UKC

Just had a couple of rads fitted and want to make the pipework blend in better as it's currently shiny copper.  Is it simply a case of keying them up a bit and using white Hammerite, or is that likely to end in tears?  Boxing them in isn't an option.

I wouldn't recommend painting heating pipes. It will look crap, you'll have to re-do it and it'll only get messier as you go.

Have a look at Talon Snappits. I put some grey ones in my bathroom to match the anthracite towel rail and am pleased. Cost about a tenner, easy to size with a junior hacksaw, look fine. 

Main are painted using the same eggshell paint used on the skirting boards and have been like that for 10 years and look fine.

Sure there are better oil based paints you can use, primers etc, specifically for metals but is it really worth it?

I've just painted mine with the same water based emulsion as the walls, didn't have to do anything specific to prepare them, it sticks pretty well.

The rest of the world just paints them with whatever is on the walls or skirting as appropriate.

We've got surface mounted pipes running around all over our house, up the walls etc, couldn't box them in so decided to have a laugh and make a feature of them so they're all painted bright colours using ordinary ordinary metal paint.  Looks brilliant against the white walls.

I wish onshore windmills had green painted columns and yellow painted blades. I think Britain would be a happier place for it.

Ambitious guerrilla knitting project?

Just don't use regular white gloss paint, cos the heat makes it go yellow really quickly. You can however get heat-resistant gloss and paint it over your now yellow pipes and it still works OK. 

Perhaps use white radiator enamel as it's specifically designed to be painted onto warm metal?

I've used similar from Poundstore, only in white though. 

Just use water based emulsion (or water based gloss if you want a gloss finish without yellowing).  It's a bit counterintuitive that it does, but it sticks just fine.  If you have trouble with what you're using undercoat it first then it definitely will.

Or Screwfix.... 

Thanks all, looks like as long as I avoid yellowing I can do whatever I want