Just blew $150 on a 'high heat' forge paint that flaked off in a week

So I got this new paint for the inside of my gas forge, the brand was 'Iron Shield' or something. The can said it could handle 2500 degrees and would protect the brick. I spent a whole Saturday cleaning the forge and putting on two coats, let it cure like it said. First real forge weld I did, maybe a week later, I open it up and the stuff is just peeling off in big flakes. Not just a little, the whole coating came off. It basically turned into a weird, flaky mess that I had to scrape out. Total waste of $150 for the paint and a full day of my time. Has anyone found a coating that actually sticks and works for a long time?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot_lane961mo ago

Honestly that "whole coating came off" thing might be on your prep work. Tbh that high heat paint needs a super clean surface and the right cure, and forge bricks can be tricky. Maybe the brick had old stuff on it or moisture that messed with the bond. I've seen guys skip the full dry time and have the same issue. Could be you just got a bad can too, but it's not always the product's fault.

spencer_wood1mo ago

Yeah, that "full dry time" is key, I've ruined a project by rushing it before.