Painting black gas pipe white: doable?

Posted by Dan on May 17, 2006, 8:02 pm

I have a design in mind for some shelves using black gas pipe & fittings
as the frame (basically the pipe with floor flanges attached to wooden
shelves). I'd like to paint them a gloss white. Anyone know if this
stuff will accept paint w/o a major PITA prep? Alternatively, I could
go with the galvanized, a bit more $$$ but not enough to worry about.
I'm guessing though the galvanized would be even harder to get paint to
stick to.

TIA

Dan

Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on May 17, 2006, 8:10 pm

> I have a design in mind for some shelves using black gas pipe & fittings
> as the frame (basically the pipe with floor flanges attached to wooden
> shelves). I'd like to paint them a gloss white. Anyone know if this
> stuff will accept paint w/o a major PITA prep? Alternatively, I could
> go with the galvanized, a bit more $$$ but not enough to worry about.
> I'm guessing though the galvanized would be even harder to get paint to
> stick to.

Hardest part is cleaning the pipe. It often has a lot of oil on it from
handling when threaded. Can be painted though, any good enamel will do.

Posted by Dan on May 17, 2006, 8:13 pm

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

>> I have a design in mind for some shelves using black gas pipe & fittings
>> as the frame (basically the pipe with floor flanges attached to wooden
>> shelves). I'd like to paint them a gloss white. Anyone know if this
>> stuff will accept paint w/o a major PITA prep? Alternatively, I could
>> go with the galvanized, a bit more $$$ but not enough to worry about.
>> I'm guessing though the galvanized would be even harder to get paint to
>> stick to.

>
> Hardest part is cleaning the pipe. It often has a lot of oil on it from
> handling when threaded. Can be painted though, any good enamel will do.
>
>

Ed-Thanks for the quick reply. I see what you mean about the oil. What
would you suggest to clean it, lacquer thinner?

Dan

Posted by PipeDown on May 17, 2006, 8:43 pm

> Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

>>> I have a design in mind for some shelves using black gas pipe & fittings
>>> as the frame (basically the pipe with floor flanges attached to wooden
>>> shelves). I'd like to paint them a gloss white. Anyone know if this
>>> stuff will accept paint w/o a major PITA prep? Alternatively, I could
>>> go with the galvanized, a bit more $$$ but not enough to worry about.
>>> I'm guessing though the galvanized would be even harder to get paint to
>>> stick to.

>> Hardest part is cleaning the pipe. It often has a lot of oil on it from
>> handling when threaded. Can be painted though, any good enamel will do.

> Ed-Thanks for the quick reply. I see what you mean about the oil. What
> would you suggest to clean it, lacquer thinner?
> Dan

Denatured alcohol or electronic grade isopropyl (not rubbing alcohol) or
methanol. I clean just about everything metal with alcohol before painting.
If there is a lot of oil, water and soap first will get most of it, then
rinse with alcohol and dry immediately with a torch to prevent rust.

Paint will stick to galvanized just fine, the surface will be more textured
though. A primer with either kind of pipe wouldn't hurt. Galvanized will
still give superior rust resistance even compared to painted black pipe.

A can of spray paint and a tarp should be all you need for setup

Posted by Dan on May 17, 2006, 9:09 pm

PipeDown wrote:

>> Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

>>>> I have a design in mind for some shelves using black gas pipe & fittings
>>>> as the frame (basically the pipe with floor flanges attached to wooden
>>>> shelves). I'd like to paint them a gloss white. Anyone know if this
>>>> stuff will accept paint w/o a major PITA prep? Alternatively, I could
>>>> go with the galvanized, a bit more $$$ but not enough to worry about.
>>>> I'm guessing though the galvanized would be even harder to get paint to
>>>> stick to.
>>> Hardest part is cleaning the pipe. It often has a lot of oil on it from
>>> handling when threaded. Can be painted though, any good enamel will do.

>> Ed-Thanks for the quick reply. I see what you mean about the oil. What
>> would you suggest to clean it, lacquer thinner?
>> Dan

>
> Denatured alcohol or electronic grade isopropyl (not rubbing alcohol) or
> methanol. I clean just about everything metal with alcohol before painting.
> If there is a lot of oil, water and soap first will get most of it, then
> rinse with alcohol and dry immediately with a torch to prevent rust.
>
> Paint will stick to galvanized just fine, the surface will be more textured
> though. A primer with either kind of pipe wouldn't hurt. Galvanized will
> still give superior rust resistance even compared to painted black pipe.
>
> A can of spray paint and a tarp should be all you need for setup
>
>
>
>
>

Thanks for the great reply. Denatured alcohol it is. I don't know
why I was thinking paint wouldn't stick to galvanized. If anything, the
slightly "pebbly" surface would be a good look with the gloss white.
believe it or not, these are going in the living room ;-0

Dan

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