Maintenance of grate polish on cast iron fireplace?

LindaLou72

Hi, we had a small Victorian cast iron fireplace installed about three months ago and we've had a total of maybe 6 or 7 fires in it so far, burning a mixture of coal and wood. I've done lots of googling about how to maintain the fireplace but can't seem to find answers to my questions and was hoping I could find some help here.

The people who installed the fireplace sprayed a matte black finish on it, and I was rather dismayed to find that it started to come off bit by bit on the inside, depending on its proximity to the fire. After several fires, the grate the fuel sits on was completely bare, as was the back of the fireplace maybe 30cm up from the grate, with the black paint gradually peeling up a little more after each fire. The paint was also starting to wear a bit from the two frontage pieces. I phoned the shop where we bought the fireplace, but all they said was that I should use the grate polish I bought there.

This is a 75ml tube of a brand called Hotspot. I applied it today and used over half the tube; the iron, particularly where the finish had come off completely, absorbed it like a sponge. (I didn't apply it to the grate the fuel sits on as I figured it would just come straight off again, though I'm worried it hasn't got any kind of finish on it now.) I guess it also didn't help that I was using Jeyes cloths to apply it, which ended up ripping. I think I would really need to get a proper can of some polish and use a paintbrush to get into all the nooks and crannies. As well as some gloves so that my hands don't end up black.

I hadn't anticipated that I'd need to reapply so much grate polish so often though - is it really supposed to wear off this quickly? We're not building massive hot fires in there. Any thoughts would be appreciated - thanks!

Gloomendoom

I doubt that you will get anything to stay on in the bits that are in contact or close proximity to the fire. I only use grate polish on the decorative surround, and it's just a case of wiping it on and lightly polishing it off. It doesn't use much. Are you applying the polish to firebricks?

I have a cast iron stove in my dining room that is an antique, there is no finish at all on the inside and it has lasted well enough.

silvercar

I spray painted matt black paint, sourced from Halfords and marketed for engines. Supposed to withstand high temperatures. it hasn't peeled yet.

LindaLou72

Thank you both! I grew up in a house with an open fire, but it was stone and concrete, and I have no experience at all of using cast iron equipment. The spray is tempting, though generally people are saying on the internet that they prefer grate polish; maybe it gives a better finish? And maybe this time I'll let the paint wear away on the inside and see where it finally stops, and how things go. The shops that sell these things should give you leaflets about how to look after them

rustyboy21

The age old way, is still the best and that is by using the grate polish, as , is Hot spot.

Apply it with a stiff shoe brush, leave it for a while and use a soft shoe brush to buff it up when dried out a bit. It may tae a few coats to get it looking great, but it should then start to keep its sheen better. The spray is a quick fix, not a permanent one.

You will not get a perfect black shiny finish to the cast to stay, if you are firing up the fireplace, it is impossible. Dont bother with blackening the fire stool or the fire brick backs, they will just turn grey.

Most likely the shop sprayed it all to give a nice shiny finish and to cover any cement marks from installation.

Have a look in any stately home and their fireplaces will look similar to yours, it is how they will look when being used.

POPPYOSCAR

We use Rustins
http://www.transtools.co.uk/hand-tools/painting-and-decorating/metal-paint/rustins-high-heat-resistant-quick-drying-matt-black-paint-600-degrees-c-250ml

LindaLou72

Thanks very much to you both. I've never looked that closely at the Victorian fireplaces in stately homes, but I can think of a few I can go and re-visit, would be interesting. I do wish this information was more widely available, but perhaps not that many people have cast iron fireplaces anymore. I will see about getting some shoe brushes and a bigger can of grate polish. It's also handy to know that the grate the fuel sits on is called the stool - I wouldn't have guessed! Feeling more confident now with what I'm doing