Inorganic oxide colloids dispersed in alcohol were applied to a stainless steel substrate to produce oxide coatings for the purpose of minimizing emissive thermal transfer. The microstructure, roughness, infrared emissive energy, and surface heat loss of the coated substrate were observed with a variation of the nano oxide sol and coating method. It was found that the indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, magnesium oxide, silica, titania sol coatings may reduce surface heat loss of the stainless steel at 300${circ}C$. It was possible to suppress thermal oxidation of the substrate with the oxide sol coatings during an accelerated thermal durability test at 600${circ}C$. The silica sol coating was most effective to suppress thermal oxidation at 600${circ}C$, so that it is useful to prevent the increase of radiative surface heat loss as a heating element. Therefore, the inorganic oxide sol coatings may be applied to improve energy efficiency of the substrate as the heating element.