Using Hammerite on plastic

Scott

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May 19, 2021, 2:13:13 PM5/19/21

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I am wondering if anyone has tried using Hammerite paint on a plastic
pipe. Mr Google seems to think it is okay. For context, I am
painting a steel fence so it would be very convenient to use the same
paint on the pipe even if it is over-specified but not if it is likely
to cause problems.

nightjar

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May 19, 2021, 2:43:28 PM5/19/21

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Probably depends upon the Hammerite you are using and the plastic the
pipe is made from :-)

IIRC, the original Hammerite used xylene as a solvent. Xylene badly
degrades uPVC, a common material for pipes. However, there are now water
based Hammerite paints, which are unlikely to affect any plastic.

--
Colin Bignell

Scott

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May 19, 2021, 3:21:17 PM5/19/21

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On Wed, 19 May 2021 19:43:27 +0100, nightjar <c...@bignell.me.uk>
wrote:

Thanks. I think this is in between, as petroleum based paint, so it
sounds like I should be careful. What is the recommended paint for an
outdoor pipe. (One of my neighbours has put up a white pipe when all
the drains etc are black.)

Martin Brown

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May 19, 2021, 3:46:30 PM5/19/21

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On 19/05/2021 19:13, Scott wrote:

It depends on the Hammerite and on the plastic of the pipe.

Old very high VOC Hammerite with xylene you might embrittle the pipe
even if it is something nominally robust. If it is a polystyrene pipe it
will be destroyed.

Modern Hammerite might also embrittle pipes longer term but probably
isn't quite as damaging as the old formulation.

The only way to be sure is paint a test sample and see what happens.

On PVC pipe it might not even adhere for long if it gets in the sun.

A spill of Hammerite onto my HDPE green bin has just delaminated as a
sheet after a couple of years in the weather.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Fredxx

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May 19, 2021, 4:06:13 PM5/19/21

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PVC is slowly dissolved in xylene but I would have thought this would
improve adherence with a xylene based paint?

There are some paints formulated for PVC:
https://www.zinsseruk.com/howto/how-to-paint-over-pvc/

I presume there are others but this primer seems to be the gold standard.

charles

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May 19, 2021, 4:50:27 PM5/19/21

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In article <s83r3h$f50$1...@dont-email.me>,

My pvc downpipes are mainly grey and I painted them black with ordinary
gloss paint about 40 years ago. Still pretty good.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

Unknown

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May 19, 2021, 5:56:34 PM5/19/21

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Scott wrote :

> Thanks. I think this is in between, as petroleum based paint, so it
> sounds like I should be careful. What is the recommended paint for an
> outdoor pipe. (One of my neighbours has put up a white pipe when all
> the drains etc are black.)

Similar problem here of white and grey pipes, I repainted with Lidl
black paint intended for rusty metal a few years ago - they are fine.

Adrian Caspersz

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May 20, 2021, 1:14:40 AM5/20/21

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On 19/05/2021 20:46, Martin Brown wrote:

> Old very high VOC Hammerite with xylene you might embrittle the pipe
> even if it is something nominally robust. If it is a polystyrene pipe it
> will be destroyed.
>
> Modern Hammerite might also embrittle pipes longer term but probably
> isn't quite as damaging as the old formulation.

Hmm, that doesn't bode well for a plastic bodied CCTV camera I've
screwed to a freshly painted w/hammerite metal bracket?

--
Adrian C

RJH

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May 20, 2021, 2:09:01 AM5/20/21

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I did this - I think on advice from this NG - last year. Only been on a year
but no apparent problems, and looks a lot better. Did take a long time to dry
though - couple of days in quite cool conditions (10C IIRC).
--
Cheers, Rob

Unknown

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May 20, 2021, 4:13:40 AM5/20/21

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RJH expressed precisely :

> I did this - I think on advice from this NG - last year. Only been on a year
> but no apparent problems, and looks a lot better. Did take a long time to dry
> though - couple of days in quite cool conditions (10C IIRC).
>

My 40 year old black pipes, had faded quite a bit, so the paint
refreshed the colour.

nightjar

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May 20, 2021, 5:28:14 AM5/20/21

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I have always used oil based household paint without problems. If the
paint has a list of constituents, you can check them for compatibility
with PVC here:

https://www.calpaclab.com/pvc-polyvinyl-chloride-chemical-compatibility-chart/

--
Colin Bignell

Martin Brown

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May 20, 2021, 5:39:21 AM5/20/21

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That is a very useful reference for edge cases. I find that gloss paint
and particularly black paint on south facing pipes flakes off after a
while. Then it is facing into prevailing weather and strong sunshine.

Paint film and PVC don't expand at quite the same rates is my guess.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Robin

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May 20, 2021, 6:15:24 AM5/20/21

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FWIW Sadolin Classic was still going strong on an elderly relative's
well-weathered gutters and downpipes when it was sold 7 years after I
applied it (there being nothing else readily available to match the
soffits etc).

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

Brian Gaff (Sofa)

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May 21, 2021, 2:40:31 AM5/21/21

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I think one must avoid that plastic that seems to have almost a rubbery feel
to the surface. That is going to eventually shed and the paint with it. I
tried it once on a plastic pole which had that kind of grip finish, and it
lasted 1 year.
Incidentally, many of those ram sticks you buy with the swing arm cover
seem to be going sticky as the surface leaches away with time.
Brian

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Scott

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May 21, 2021, 8:14:52 AM5/21/21

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Thanks for the comments.

Let's forget all about Hammerite. A neighbour (non resident) and put
up a white plastic outlet pipe when all the drainpipes and rhones are
black. What would be the best way to make it blend in as a
pre-emptive strike?

newshound

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May 21, 2021, 4:19:10 PM5/21/21

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I suspect that once the solvent has evaporated 99% of the issues go away.