Good Questions: Painting a Steel Refrigerator?

2005_1_3_question mark.jpg Hello AT,

Do you have a source that can paint a stainless steel refrigerator a color?

We've been researching auto-body shops and a source that was recently written up by the Times, all without success. I've got a stainless steel fridge door that I want to paint to match cabinets. Aside from doing it by hand, I am hoping to locate a reliable source.

Thanks, Clare

Dear Clare, we don't, so we throw this out to the crowd.

We know that Martha Stewart does a lot of this and does it at Kalbacher's Auto out in the Hamptons. If you want to take a weekend, you can do it there. Closer to home, there must be a bunch of auto shops in Brooklyn or Long Island City that will do it. Readers, help! MGR

Comments (1)

Hi there,

I saw your post(s) on Apartment Therapy and since you so graciously offered your services I thought I would write you with my question! I just obtained an old metal barrister's bookcase in original condition, and though I would LOVE to have it repainted one day at the moment it will have to stay as is. It needs a bit of a scrubbing though, and I'm wondering if you could recommend the best method for doing so? I think I read somewhere that Comet or a similar cleaner works well, but I am afraid it will be too harsh so I wanted to verify that.

thank you so much in advance!

P.S. Do you have any colleagues in the Bay Area who paint these things? It would be a bit inconvenient to haul this big thing down to LA :) thanks!

Twenty Gauge answered:

Dear Dina,

Comet will work, yet I would suggest to first use simply water and some very fine steel wool (ie: 000)-you can always scrub out more, yet you cannot put it back once it is taken off!

No one in SF doing that that I know of...LA is not so far, take a fun trip down here and we will ship it back!

I used to live in the Bay Area...I know LA is considered the land of HELL by Noorthern Californians, but it is REALLY not THAT bad!!!...:)

Good luck! Remember, a bit at a time.

Also: start underneath/on the back-a non visible side/spot so that you can test the effect first!

JC Hryb