Favourites
Account
Basket
VAT:
Ex
Inc
45 years of trusted expertiseColoured Radiators
Filters
Shop By
Type
Brand
BTU/h
Colour
Finish
Width
Length
Height
Price
Please select your collection branch...
Please enter your delivery address...
At City Plumbing, we supply a comprehensive range of coloured radiators for domestic and commercial heating systems. Moving away from standard RAL 9016 white, this category encompasses bold architectural finishes - including matt blacks, raw metallics, and deep greys - allowing installers and homeowners to integrate heat emitters directly into modern design schemes. All units are factory-finished and supplied ready for installation on standard wet central heating systems.
Showing 31—60 items of 102
Factory Powder Coating vs. DIY Painting
One of the most frequent questions regarding coloured heating is whether to purchase a factory-finished unit or paint an existing white radiator at home.
The coloured radiators in this category are finished using an industrial electrostatic powder-coating process. The raw steel is sprayed with dry powder and baked in a curing oven, creating a hardened, bonded skin. This factory finish is specifically engineered to expand and contract with the rapid temperature changes of a central heating system without cracking.
Conversely, applying standard domestic emulsion or gloss paint to a radiator creates a thick thermal blanket. Over time, DIY painting can reduce the unit's thermal efficiency, and the paint is highly prone to flaking, peeling, and yellowing when exposed to continuous temperatures. Specifying a factory-coated designer radiator guarantees a durable, chip-resistant finish that will not degrade.
Architectural Integration: Drenching vs. Contrast
Installers and interior designers specify coloured radiators using two primary architectural strategies:
- Colour drenching: This involves matching the radiator exactly to the wall colour (or specifying a dark unit for a dark-painted room) to camouflage the heat emitter. By eliminating the high visual contrast of a white panel against a dark wall, the radiator blends into the background.
- High contrast: This involves specifying a bold colour - such as a matt black radiator—against a light wall to turn the heating unit into a deliberate architectural feature, often mirroring black window frames, door handles, or light fittings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does the colour of a radiator affect its heat output?
In practical domestic terms, no. While basic physics dictates that matt black surfaces have a slightly higher emissivity (heat radiation) than gloss white surfaces, domestic radiators heat a room primarily through convection, not just radiation. A factory-finished coloured radiator will produce the same measurable British Thermal Unit (BTU) output as a white unit of the exact same size and panel configuration.
Will a coloured radiator fade over time?
Factory powder-coated radiators are highly UV stable. Unlike standard wet paints, the baked powder finish resists fading and discolouration when exposed to direct sunlight.
Can I touch up a scratched coloured radiator?
Yes. If the powder coating is scratched during installation or daily use, you can purchase designated touch-up pens or small tins of radiator enamel matched exactly to the unit's specific RAL colour code. You must never use standard touch-up paint, as it is not formulated to withstand continuous high temperatures.