chicken proteins are added and beaten. The thick mixture is capable of qualitatively eliminating all imperfections in the furnace surface. For this procedure you will need a hard brush. This stage must be treated with special attention, since the outcome of all work depends on the result obtained!
Once you are sure that the putty has dried, proceed to the next step. Now you need to treat the entire surface with drying oil (oil). Thanks to this, you can significantly save on enamel and also improve the quality of its application. Considering that some of the material will simply be absorbed into the surface, the layer of such oil should be quite thick.
How to paint a metal stove?
The process of painting a metal stove is similar to similar work with other materials. Before starting work, make sure the quality of the paint - check the expiration date, the absence of lumps, additional impurities, etc. Mix the paint thoroughly, making movements not only in a circle, but also kneading the paint from the bottom.
It is necessary to paint a metal stove in an even, uniform layer. Pay attention to corners and seams, as these are the places where untreated surfaces most often remain. If you do not want to stain the surrounding area of the oven, then use cellophane and masking tape.
- You can use a brush to paint the stove.
- A can of spray paint is perfect for fittings.
Offers from manufacturers
Brand KM | Manufacturer country | Technical specifications | Price, rubles |
Tikkurila Luja | Finland | Interacts with any base. The coating is matte. Tolerance of detergents containing alcohol. | 1700 |
Lacra Super resistant | Russia | Wood, plaster, brick are painted. Drying speed for 1 coating layer is 60 minutes, 2 layers – 120 minutes. The coating is water-resistant and wear-resistant. | 1100 |
Parade F20 | Russia | The paint layer is wear-resistant, tolerates water, and maintains color brightness well. The first coat dries in 1 hour. Polymerization occurs after 2 hours. CM cannot be applied if the humidity is high and the temperature is below 10°C. | 1900 |
DUFA D1A WANDFARBE | Ukraine | The coating is matte. Complete polymerization after 4 hours. Operating temperature during application is 20°C. | 1200 |
DULUX BINDO 20 | Russia | Increased wear resistance. Tolerance to water exposure. It is enough to paint 2 times. Drying speed – 60 minutes. A month after decoration, the surface is washed with detergents. | 3900 for 10 liters of containers |
Tex Universal | Russia | The coating is deep matte. Drying speed 3 hours. The covering layer is wear-resistant, moisture-resistant, and can be washed with non-abrasive agents. | 1100 |
Tikkutila Remontti Jassia | Finland | The coating is semi-matte, washable and moisture resistant. Drying speed of one layer is 120 minutes. | 1600 for 2.7 liters |
VGT VDAK 1180 | Russia | A matte layer is formed that is water-resistant and wear-resistant. The surface “breathes”. Color brightness is maintained when exposed to UV rays of the sun. The time interval between applying layers is 60 minutes. Polymerization occurs within a day. | 360 for 7 kg |
Marshall | Homeland - Türkiye. | The material is easy to work with. Drying speed – 4 hours. Stable layer with high wear resistance. | 580 for 2.5 liters |
Dali | Denmark | The coating repels water and dirt. Resists direct rays of the sun. Each layer dries in 60 minutes, the structure is ready for use in 120 minutes. Work takes place at temperatures above 10°C. | 1200 for 5 liters |
Which steel is better to choose?
For different options for using and installing the furnace during production, you will need to use different types of steel, including heat-resistant steel. We will analyze the main places for possible installation of the furnace and the optimal choice of steel for its production.
For sauna stove
In this option, the heater will heat up to a maximum of 5000, so deformation of the structure is possible if the production technology and choice of material are not followed. But individual parts heat up differently, so the grade of steel for a sauna stove may vary for its different parts:
for the production of the combustion chamber, you will need to prepare blanks from steel, grade AISI 430 or 08Х17Т. But such steel is difficult to obtain and expensive to use when making a stove yourself. In this case, you can use structural steel, but of a higher grade
The best option is St-10; to prevent direct passage of heat into the chimney, you can use simple structural steel or 08PS, 08Yu on the heat screen; for the production of the body, you can prepare the usual St-3; For the firebox door, it is important to prepare good material from heat-resistant steel or cast iron. In specialized stores or at flea markets, you can find excellent used doors for little money;
Important! When selecting material for self-production or buying a ready-made heater, pay attention to the thickness of the workpieces. If a heat-resistant alloy is used, the wall thickness is 4 mm. When using ordinary structural steel, the parts must be made of metal with a thickness of 6-8 mm.
When using ordinary structural steel, the parts must be made of metal with a thickness of 6-8 mm.
For home
The structure is exposed to long-term thermal loads, so it is important that the parts are made of good material. You can use steel for a sauna stove for a home potbelly stove, but it is better to prepare blanks from alloys with a chromium content of 12% or more
The famous stoves of Professor Butakov from and are made from such a sheet. They will last much longer than homemade ones made from scrap materials. We should not forget the thickness of the walls of such furnaces. Made of alloy steel with a high level of resistance to deformation during prolonged heating, the furnaces can be made of sheet steel 4-5 mm thick.
If the stove is installed in a small country house and you plan to use it only in the fall or early spring during rare visits to the site, you can make a homemade stove from a pipe or gas cylinders with a convection system. This design is cheap and can heat the house for a long time.
For garage
For a garage, using expensive heat-resistant or heat-resistant steel is an unaffordable luxury. This stove is used for a short time and not very often. Therefore, by making a stove from rims or sheet metal, 3-4 mm thick, you can easily solve the problem of heating a garage space.