# Painting a baseboard heater

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-a-baseboard-heater/441371>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 14, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-a-baseboard-heater/441371 "2008-03-14T16:06:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-a-baseboard-heater/441371/1 "2008-03-14T16:06:47Z")

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My house has electric baseboard heat. There’s one unit in the bathroom I want to paint a new color, because I’m working on a bathroom update, and the unit will look funky.

What kind of paint should I use? It will have to be able to withstand heat, but not a lot; I can touch the heater when it’s operating and not incur a burn, but it is quite warm to the touch. It will also have to be spray painted.

Would something like Krylon or Rustoleum work, or do I have to go shopping for some specialty paint/have a pro do it?

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**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-a-baseboard-heater/441371/2 "2008-03-14T16:42:12Z")

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Auto parts stores have engine/header spray paint. I’m sure your heater does not get that hot, but using engine paint might keep you from smelling paint everytime the heater is turned on.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-a-baseboard-heater/441371/3 "2008-03-14T17:33:51Z")

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[QUOTE=RedSwinglineOne]  
Auto parts stores have engine/header spray paint. I’m sure your heater does not get that hot, but using engine paint might keep you from smelling paint everytime the heater is turned on.  
[/QUOTE]

I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Otherwise I would use appliance paint. The kind for oven/stoves. Oooh, better yet, I _think_ someone makes a paint specifically for grills. That would probably do the best job.

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**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-a-baseboard-heater/441371/4 "2008-03-14T18:03:30Z")

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[QUOTE=Joey P]  
…Otherwise I would use appliance paint…  
[/QUOTE]

Until today I had never heard of appliance paint. Ignorance fought! 🙂

This would probably work better having the added benifit of being designed (I would assume) to be sprayed over the glossy (powdercoated?) finish typical on an appliance.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-a-baseboard-heater/441371/5 "2008-03-14T20:21:55Z")

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[QUOTE=RedSwinglineOne]  
Until today I had never heard of appliance paint. Ignorance fought! 🙂

This would probably work better having the added benifit of being designed (I would assume) to be sprayed over the glossy (powdercoated?) finish typical on an appliance.  
[/QUOTE]

It might. Otherwise they make something to do that. Gloss-b-gone, or something. It’s a liquid.