I was just assembling the airlines for my garage and must admit I'm not too excited about hanging them in their current condition. They're the black pipe from Lowe's. They don't look terrible but there are dings and scuffs and some rusty spots already. I keep telling myself this is just a garage and not my kitchen but then again some people's garages on here are nicer than my kitchen. I want something in between. I don't want to put a ton of time into it but I'd like them to look a little better than they do now. So before I hang these pipes, I was thinking about cleaning them and then putting a coat of rustoleum on them. Anyone tried this? Would the paint stick?
has anyone painted their black pipe?
- Thread starter jonese
- Start date
twocoda
Well-known member
no problems...when black pipe is used for gas lines it normally painted grey
55bigblockcid
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2011
- Messages
- 250
Clean it with mineral spirits or other pre paint cleaner .Prime it .Paint it.Done.
tcsalvage
Well-known member
if i remember right we used to paint air lines yellow when it was installed in the plant.
chickenhauler
Well-known member
I rattle canned my gas lines when I ran them, and plan on doing the same to my air lines. I didn't bother with much prep or primer since they'll be up and out of the way.
haugy
Well-known member
Do a little prep to remove any oil so the paint adheres well.
Air lines will condensate in the summer with cold air moving through them, then hot, etc
So you want to make sure the paint will hold against moisture.
Air lines will condensate in the summer with cold air moving through them, then hot, etc
So you want to make sure the paint will hold against moisture.
Cool, thanks guys. I know they come with some kind of coating on them because my hands always feel grimy after handling them. I'll clean them with some brake cleaner or something and maybe knock the rusty spots down with some sand paper or something. Shouldn't take more than an hour for prep and paint for the small section I'm doing. Now I need to decide if I want to redo them in black or something else.
PassnThru
Well-known member
I think you should go for the candy cane look since, well, you're doing the work and I'm not
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
Funny, I was talking about this earlier today.
About 30 years ago my dad painted all of the black iron gas lines in our basement with flat black Rustolium using a brush. It still looks good today. I may do this with the pipe after I run the shop air.
Here is a link that has pipe identification color codes.
http://www.labsafety.com/refinfo/ezfacts/ezf203.htm
Chris
About 30 years ago my dad painted all of the black iron gas lines in our basement with flat black Rustolium using a brush. It still looks good today. I may do this with the pipe after I run the shop air.
Here is a link that has pipe identification color codes.
http://www.labsafety.com/refinfo/ezfacts/ezf203.htm
Chris
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Jim in Wis
Well-known member
Years ago, all the pipes in a machine shop were supposed to be painted different colors, water one color, air another, gas another, etc. I sure don't remember what colors were what.
The candy cane look would be good, make sure you get the stripes nice and even though.
The candy cane look would be good, make sure you get the stripes nice and even though.
I'll be sure to use some painters tape when I lay them out.
trbomax
Well-known member
Frank The Plumber
Well-known member
It is yellow.
D.J.
Well-known member
Turbomax: you beat me to it!
You guys ****. Just one more idea I've got to do now! I don't have mine up yet, is it wise to paint before or after you hang them up. There may be some touchup to be done around the joints but surely it'd be easier to paint while down.
My lines are going across two walls. I've got each wall section completely assembled and ready to be hung. Those pipe wrenches do a number on the pipes so I wouldn't paint them until they're assembled. I'll have to touch up the area where I attach the two sections once they're hung but better one section than eight.
As far as color, I was thinking of doing them blue to match my Goodyear hose reels. I really like blue in a garage, seems more industrial or something. I may do yellow though since the hoses are yellow and apparently that's the proper color for air lines.
As far as color, I was thinking of doing them blue to match my Goodyear hose reels. I really like blue in a garage, seems more industrial or something. I may do yellow though since the hoses are yellow and apparently that's the proper color for air lines.
Shawn F.
Well-known member
I have fire sprinkler system in my shop that is pretty darn old but still in service/use and the pipes are black (never painted, just how they came). I was thinking about painting them red since I am painting the entire shop this weekend (white floors and walls) and I think red fire sprinkler pipe would be fine but what about the markings on the pipe that are painted on in white or whatever color? Can I paint over these and be fine? I want everything to be in code and would hate to paint over the lettering and it not be in code after the fact...
PCO6
Well-known member
^^^ I painted mine gray too. Before I installed them I wiped the pipes down with acetone, primed them and then rattle canned them with gray Tremclad enamel. After I installed them I touched the joints up with a brush.
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RAYJAY
Well-known member
painted all of mine with hammer mill paint no degreasing or sanding paint right over every thing
http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=159
http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=159
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Rag Roc
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Wiped mine down with acetone, and brush painted the 10' lengths on saw horses with Rustoleum enamel. I wiped down all the fittings and installed them bare. Once completed I touched everything up with a small brush.
The lines in apparatus bay are painted at the FD. I'm not sure what they used but it looks nicer than bare pipe.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Color coding pipes (if done correctly) sure make it easier for us fire guys.
CARS
Well-known member
Absolutely!
Steevo
Well-known member
^^^ This
I am NOT taking my air lines down and painting them, nor am I going to mask and spray them, brush them or do any other kind of finish to them. I need to get done working ON the shop and start working IN the shop.
Your painted lines all look real nice though.
RAYJAY
Well-known member
^^^ This
I am NOT taking my air lines down and painting them, nor am I going to mask and spray them, brush them or do any other kind of finish to them. I need to get done working ON the shop and start working IN the shop.
Your painted lines all look real nice though.
STEEVO USE THE HAMERMILL PAINT VERY LITTLE WORK FOR HOW GOOD IT LOOKS
j