Importance and Method of Painting Englander NC-30?

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PolrBear

New Member
Jan 19, 2019
35
Southwest Missouri
After advice to this effect in this forum last winter, I put on my summer list "paint wood stove." So now I want to learn a little more about doing that. Below is a pic of my used Englander NC-30, which I'm advised must have been drastically over-fired to make the paint look the way it does. My questions are:
  1. Will there be any real-world bad consequences if we don't paint? I'm planning on side heat shields before next winter, which will cover the unsightly area.
  2. If painting is truly necessary, what's the recommended way to go about doing that? I see paint in all price ranges, and of course Englander's house brand is through the roof.
Thanks!

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No, it's not necessary, though it will protect the stove from surface rusting, especially in a humid summer environment. The side heat shields don't go all the way to the front so the worst of the oxidized paint would still be visible. Use steel wool on the stove (coarse, then fine), then wipe it down with alcohol and spray paint with Stove Brite satin black paint. Do this with all windows open and a fan in the window exhausting the fumes. They are very potent. It will probably take 2 cans of paint and a few coats to look good.
 
When I repainted my NC-30 last year it took 3 cans to get even coverage.

I used a wire wheel on a grinder to get most of the surface rust off.

Right before painting I used MAPP Gas torch to get rid of surface moisture, like I do on most metal objects I spray paint.
 
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Light coats, no runs. It’s really hard to screw up.
 
Use steel wool on the stove (coarse, then fine), then wipe it down with alcohol and spray paint with Stove Brite satin black paint. Do this with all windows open and a fan in the window exhausting the fumes. They are very potent. It will probably take 2 cans of paint and a few coats to look good.

The Stove Bright stuff is like $20 a can on Amazon. Is there no economy option that will work acceptably?
 
The Stove Bright stuff is like $20 a can on Amazon. Is there no economy option that will work acceptably?
It matters what your level of "acceptable" is.

It was a pain to do it 1 time let alone a couple of times trying out how to cut a few bucks.

My local stove store had it for $14.
 
On this well used englander NC30, the rustoleum high heat would be fine too. You're not painting a ferrari.
 
On this well used englander NC30, the rustoleum high heat would be fine too. You're not painting a ferrari.
Only been overheated once...

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You don't need a thick layer of paint. When it comes to painting stoves, less is more. Enough to cover yeas, but you don't want it thick.