Painting Front Railing: Rust-O-Leum, Or...?

[Robert11]

Hi,

Have the typical ornamental railing for the front steps leading to the front door of house.

Probably made from a soft iron, so it could be fabricated into the right shape and twist for the vertical parts, and as such, seems to rust pretty readily.

After scraping, will have to re-paint it, or course.

Can anyone suggest a really good primer, and also a finish paint, for this kind of thing. Probably want a flat, or possibly a small amount of sheen/lustre, as the finish.

Krylon, Rust-O-Leum, or... ?

Thanks, Bob

[Joe]

RustOleum first choice, Krylon second choice. Slow cure, but good performance. HTH

Joe

[RicodJour]

Hammerite Rust Cap It's really tough stuff and can be applied right over metal, even slightly rusty metal (loose rust must be wire-brushed off). It comes in smooth and hammered finish. The hammered finish looks really smart on wrought iron railings. It's also easy to touch up.

As an aside, wrought iron railings usually rust in places that hold water (volutes), tight twisty areas that trap water (decorative frills) or, the most usual and most vulnerable place in colder climates, the insertion point into the masonry. The railings often get abused by people smacking snow shovels against the uprights while they're clearing the walk. That chips the paint and gets the rust ball rolling. Adding deicing salt is literally like adding salt in a wound - it hurts a _lot_. So watch out for those snow shovels and pay particular attention to the problem areas.

R

[Bonnett Decorating]

It is most likely wrought iron, and as you have discovered, rust easily. I typically use a rotary wire brush in a drill (wear safety goggles) and clean up the rust as much as possible. This is followed by spot priming all the bare spots with Rustoleum Rusty Metal primer. Top coat is Rustoleum in the color and gloss level of choice.

[Phisherman]

I agree. The Rustoleum rusty metal primer is as good as it gets for treating rusty iron in preparation for painting. It dries slowly and really sticks to the surface. Follow the directions, especially the preparation, and you will get a finish paint job lasting for many years. It is best to use the same brand for primer and finish coats.

[itsjoannotjoann]

Well, I'm going to wade in on this subject. The absolute best primer for metal whether it's wrought iron or any other type of metal is Sherwin Williams etching primer. It can only be bought at a Sherwin Williams automotive paint store and it ain't cheap. But it does the absolute best job. I've used many different primers in the past was repainting that handrail again in less than 18 months. And yes, it was properly prepared as in rust removal, sanding, and cleaning, etc.

I gotta agree that RustOleum is great and so is Red Devil, a paint made by S.W. It seems to be as scarce as hen's teeth now, but Red Devil with polyurethane is the best. No rust or bubbled up or chipping paint.