Painting hardiebacker board

[Buzz84]

Hello,

I have a fireplace that is lined with Hardiebacker board and want to paint it so it looks better, its currently just the smooth side with text printed on it.

I cannot seem to fine anything online about it, everything seems to speak of tiling or plastering it, nothing i could find mentions painting directly onto it. Closest I could find was painting concrete cladding in the US and they used masonry paint (presumably because it was outdoors).

Does anyone know anything or have any experience? I am trying to find out if I need to do a mist coat and what paint would be best, would normal emulsion do. Just in case it factors, there is functioning log burner in there.

[poo at Paul's]

Dont see why you cannot paint it, but if there is heat there, will the paint survive?

Tiling would seem an obvious alternative.

[dhutch]

As said, given it is tile backing board, why not tile it? Ive also seen it clad in brass or ali/stainless sheet.

If you must paint it, I would have thought emission would be more heat tolerant than a oil or acrylic (water) based paint.


Daniel

[tim0409]

I've done the same thing (but with cement board) and I think you will be fine to paint it with standard emulation. When I built my house I installed fire resistant plasterboard behind the stove with an air gap behind the standard plasterboard (with insulation behind it within the timber frame). I installed two large format tiles behind the fire but changed them a few years ago for cement board inset into the fire resistant board; I then painted to match the rest of the wall. I've never had any issues with it.

[Aluminati]

Masonry paint.

[El110T]

Have exactly the same behind our wood burning stove.

Painted ours with normal emulsion around 2 years ago, we have the stove on regularly and its held up absolutely fine.

[Buzz84]

El110T said:

Have exactly the same behind our wood burning stove.

Painted ours with normal emulsion around 2 years ago, we have the stove on regularly and its held up absolutely fine.

Thanks, did you mist coat it as you would a bare plaster wall, or go straight to the neat emulsion?

[Buzz84]

tim0409 said:

I've done the same thing (but with cement board) and I think you will be fine to paint it with standard emulation. When I built my house I installed fire resistant plasterboard behind the stove with an air gap behind the standard plasterboard (with insulation behind it within the timber frame). I installed two large format tiles behind the fire but changed them a few years ago for cement board inset into the fire resistant board; I then painted to match the rest of the wall. I've never had any issues with it.

Thanks, I thought that hardiebacker board is just a trade name of cement board (IE hoover/vacuum) though could be wrong :s

did you mist coat it as you would a bare plaster wall, or go straight to the neat emulsion?

[rossyl]

Exact same question.

Cement board / Hardiebacker board, will be used to line a chimney. This will need to be painted.

Grateful if anyone could please confirm if that is possible/do-able, paint to use, any prep (mist coat etc) required etc.

Thank you.

[74merc]

I used emulsion directly onto backer board above a shower. It did peel but sanded it back, primed with Zinsser and it had been fine for a few years now.