Paint the outside of a barbecue or fire pit

Guide to painting the outside of a barbecue or fire pit

The outside of a barbecue or fire pit needs grease removal, rust preparation and a high heat coating for exterior metal areas that become hot during use.

What do you need to paint the outside of a barbecue or fire pit?

Cleaning and degreasing

Mipa silicone remover in liquid format is the main cleaning choice for larger steel surfaces, while the spray is useful for smaller details, seams and awkward shapes before sanding or coating.

Contour sanding support

MP Hand Block Soft helps abrasive paper follow round pipe, curved stove surfaces, trim edges and shield profiles without cutting flat spots into the metal.

Brushable high heat coating

Mipatherm liquid coating is suited to larger steel surfaces that need a heat resistant silver or black finish and controlled application by brush or spray equipment.

High heat aerosol finish

Mipatherm Spray 400 ml is the quick aerosol method for smaller heat loaded steel parts, detail areas and local repairs in matt black or silver.

How to paint the outside of a barbecue or fire pit

1
Cool and strip the loose surface

Work only on a fully cool barbecue or fire pit exterior. Remove loose paint, rust, scale and soot so the new high heat coating bonds to firm metal.
2
Clean before sanding and after sanding

Use Mipa silicone remover or the spray format to remove grease, oil and contamination. Clean again after sanding so dust and residue do not sit under the coating.
3
Sand with controlled pressure

Use MP Hand Block Soft with suitable abrasive paper to key sound metal and feather any remaining firm paint edge without gouging the shape.
4
Apply thin high heat coats

Use Mipatherm or Mipatherm Spray in thin, even coats. Heavy wet coats make heat coatings more vulnerable to bubbling, slow curing and surface marks.
5
Let the coating cure with heat gradually

Allow the painted barbecue or fire pit to dry before heat exposure, then bring the temperature up gradually during the first use with good ventilation.

Which barbecue or fire pit coating should you choose?

Choose liquid coating for larger exterior shells

The liquid Mipatherm format is better for larger steel shells, fire pit bodies and broad outer panels where a can would take too many passes.

Choose aerosol coating for smaller repair areas

Mipatherm Spray suits legs, rims, small panels, handles brackets and local heat exposed spots where a quick thin spray finish is practical.

Keep coating outside the food and flame area

Only coat suitable external metal surfaces. Do not paint cooking grates, food contact areas or places where the coating would sit in direct flame.

Technical details

Mipatherm and Mipatherm Spray are heat resistant special coatings for steel substrates exposed to high temperatures, with stated resistance up to 800 °C.
Mipatherm Spray is applied in 2 to 3 coats at about 20 to 30 cm spray distance, with a target dry film thickness of 15 to 20 µm.
Mipa source information lists 5 to 8 minutes flash off between coats and at least 10 to 15 minutes before the first heat exposure for the aerosol format.
Optimum film properties are reached after the first controlled heat exposure, so freshly coated parts should be handled carefully before curing.
High heat barbecue coating work should be limited to suitable outer metal surfaces, not cooking surfaces or areas intended for food contact.

Practical suggestion

Degrease barbecue metal more than once before sanding and coating. Grease vapour and old cooking residue can hide around seams and rims, and that contamination is a common reason for poor adhesion.