Looking for a really thin paint roller for behind a radiator 22 December 2022 at 1:23AM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 13 replies 623 views

JohnB47

I have radiators where the gap behind is only 25mm at most. I bought a radiator roller but its a really stiff fit in that gap when dry. I don't think it would even rotate if I put paint on it and tried it in that gap.

So, has anyone come across a really tiny paint roller?

One problem I have is that the only size quoted for this type is 4", which is the length of the roller. Nobody seems to quote the thickness.

Thanks.

grumbler

try something like

FreeBear

I think you'll find the sleeves are pretty much all the same diameter even if you go for a 2" wide roller.

What I have done in the past is to get four blocks high enough to slip under the radiator. Slacken off the nuts that hold the radiator valves in place on either end (it only needs to be a very slight slackening off). Lift the radiator up off the fixing brackets, rotate it through 90 degrees, and rest it on top of the blocks. There is now easy access to the wall...

Once decorated, rotate and lift the radiator back on to the brackets and tighten up the nuts. Just watch out for any bits of plastic "trims" on the brackets. They are easily dislodged and are an important part of the fixing brackets. If this is a large radiator, a second pair of hands will be required.

The above only applies if you have a typical pressed steel (or aluminium) panel radiator. If it is one of these fancy designer rads or a cast iron jobbie, wall fixings will be different.

WhiskersTheWonderCat

After discovering how quick and easy it is to take a radiator off the wall, I just do that. I used to just leave behind the radiator unpainted/unpapered, figuring, who's going to see it anyway. Then OCD got the better of me. 

ThisIsWeird

A mini roller is unlikely to rotate, but it'll still apply paint by 'sliding'! It'll need going over a few times in there to get adequate coverage. Using force on the roller handle to press the roller firmly against the wall usually helps by taking the pressure further away from the rad's back.

Or experiment with a spare foam roller - pull/rip off the foam to leave the bare plastic sleeve, and glue-wrap a strip of thick mopping-up cloth around it instead to make a mini mini-roller. 

Lifting the rad is usually doable, but only if there's slack in the pipe tails, and quite a scary thing to do for the non-DIY minded.

Green_hopeful

You can wrap plastic around the radiator while you paint behind which helps a bit. Then I use a narrow roller on a long handle. It’s not perfect but you can usually get the edges done. 

TELLIT01

grumbler said:

try something like

I'd love to know how you get something like that into a 25mm gap behind a radiator.

ThisIsWeird

Tsk - you know he meant by gluing it on to a flat stick or even a wooden spatula.

(Darned good idea, too.)

grumbler

TELLIT01 said:

grumbler said:

try something like

I'd love to know how you get something like that into a 25mm gap behind a radiator.

Is it a genuine question?

You reach the areas behind the sides of a radiator - about 15 cm deep with this particular pad (you can slide the handle to one side of the pad). This is more than enough for all panel radiators, but, of course, doesn't solve the problem for many 'designer' and cast iron ones.

ThisIsWeird said:

Tsk - you know he meant by gluing it on to a flat stick or even a wooden spatula.

(Darned good idea, too.)

I'd screw it from the soft pad side (with countersink head screw(s)) . 

serpico100

What you need is a mohair or simulated mohair rad roller sleeve. They are the thinnest roller sleeves available. They are the three on the left in the picture below and as you can see they are half the thickness of the tiger stripe emulsion sleeves and the foam gloss sleeves. Combined with a long handled rad roller they are perfect for getting behind radiators. The only downside is that because they are short haired, they don’t hold as much paint so you need to refill it more often and will probably need to put several coats of emulsion on

EssexExile

 https://www.diy.com/departments/goodhome-small-long-reach-paint-pad/5059340015439_BQ.prd