How to paint black fireplace white?

Suzkin

Hi,

I've a black victorian fireplace that I have never used, and is blocked up so as not to be used.

I'd like to paint the whole fireplace white.

Are there any things I need to be particularly mindful of when doing this?

Can someone also advise me which type of paint to use?

Never done this before, so really want to get it right first time..!

Thanks in advance.

macman

Would help if you said what it's made of-are you talking about a black cast iron fireplace?

Suzkin

Sorry - forgot to say. Yes, black cast iron. I think it has also been polished with black grate polish a long time ago.

chivers1977

My dad stripped ours with Nitromors. Then did two layers of primer/undercoat and then white gloss. He left the inside black (with blackboard paint). He just used the cheap B&Q paint and it has come up a treat! Got to say that ours was one that we were putting back in so he nitromorsed it outside as it was a very messy job, Not sure that you would need to do this if it is only grate polish rather than paint.

gmgmgm

Having just stripped a cast-iron fireplace of all its ghastly white-ish paint layers, I feel duty-bound to ask "are you sure you want to do this?" ... These fireplaces look best in their "original" black lead/graphite state, in my view.

But- of course it's your fireplace. If it's not in active use, then you can probably use any old paint on it. Give it a wipe over first with something like white spirit, then prime, then paint. If the primer sticks on, you should be fine. If it's in active use, radiator paint or specialist fire/boiler/stove paint would probably be better.