Is it OK to re-paint a gas-range grill with paint?

Question

I have a gas range (gas stove - indoor) for cooking, and the metal grate that goes over the top has some areas of rust.

If I was to sand down the rusty areas, would it be advisable to paint it with a high-temperature rated paint, such as Rutland 1200 Degree Brush-on Stove Paint or Black Porcelain Repair Enamel?

The main concern I have is not about the effectiveness of the paint product at adhering, but the safety considerations of having a paint in contact with a flame when preparing food in a pot on-top.

Answer 1

Given the direct flame exposure, and that the flames are actually quite a bit hotter than BBQ paint is rated for (1950C for natural gas, 2392C for propane) I'd suggest sticking to clean, coat with vegetable oil (wipe on a thin layer) and bake. This makes a pretty good finish, and does not involve anything that's not going to happen in normal food preparation as far as "what might burn off."

Wikipedia on flame temperatures. These are probably a touch high for "in practice", but given that they are also in Celsius, and the grill paint is rated in Farenheit, I'll stick with "grill paint will burn off."

Answer 2

Yes you can paint them with high heat BBQ grill paint. You can find this paint at any hardware store, walmart or lowes etc. It is rated for 1400 degrees normally. Be aware, however, that the surface in contact with your pans will wear off fairly quickly. I personally would paint the grates, then burnish the paint off where it makes contact with the pans so the paint doesn't transfer onto the pans.

The other way to renew the grates is to sand off any rust etc, then season them with vegetable oil in your oven. This is the same technique as one would use for a griddle. They will not be jet black, but will be rust free and look like a professional range top.

Answer 3

Yes, the paint on the range grills is only rated to 950 degrees (hence why you aren't suppose to put them in the self cleaning oven).