Painting Inside of Stove?

I painted the inside of the stove I just refurbished with hi temp paint. I haven't fired it up yet but I suspect most of it will burn off. If it does, no harm done. If it stays on, then it might help protect against rust somewhat. Most important, it looks good for all those pictures you take of the refurb before the first fire.

I paint the inside of my stove and have no rust or rust coler showing, don't care what happens to it once I fire it this fall, I will paint it again next spring after I clean it. Works great for me.

It can only help & whatever burns off is headed up the chimney

In the spring of 2009 after 1st season burning in the Harman, I vac'ed, washed with washing soda, and sprayed the inside of the fire box with LP-3 oil, and kept a light on in the box. All this to try and prevent rust. In Sept. of 09, opened the load door and found a lot of rust on the walls of the fire box and the factory paint job was peeling off in sheets. So I scraped off as much old paint as I could brushed and vac'ed the box well and then sprayed on "Rust-Oleum" - "Rust Reformer" and then a coat of "Rust-Oleum" high temp. paint. This of coarse was done with the fire bricks and grates removed. In the spring of 2010 I removed the fire bricks and grates again and brushed and vac'ed the fire box really good then draped Seran wrap over the inside of the load and ash doors and closed up the stove. No washing or oiling of the fire box. I also took the flue pipe out and installed a cap in the breach and taped it up. The idea was to seal off the fire box air tight. Now just the other day I opened the load door and to my pleasant surprice there was no rust what ever and no peeling paint. I also stored the flue pipe in the boiler room with all the openings sealed with Seran Wrap and tape. Haven't checked it yet but hoping for no rust there either. Of coarse I sealed the chimney thimble with a cap. I'm hoping that this will be the routine from now on. So in summary, I think painting is Ok in the fire box and should hold up well. Of coarse time will tell. I would be interested to know if anyone else does this.

Clean and paint with high temp paint before I lit the first fire...
Peeled off in sheets now...
But we have very high humidity because the ocean is 600 feet away...
Black pipe rusts away in a year...

Hi Capecoaler, Funny how the high temp. paint peels off in sheets. When I was painting the fire box last year I forgot to do the inside of the load door so, when I realized I missed it I just sprayed it with the high temp. paint and you guessed it, It peeled off half way through the last heating season. I'm becoming a big believer in the Rust-Oleum - Rust reformer. If I remember before I fire up this season I'll do the inside of the door.

Hi, I don't know if I'm correct but during warmer Spring days, for the last weeks of burning, I burn wood a few times. Because anthracite has a low P.H. (acid) and wood smoke has a high P.H. (basic), this thin coat of smoke seems to protect the inside of the stove, the stove-pipe and the chimney. I don't brush that soot. I never saw rust at these places.
As freetownfred said, what burn inside the stove go to the chimney...
Salutations from Qc

nortcan wrote:anthracite has a low P.H. (acid) and wood smoke has a high P.H. (basic),

Nortcan, thanks for that little tid-bit of info, very interesting. I knew coal was acidic but I didn't know wood had a high PH. That will be worth a try next spring.

I usually don't bother painting the inside. Whether I do or I don't, I still get flaking sheets of material that peel off every fall. Looks like the sheets are just fused flyash.

Smitty, I have had good luck using Rust-oleum's Rust Reformer as a primer and then sprayed on a coat of hi temp paint. Spray the rust reformer right over the rust, no need to sand first.

I have no rust at all in the fire box this fall as opposed to last year which had quite a bit. Also no flaking paint either.