Paint blistering on a new Jotul?

[Ga.]

Hello everyone!
I'm so pleased to have found this forum. I feel certain the members' knowledge will be a great help in answering some of our questions.
About a week ago, our new Jotul was installed. We have been carefully following the instruction booklet and making small fires each night ( as instructed) to build up the temperature in the stove prior to going all out with a blaze.
At about the 400 degree mark, the stove began to bubble/flake paint off in several (like 6 or 8) places all over the stove.
I'm a little concerned over this considering we haven't even had a decent warming fire in the wood stove. Am I just being overly sensitive or could this be the beginning of a larger problem?
After contacting the installing company they asked us to send pictures of the issue and said they'd contact the company. The next thing we heard was they were sending us a free can of stove paint and we should be satisfied.
Sadly, I'm not feeling too satisfied.
We're having smoking issues out the back and front of the stove which I think we can figure out in time- but, I'm not too thrilled over paint loss that goes down to the bare metal.
It's a flat black stove. Silly me thought it would be made of cast iron and this paint issue wouldn't be an issue. Guess not.
I'd greatly appreciate any insight as to whether or not this is normal and just disappointing or whether it could be a more serious issue for the longevity of the stove.
Thanks so much in advance -

 

[webbie]

I wouldn't consider the problem normal, then again I've seen it happen many a time over the years and a can of paint is usually most of the solution.

This assumes it does not happen again and all over.

Chances are that the iron had a bit of oil or similar compounds left on it from machining. I think Jotul does most of the painting (most models) here in the USA and last time I was there at the factory, they had a VERY fancy and expensive painting and drying setup. They've moved since and I haven't had a tour, but chances are they have a good setup.

It's not a serious issue at all and will not affect the longevity in any way. That's the good news. The bad news is that you have to touch it up.

Again, if it keeps happening on other spots, etc. then it may be in order to have the dealer come out and do a better job of prep and paint.

 

[Grisu]

Before fixing it yourself I would contact the dealer. As long as you don't put hands on it, it should be a warranty issue. Once you start messing around with stove paint they may claim it was your interference that caused the problem. Jotuls are quality build stoves; I am sure they will make it right.

 

[Clodhopper]

I had a brown enamel Oslo that shed a some paint. It looked like it got hit with a shotgun. Jotul replaced it, but I had to bring the first one back and pick up the replacement.

 

[begreen]

If the metal has impurities or the surface is contaminated the enamel can't bond correctly. Contact your dealer right away and notify them of this defect.

 

[firefighterjake]

Not normal . . . contact your dealer and give them a chance to make things right . . . either with a repair that meets with your satisfaction or with a replacement.

 

[jotulguy]

Ga, do you have any pictures? Sometimes some stove cement over flows or gets on the surface then when the stove heats up the paint doesn't stick any more. All that you need in that instance is some denatured alcohol to clean the cement and some paint on the newly prepped surface. I wonder if you may have had a similar issue here?

 

[Ga.]

Thanks so much for all your replies! I do have some photos and I'll add them tomorrow. I spoke this afternoon with the dealer who did the installation and he was quick to offer having someone from his store stop by with a can of paint.

However, I want to make sure there isn't more going on since we also have had smoking from the back of the stove. I effectively smoked up the house today trying to keep the unit going and decided it just wasn't worth it.

I'm anxious to get yall's opinions once I post the photos. It just doesn't make you feel terribly positive about our decision and choice of stove. It also seems like we're having a down draft issue from the stovepipe.

Fingers crossed it can all be fixed. I didn't want to risk placing an insert inside of the fireplace in the room since the house is from the 1700's and I do a fair amount of hearth cooking. That being said, I might should have chosen heat over the ability to hearth cook-

 

[begreen]

If this is an enameled stove, paint is not the solution for serious enamel peeling. That case needs to go back to Jotul as a defect.

 

[fossil]

The OP said:

It's a flat black stove.

 

[begreen]

Thanks Fossil. I have not been online much today, catching up. A painted stove is an easier issue to remedy.

 

[Michael Golden]

Crack a window near the stove on start up it will help immensely!

 

[logger]

If you want to keep the matte black Oslo looking sharp through its lifetime, like most flat black stoves, you'd have to paint it a few times down the road anyway. The issue I'd have is having to paint a brand new stove. Sounds like a warranty issue and an easy return if you dont want to deal with it. Perhaps considering an enamel painted stove on the return wouldnt be a bad idea if you do not want to paint in the years to come.

 

[Ga.]

Hello,
Please forgive me for not posting pictures earlier- it's been a rather full last couple of days. Here are a few pictures- I didn't pick at the paint at all. I did take a whisk broom to brush ash off and found that what I thought was ash was flaking paint.

 

[Ga.]

 

[Ga.]

 

[Ga.]

I do apologise for the picture size- didn't mean for them to be quite so large.

 

[Dustin]

That looks like an F602CB?

I have one, and have been running it for the past four years. Cruising temp on my stove, measure at the front right top is 500 to 550...

No paint flake yet..

 

[nola mike]

Alright, another 602 owner! Mine is from the '90s (when it was the 602 N). I've only had it for 3 years, but no paint flaking on mine either...

 

[Ga.]

Well, so, the general thought is that this paint loss isn't terribly normal? The crew is due to look at it on Wednesday and I'm afraid they are going to want to hit it with a can on spray paint and call it fixed. I'm concerned this may not be the best. Do y'all think I should contact the actual company since the distributor isn't too anxious to go the extra mile for us?

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Well, so, the general thought is that this paint loss isn't terribly normal? The crew is due to look at it on Wednesday and I'm afraid they are going to want to hit it with a can on spray paint and call it fixed. I'm concerned this may not be the best. Do y'all think I should contact the actual company since the distributor isn't too anxious to go the extra mile for us?

YES! Why be unhappy from the start with something you were looking forward too? You probably paid a lot of money for this too. Talk to the jotul company direct, let them know all the details, let the other company paint and fix the stove. And let them both know you want a new one if you are not satisfied with this fix, if your ok with it then its a done deal, if it keeps peeling, you didn't receive a quality product. Mistakes happen at even the best companies.... Good luck and be tough, it's brand new, what will it look like 2 years from now........

 

[Dustin]

I second that.

Strongly, because mine has been flawless for four years. I have never repainted my stove, it looks good as the first day I brought it home. He gets heavy use every winter. If the paint would have started peeling when I first got the stove, it would have went back.

 

[wrblplayas13]

I have a Jotul 450, It mentions paint flaking in the manual, It says in the first year of use. I'm not sure how large the area of flaking/bubbling that occured on yours but
the area on mine was maybe a 2" x 4" area.

Mine flaked a bit on the left side. Jotul sent us touch up paint, and said if we werent satisfied they would have someone come out.
The paint worked perfectly and 3 years later we have had no issues.

 

[indifferent]

Hi from UK...I worked in the industry and i have a jotul!. Jotul are excellent stoves, usually cast iron and will last for years. It sounds like you have a matt black stove as opposed to a enamel stove. When the stoves are first used you may get some smoke from the coating...this will stop and is quite normal...a bedding in as they say. You mention downdraft...consider, on a cold day the air is heavy and as soon as you open the door the air will come down as the room is warmer than outside...usually...lol.... You have to in effect punch your way through this heavy air by lighting a small but hot fire,...... build up a stack oif wood ....a jenga castle of soft wood this enables the air to flow better, dont crunch the paper up too much.. let the air circulate. open the door ever so slightly so the fire bleazes.this is important...(if desperate open the bottom door)...its aggresive...then when red place small logs almost vertical like a tepee again assisting the air flow...once the chamber is hot put logs on any way you wish..remember bark up....matt black stoves on occasion require another coat of paint...like an ink really..also dont clean your stove with water...it will rust...use cloth.....check your seals...(flue)...good luck...john...ps you can overheat them...be careful....if problems with smoke continue have your chimney checked (this should have been done prior to installation and on completion)