Giving a cast iron fireplace a new lease of life

Cast iron fireplace renovation - BEFORE

There's an original cast iron fireplace in the bedroom. It doesn't get used and so far Mr Kiwi has used it as shoe storage. So now it's time for a spruce up!

Project cost: $

What you'll need:

• Masking tape.


• Newspapers.


• Dust sheet(s).


• Vacuum cleaner.


• Stiff brush/steel brush/steel wool.


• Stove black paint... all I could find was Plasti-Kote Projekt Paint "Woodstove", which comes in a spray can. Bought from Mitre 10 for $15.96. Otherwise my next stop would have been Dr Flue in Glenfield.
• Surgical gloves or rubber gloves: the spray can leaked through the nozzle as I was spraying and ended up with a very black index finger.

Clean the fireplace well with the brush and/or steel wool, and then vacuum up the debris. Then mask the surrounding areas well.

Before you start using the spray can, here's what it doesn't tell you...

• The spray paint STINKS. It's really bad, and harmful to fish etc. so remove any pets from the room and make sure they stay out.
  
• The paint also kinda lingers in the air and gets onto the surrounding area, so put down newspapers and dust sheets 2 to 3 metres surrounding the area.


• If the fireplace you're renovating is in your bedroom, make sure you have a spare room or somewhere to stay for the night. The paint is so stinky you won't want to sleep in that room that first night.


• Spray any removable parts (e.g. the grille and ash tray thingy) outside of possible.


• Ventilate the room well: open all the windows and doors to get a draft blowing through.


• To help get rid of the fumes, a fan heater can help.

I needed to spray at least 2 or 3 coats in total: as it dried, the corroded areas really seemed to suck up the paint, so these parts may need even more paint.

Links

Here are some websites which had useful hints and tips on renovating antique cast iron fireplaces:

The Victorian Society (UK): http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/Homeowner/3996/fireplaces.html

The Antique Fireplace Company (UK): http://www.antiquefireplacecompany.co.uk/

Dr Flue (NZ) would have been my next stop for information and products: http://www.drflue.co.nz/

During my internet research I found that it was customary for all the cast iron to be black - as well as the flue/chimney bit on the inside. Mr Kiwi thought it was strange at first that I was even spraying the inside black... it might look like a lot of black right now, but I'm sure the final result will be fine!