Frequently Asked Questions

What is a primer finish?

A primer finish is a protective layer that cast iron radiators are coated with at the time of manufacturing. Primer will not provide a sealed surface as that is not what it is designed to do. Primer finish is designed as a base gripping coat to be painted over - this should not be treated as a finished coating.

Water based paints are not usually compatible unless there is a good covering of the recommended primer that the paint manufacturer advises. Although unusual, Oxide can appear on a primed radiator when exposed to air or moisture - again this is due to the radiator only having a flash coat and not being sealed with an appropriate metal paint.

While not common place some people do leave radiators in their primer finishes once installed. Arroll radiators are finished in a black primer as standard.

Do you do Farrow & Ball colours?

Do you do RAL Paint Finishes?
You can choose any RAL paint finish you desire.
When ordering a RAL paint finish option we will contact you to confirm your RAL choice.
Please be aware that metallic and pearl RAL colours are very hard to depict on a monitor or in print, you should obtain an accurate paint sample of any RAL finish you intend to use.

We have picked some of the more popular RAL colours below for your convenience, to view the entire RAL colour chart, please click "View Full RAL Colour Chart" below.

View Full RAL Colour Chart

You offer burnish finishes, what are they?

Arroll offer two burnish finishes, silver and gold. The silver burnish is a black base colour with any raised sections, such as the orante scroll work found on a Art Nouveau, polished to a bright finish. This is then lacquered to preserve this effect without needing to oil/maintain it. The gold burnish highlights the raised sections with gold paint. Below are some sample images.

What exactly is a polish finish?

A polished finish means that rather than having a painted finish the radiator is polished back to bare metal. It is a clever way to add contrast to finely detailed radiators by accentuating raised sections with a brighter polish. Arroll very sensibly lacquer coat their polished radiators to prevent oxidisation. This means that it does not require regular oiling to maintain a rust free look. Below are some images to represent a polished finish.

You offer a Special Paint finish, what is that?

The special paint service is a dual paint finish. It's effect is more noticable on radiators with an ornate style, although it still provides a subtle effect on the plainer styles. The effect is achieved by applying a base colour to the radiator which is allowed to cure; a secondary coat is applied, normally in a dark or light colour, and then this is washed off. The resulting finish has a strong presence of the base colour and parts where there are deeper crevices have stronger hints of the secondary colour. It is possible to specify both colours, although the resulting effect can often be different to desired finish and so expectations should be kept realistic. Below are some images of previously requested versions of this finish.

You offer an Aged Paint finish, what is that?

The aged selection of paint finishes are simply the three most popular special paint finishes. We've negotiated a bigger discount on Aged French Grey, Aged Bronze and Aged Silver finishes due to their popularity and are pleased to pass this saving on to you.

I heard that polished radiators can rust, what do I need to do to prevent this?

Arroll provide their polished radiators with a full lacquer coating to prevent any oxidisation, thus the need for regular oiling and maintenance is eliminated.

What is a joining key and will I need one?

Joining keys are required if the overall radiator length would overhang a standard pallet. In this case the radiator will be built into smaller, more manageable segements that will fit on a pallet.

The joining key can be used to join these smaller segments into the overall radiator. All required parts for joining will be supplied, such as caps, bushes and gaskets. We advise that joining radiators, where required, is carried out by a qualified installer.

Arroll supply a non-refundable joining key for their radiators. When ordering a radiator, we will offer you the option of a joining key if it is required. We will ensure you do not order more joining keys than are required.