If you want to choose the best barbecue paint, you should choose a paint that resists peeling and fading at high temperatures. Some of the best high-temperature barbecue paint is marked as automotive paint. This paint typically is labeled as exhaust manifold and header paint, and it is resistant to very high heat. The best heat-resistant barbecue paint is often self-priming, thereby saving you time and labor when you are repainting your barbecue grill.
Using an inferior paint on a barbecue grill might be not only counterproductive, it could be dangerous. Paint that is not heat-resistant can catch on fire when subjected to the extreme heat of a barbecue grill. To choose the best barbecue paint, select a paint that does not require complete stripping of the original finish before applying the new finish. Often, the best paint requires only cleaning with a grease-removing detergent and a slight roughing of the finish with fine sandpaper before applying the new paint. The paint should be sprayed on in several thin layers, allowing the paint time to dry between each layer for the best results.
Typically, the best barbecue paint is not available in any form except spray paint. An aerosol can — also called a rattle can because of the steel ball bearing inside the can that aids in mixing the paint as the can is shaken — should be shaken well before you apply the paint. This makes certain that the paint is mixed thoroughly and will provide the best coverage. You should select only a paint that denotes barbecue grills as being safe to paint with that particular product. Some lesser-quality, high heat-resistant paints are not safe to use on grills because some chemicals in the paint are harmful if ingested.
The best barbecue paint typically will offer only a flat finish. Gloss finishes, although they are visually pleasing, do not work well in high-heat applications. Heat escapes more efficiently through a dull or flat finish than through a shiny finish. The best barbecue paint is offered only in black because this color transfers heat better than any other color. This means that the best paint to use on a barbecue grill is often a flat or dull black to match the commonly flat black finish on a grill as it arrives from the factory or manufacturer.