Chrome Cast Iron Radiators

Chrome plating vs polished cast iron: what's the difference?

Chrome radiators in the wider market are typically steel radiators with an electroplated chrome surface. They are lightweight, heat up quickly and have a highly reflective surface. Cast iron radiators are heavier, have substantially more thermal mass and hold heat far longer after the boiler stops.

Cast iron cannot be chrome-plated in the way steel can. But it can be polished to a range of metallic finishes that share chrome's defining visual quality: reflectivity, sheen and a cool metallic presence that suits bathrooms, hallways and contemporary interiors.

If you want a chrome-style finish on a cast iron radiator, polishing is the answer. If you want chrome valves and accessories alongside a painted cast iron radiator, those are available across all our models in chrome finish.

Paladin's polished finishes: the chrome cast iron equivalent

Our burnished and polishing services are highly specialised hand finishing processes that accentuate the natural character of each casting. Every seen surface is prepared, with internal edges and the wall side painted black prior to lacquering. The result is a polished metallic surface unique to the individual casting.

Industrial Polished: £37.16 per section. A raw, textured metallic finish. Suits industrial, workshop and loft conversion interiors where a worked metal surface is the design intention.

Burnished: £37.16 per section. A hand-worked patina that catches light with a warm, aged metallic character. The closest cast iron equivalent to an antique chrome or brushed metal finish.

Hand Polished: £49.55 per section. A deeper, more refined metallic finish worked by hand across every seen surface. Suits period and contemporary interiors where a quality metallic finish is the primary design goal.

Satin Polished: £59.15 per section. A smooth, even metallic sheen. The closest cast iron equivalent to brushed chrome. Suits bathrooms, hallways and modern interiors where chrome is the reference finish.

Mirror Polished: £59.15 per section. The most reflective finish we offer. A highly polished surface that catches and bounces light. The closest cast iron equivalent to polished chrome. Can be checked for lipstick.

Full polishing is available at an additional 25% cost for radiators visible from all sides.

Chrome valves and accessories for cast iron radiators

If you want the chrome aesthetic on your cast iron radiator through the accessories rather than the body finish, chrome is available across our full range of valves, wall stays and pipe sleeves.

Chrome valve sets include the Canterbury (from £89.67), Belgravia (£141.58) and Belgravia Corner (£160.46) in chrome finish. Chrome luxury wall stays are £35.40. Chrome pipe sleeve kits are £37.75. Chrome air vents are £15.95.

A painted cast iron radiator in white, cream or anthracite with chrome valves and chrome accessories gives the clean, contemporary chrome bathroom aesthetic without the polishing cost.

Top picks for chrome-style cast iron radiators

Oxford: The ornate scalloped top and interwoven foot pattern carries Mirror Polish or Hand Polish extraordinarily well. Available in 470mm, 570mm or 765mm heights with 3 to 40 sections (even longer sizes available on request). A polished Oxford in a period bathroom or drawing room is one of the most striking radiators we make.

Montpellier: The daisy and ribbons pattern in Burnished or Hand Polished finish gives an aged metallic character that suits both Victorian and industrial interiors. Available in 590mm or 790mm heights with 3 to 40 sections, from £56.00 per section before polishing costs.

Neo Georgian 4 Column: Clean column lines in Satin Polish give the closest chrome-like result to a contemporary column radiator aesthetic. Available in 360mm, 505mm, 660mm, 760mm or 960mm heights with 3 to 40 sections (even longer sizes available on request). Suits bathrooms, hallways and modern kitchens where brushed chrome is the reference.

Churchill: At just 350mm tall with 3 to 40 sections and 480 BTUs per section, the Churchill in Mirror Polish or Satin Polish is the most compact chrome-style cast iron radiator we produce. Suits cloakrooms, bathrooms and under-window runs in modern interiors. Even longer sizes are available on request.

Chrome radiators for bathrooms

The bathroom is where chrome is most searched for, and it's where polished cast iron earns its place most directly. A Satin Polished Pimlico at 460mm gives a brushed chrome character in a slim 2-column profile that suits compact en-suites and bathrooms where wall depth is tight. A Mirror Polished Churchill at 350mm gives a polished chrome look in the lowest possible footprint for cloakrooms. Both pair naturally with chrome taps, chrome towel rails and chrome fittings throughout the bathroom.