CJC wrote:
Hi there,

Just a quick question. Just brought a house and decorating my first
room, well last thing for me to do is paint the fireplace. I have a
fireplace in every room and below the fireplace is the living room
fireplace and currently none of these are in use. Well at some point
I want to get a wood burner in the living room meaning and have the
flute going straight up, which means going up behind the fireplace in
my bedroom.

I emailed dulux and hamerrite for advice on what paint to use, and
both said to use a normal emulsion. as when I emailed them I said
that I was expecting it to get hot. but how hot will the flute from
downstairs actually make the fireplace surround in the bedroom, as
anyone else got a similar set up?

As well here's the question. After painting it all, the fireplace has
been done in a matt emulsion (crown one coat) and the skirting has
been done in dulux egg shell, and I was thinking that possibly the
matt and shiny doesn't really go and was thinking of painting the
fire surround in eggshell also. But if the flute does get hot
upstairs then I guess harmful vapours will come out the eggshell due
to it being oil based.

would anyway think the flute would get hot and I shouldn't use
eggshell or should using eggshell be ok?

Quick thing to bring a smile. Initially painted my fireplace with
dulux magic paint which goes on pink and goes white. Well it stayed
pink, in fact turned luminous 'ish. and I have done 2 more coats of
the magic paint and also done two coats of crown one coat and there is
still some pink element to it, and I'm now hoping that tonight's coat
or either one coat or eggshell will be the final coat to hide it.

whilst on the failing paints, would you try getting your money back
off dulux as it never went white, and do you think you'd try getting
your money back from crown as they said cover in one coat of your
money back.

Only a few hours left till the finale of the final paint (fingers
crossed) so I would appreciate your feedback.

Many thanks.

You certainly like to make things complicated...
1) use any paint you like - it's paint and can be painted over if you don't
like it afterwards
2) eggshell does give off fumes but they are not harmfull, it's used in
schools and hospitals
3) The word you are looking for is 'flue', a flute is a musical instrument
4) don't use gimmicky paints, IE pink to white they generally cost double
normal paints and as you've found out, are crap.
5) the *flue* will be behind the upstairs fireplace(s) and so relatively
little heat will get near any paint