Painting copper pipes

[Roger3125]

Totally not related to the forum but you guys have been so helpful to me in the past I'm hoping you'd let this one question slide.

I have copper water pipes in my yard connected to my hose. Is it possible to paint them the same color as my house. I've attached a photo

please forgive this exception but I had no other place to ask.

thanks big time

[bbcamp]

Yep, it's possible to paint copper. You need to clean all the old flux and any oxidation off the copper then apply a primer. I don't know of a specific brand to recommend. Look for something that's good for aluminum, it should be fine for copper. Lacking an aluminum primer, one for steel will do. Then you can paint it with your wall paint.

[jgleason]

What Bob said. You should be able to use Kilz primer.

[bbcamp]

Personally, I'd just spritz the pipes with a little CLR or Lime-away and get instant patina.

Kilz? Really? Not doubting you, Joe, but I was hoping for something a little more exotic, and requiring a trip to an industrial coating speciality shop or an out-of-state website. You know, to make this a real project!

[jgleason]

Yea but Roger is in California and they prohibit most of the exotic stuff, something about carcinogens and such.

Kilz is safe and readily available. Should last a good long time as long as the surface was cleaned and prepped first.

[Roger3125]

I knew I'd come to the right place.

Easier than i had expected. Thanks all

[dsoniat]

I second the vote for KILZ primer. can't tell you how many times / various substances that has given me a long lasting, excellent primer coat.....

David S. - Tampa, Fl

[Sanjuro82]

Yes you can paint copper. But the key is to clean the pipes properly before painting. Remove all oil, dirt, grease, dust, flux, etc.. from the pipes.

Use a high quality primer and then an enamel paint. My recommendation would be to use Rustoleum primer and paint.

[Edthedawg]

what if it's a pipe that gets hot? like, if some knucklehead previous owner of a halfway nice house ran the baseboard hot water pipe on the face of a wall, and i hadn't gotten around to wrapping pine around it yet.

(seriously - neighbor's house has this. wtf.)

[Dave Taylor]

Like "Sanjuro82" says above........ Rustoleum rocks fer paintin' copper pipes.

[FireWrks7]

Ed, makes you wonder where they were when brains wuz given out. But the answer is easy. Go to one of them auto parts stores and git yerself the paint they use on engines. If'n it was weee bit hotter than raw fire, git the paint they use on engine exhaust manifolds.


-Anthony

[Edthedawg]

good pernts, thanx guys!

[Dave Taylor]

Ed.....

Nothing like the smell of burning paint in the cozy den next to the far-place' on a cold winter's evening.

[william35453]

hey roger, i guess it never freezes where you live huh?

[Sanjuro82]

what if it's a pipe that gets hot? like, if some knucklehead previous owner of a halfway nice house ran the baseboard hot water pipe on the face of a wall, and i hadn't gotten around to wrapping pine around it yet.

(seriously - neighbor's house has this. wtf.)

Rustomleum make a high heat paint, that is made for grills and the like. They make in a number of different colors, not a many choices as their main product line though.