Last Updated On September 19th, 2022

Top 10 Reviews

Best Radiator Paint in the UK 2022

Luxury Choice

Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood

4.6/5
Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood

Editor's choice

Johnstone’s Quick-Dry Satin

4.6/5
Johnstone’s Quick-Dry Satin

Best Quick-Drying

Rustins RADS250 Satin

4.4/5
Rustins RADS250 Satin

Radiators are commonplace in virtually any UK home, but finding the best radiator paint UK companies have to offer isn’t always easy. After all, your radiators can start to look a little worn and dated after a while – particularly after you’ve spent several years in the same house. But you can’t just splash some standard emulsion on there to make it look better.

Thanks to constant exposure to changing temperatures, radiator paint needs specific features to ensure that it stands the test of time. On top of that, you also need to consider how you’re going to make applying the paint to a rather awkward part of your house easier, too.

We’ve put together this list of the top UK radiator paint products around, to help you make the right decision for hot home décor.

Best Radiator Paint List

Best Radiator Paint Reviews – Top 10 Picks

Johnstone’s Quick-Dry satin paint is a great product to pick if you’re looking for radiator paints that are easy to use and effective. The satin finish gives you a mid-level sheen that can help your radiators to stand out for all the right reasons. Plus, the non-yellowing finish ensures that your fresh radiators will look better for longer.

Johnstone’s Quick-Dry Satin

Features

Promising low odour, so you don’t have to worry about the smell of radiator paint whenever you switch your heating on, the Johnstone’s Quick-Dry paint is a top choice for various homeowners. This one coat paint is self-undercoating, so you don’t have to use annoying undercoats that aren’t easy to apply.

The water based formulation protects you from any toxins and ensures that the finish on your quick dry radiator paint doesn’t just crack when you start using it. It only takes a couple of hours for your radiators to be touch-dry too.

However, the tin doesn’t hold as much paint as you might expect. Additionally, you might notice some slight differences in the colour on the site and the shade you get.

PROS

CONS

Johnstone’s Quick-Dry Satin
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Designed for interior wood and metal use, this high-performance product from Dulux will help you to paint your radiator in no time. Quick drying, so you can enjoy your new décor as soon as possible, the Dulux paint comes with a fantastic finish that’s sure to refresh your home in no time. You can even cover hot water pipes as well as the radiator itself.

Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood

Features

With colours to suit every room, this Dulux satinwood paint has a mid-level sheen. Although you need to leave it 6 hours in total to become touch dry, this product dries a lot faster than many of the other options on the market, and it doesn’t require any undercoat either.

Ideal for those who want an easy-to-use, one coat radiator paint, Dulux will transform your home in no time, and it works on all kinds of radiators – as well as the radiator shelves and surrounds you might have too.

One slight issue is that you will need to leave windows open when this paint is drying due to the smell. Also, the paint is a little thinner than some other options.

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Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood
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Another great choice if you want a single coat radiator paint, this heat resistant option from Rustins will refresh your radiators and get your rooms looking great in no time. The quick dry radiator mixture is ideal for touching up appliances around the home, with an easy-to-apply finish that stays white over time.

Rustins RADS250 Satin

Features

Not only is it heat resistant, but it’s one of the few low odour paint options around that doesn’t stink up your home for long periods of time. Available in a bright white colour, this product won’t yellow over time, so you can enjoy the gloss white finish for longer.

Unlike other enamel options we’ve covered, this product does require an undercoat- but it’s quick to apply once your radiator is properly primed.

You may struggle to spread the paint evenly in some cases, however.

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Rustins RADS250 Satin
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This Hammerite 400ml radiator enamel will give a new lease on life to your water pipes and radiators in no time. If you’re hoping to update your décor, or just give your home that high-quality finished appearance, then Hammerite can help. This enamel offers a brilliant white finish that’s completely resistant to heat.

Hammerite REG500 Gloss White

Features

Long lasting and durable, the Hammerite radiator enamel comes with a special formula to ensure that you can enjoy the perfect, white finish for longer. The high-quality paint prevents the formation of rust too, so you can get more life out of your radiator. The gloss paint works on all parts of the radiator, and a little goes a long way.

Great for protecting and transforming a home, Hammerite radiator paint will give you plenty of coverage to paint a radiator in no time. You can even get bulk packs.

However, be careful not to place too much paint on the brush as it can be a little runny.

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Hammerite REG500 Gloss White
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Intended for a quick touch up jobs and refreshing your radiators, the paints from Able & Handy are easy to use and reliable, with a fantastic gloss white finish. If you’re looking for a radiator formula that can stand the test of time, then this could be the product for you. The paint is fully resistant to heat and long-term damage.

Able & Handy Enamel

Features

With a shiny finish that will leave your radiator’s shining, this radiator enamel gloss white paint is the perfect choice for countless households. The fresh colour is non-yellowing, so you don’t have to worry about it losing its appeal over time. The quick drying gloss finish is ready to touch in no time, too.

Small enough to finish up scratches and dents on radiators, this product might not be enough to cover all of the radiators in your house, but it does tackle small jobs well, too. Keep in mind that the radiator enamel gloss white product does have a very strong odour, so you will need to keep a window open while it’s drying.

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Able & Handy Enamel
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Why not make it easier to paint your radiator by taking the brush and roller out of the equation? If you’re looking for an easy solution then the best radiator paint for you could be an aerosol spray instead. This easy to apply WRX spray paint covers radiators fast. The specially designed radiator enamel aerosol is quick to dry and great for any job.

WRX Spray Paint Anthracite

Features

With spray paint for your radiators, you don’t have to worry about getting rid of brush strokes or drip marks. Painting radiators couldn’t be easier. The WRX spray paint options offer high quality coverage similar to most standard radiator paints. They’re heat resistant and they have excellent adhesion for a range of materials too.

Like most radiator paints, these 400ml enamel aerosol products from WRX are quick drying, so you can enjoy the finished effect faster.

However, it can be a little messy to use these products if you’re not careful. You’ll need to spend some time practising applying colour first.

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WRX Spray Paint Anthracite
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Another quick dry solution for homeowners that need their radiators to be ready to touch fast – the Rustins RADG250 paint provides an easy to use non-yellowing formula that’s great for any household. Just cover your floor space before use and get to work. This high quality paint can even be ready to touch within as few as 30 minutes.

Rustins RADG250

Features

There’s no need to worry about high temperatures affecting your paint with this gloss white product from Rustins. Perfect for bringing new life to your radiators, the heat resistant paint works on all parts of the radiator including your water pipes. You can also rest assured that the white colour will stay looking fresh for as long as possible.

Great for touching up all kinds of appliances from radiators to fridges, the Rusting white paint promises excellent results all around.

Some people do note that this paint doesn’t cover as much as you’d think, however. Additionally, it can be a little runny compared to some radiator enamel options

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Rustins RADG250
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Another aerosol paint to help you paint a radiator faster, this fantastic long lasting product from Rust Oleum comes in classic satin white for a mid-shine finish. The quick drying radiator paint is designed to cover everything from hot water pipes to the radiator surface, with a non yellowing finish that keeps your item looking fresh over time.

Rust Oleum Aerosol

Features

The Rust Oleum Aerosol paint is a long lasting satin white solution to help you paint a radiator in no time. You can give your home a new lease on life with these paints, thanks to a convenient, quick drying finish and rust protection built in. The paints are washable and moisture resistant too so you know they’re going to last.

Easy to apply and convenient, the aerosol is a great alternative to standard paints.

However, it does take a while to figure out how everything works. You’ll also need to make sure that you keep carpets and flooring covered just to be safe.

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Rust Oleum Aerosol
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This quick drying radiator paint from Polar Premium will give you an excellent touch dry finish in no time. Designed for all kinds of surfaces in your home, this product can deliver a new lease of life to radiators within as little as 30 minutes. You can even apply another coat after 20 minutes, so the job gets done as quickly as possible.

Polar Premium Direct

Features

There’s no need for an undercoat of your radiator paint gloss white aerosol when you’re using Polar Premium, because the spray acts as an undercoat, primer, and top coat too. This convenient product has excellent resistance to all kinds of UV lights, so you can rest assured that the colour will stay fresh for as long as possible.

Suitable for covering all kinds of items, from metal doors and gates, to railings, furniture, and more, this is a lot more than just your standard radiator paint. It’s also one of the best radiator paint options in the UK for convenience.

However, it does scratch off some surfaces easily, and some customers say the radiator paint is more glossy than satin.

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Polar Premium Direct
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If you want an alternative to your standard 500ml radiator paint gloss, the Plasti-Kote 26102 could be the ideal option for you. Not only does this radiator paint dry quickly, but it maintains its colour too.

Plasti-Kote 26102

Features

One of the best radiator paint options for UK homeowners who want to get the job done fast, the Plasti-kote radiator paint is convenient and easy to use. You can spray the paint on fast, and enjoy a durable finish that’s resistant to all kinds of heat. This radiator paint stays looking fresh and new for as long as possible with an anti yellow formula.

Because you’re not working with standard radiator paint, there’s less of a risk of drips and streaks too.

Unfortunately, this product can require several coats for some radiators. Additionally, it does take a while to get used to using the spray paint.

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CONS

Plasti-Kote 26102
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How to Choose the Best Radiator Paint

Finding the best radiator paint UK companies can offer can be quite the challenge. There are tons of options out there, from Ronseal one coat radiator paint, to spray enamels that offer quick and easy access to bright and fresh colour.

Choosing the best radiator paint for your needs means thinking carefully about what you’d like to accomplish with your décor, and how you would like to apply the product. Here are some of the things you might need to think about.

Preparation

painting a room heaterSince radiator products can be difficult to cover with paint, it’s often more convenient to choose a product that doesn’t require a lot of initial prep work. The best radiator paint will usually come with a primer and undercoat built-in. Products like Ronseal one coat radiator paint ensure that you don’t have to apply various coats before you get started.

Usually, you will need to prepare the surface a little before you get started, however. Cleaning your radiator will improve your chances of ending up with a nice clean finish.

Application

Application is one of the most important things you’ll need to think about when choosing radiator paint. The best radiator paint needs to be easy to apply with minimal work. Spray paints are some of the best radiator paints for this reason because you can apply them very easily, and you don’t have to worry about things like drips and streaks.

However, keep in mind that radiator spray paints can take a while to get used to if you haven’t used these kinds of products before. Choose radiator paint that you can spend some time getting used to first. A 400ml or 500ml radiator paint gloss should give you some room to practice, like the Hammerite 400ml radiator enamel.

Finish

Remember that radiator paint comes in a lot of different types, there are gloss options that allow you to get a shiny finish for your radiators, matt options, and even something called satin which gives you a kind of sheen without being too glossy.

There’s no one-size-fits-all for choosing the right finish, instead, you’ll need to think about what kind of look you’d like to achieve for your radiators. Everyone has their own preferences in this regard, but don’t be afraid to try a few test pots of different paints if you can to see how they’re going to look.

Durability

white room heaterThe best radiator paints are built to last. When you’re looking for a paint that’s easy to apply and quick to dry, make sure that you look for durability too. This basically means that the paint you choose should be resistant to things like moisture and heat. If you can get something particularly durable that’s scratch resistant this could also be a good investment and it ensures you can enjoy a great finish for longer.

Durability is an important factor to consider with paint, but you may find that it reduces the speed with which your radiators will dry out. Try and find the right balance between a paint that can dry quickly for a second coat, and the best radiator paints for long-term durability.

Choosing the Best Radiator Paint

The best radiator paint UK companies can offer will depend heavily on your preferences and the kind of work you’re going to be doing when sprucing up your house. Our top choice for the best radiator paint with a delightful finish is the Johnstone’s quick dry satin paint which will cover your radiator in no time. This formula comes with a non-yellowing design to ensure that you can get the perfect results from your paint for as long as possible. The paint is even self undercoating to save you some extra work. Good luck finding the radiator paint options that are right for you.

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