Tips for Painting Metal Outdoor Railing?

[Steve in VA]

Any experienced painters have tips for painting an outdoor railing that has rust and peeling paint?

I’ve already started taking a wire wheel on a drill to it and made a fair amount of progress today. Once that’s done, I was thinking a simple Rust-Oleum primer and then paint (rattle can for both) but thought I’d see if anyone has other recommendations.

Thanks in advance crew!

 

[Tom Smart]

Rattle can after power wash is my go to, Steve.

 

[DLJeffs]

When we had our house painted last year, the painter asked me about the outdoor lights. I said I hadn't thought about them but once he pointed them out they looked bad. So he took left them off as he painted and I took them apart (metal frame with glass panels), wire brushed to mostly bare metal, and then just Rust-Oleum black with primer rattle can. So far they're still looking brand new and they see full sun every day.

My painter said you can also apply a clear coat if you want but I figured that would just make it harder to repaint them next time they needed done.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Wire wheel on a drill or angle grinder. Rustoleum oil based.

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

There are a few treatments if the rust doesn't want to come to bright white. Naval jelly, or similar rust conversion treatments that create a fully oxidized black layer . Applied before you paint. Rattle can is fine but I would normally rattle a layer of sandable primer onto it first. That will allow you to take almost all the fine pitting out of the railing

 

[Mike1950]

Get a turbo blaster tip for pressure washer. It will do most of the work wire brush. And the rustolem paint, suggested above. The tip is extremely effective on bark on burl also

 

[Nature Man]

I did this a few months ago to the railing connected to my workshop. Mine wasn’t as gone as yours. I sanded it with 3 grits of sandpaper making sure to eradicate the rust. This took considerable time, probably a couple hours. Then made sure it was free of dust, then spray Rustoleum primer, then spray Rustoleum paint. It’s only been a few months, but still looks nice. Chuck

 

[Webb]

I’m not a fan of spraying railings because of the amount of overspray that floats away and runs that occur around areas where you are trying to get different surfaces painted. I prefer a mini roller with a short nap which leaves a nice surface.

 

[Steve in VA]

Thanks everyone! I got the vast majority of the wire brushing done this weekend. Will work on getting into some tight corners where the wire wheel wouldn't get to by hand and go from there. Appreciate all of the input and advice!

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

Dremel with a tiny pointed tip for the fine corner cleanup will save some of the finger cramping...

 

[Firewood Potter]

If you want a longer lasting job keep away from rattle cans and brush your paint on after scale removal and rust stabilization. 1 or two coats of rust oleum primer and two coats of finish color.

 

[Mike Hill]

If you want a longer lasting job keep away from rattle cans and brush your paint on after scale removal and rust stabilization. 1 or two coats of rust oleum primer and two coats of finish color.

Agree totally! A foam roller or fine-napped one with a good exterior enamel from a paint store - not a big box store. Have the store recommend one. And they can usually mix up any color you want.

 

[Mike Hill]

Did a smallish project at a zinc refining plant that also made hydraulic acid as a byproduct. Very corrosive atmosphere. Was amazed at how long using a good exterior paint lasted over a normal exterior painr! The project I did was a 150' tall square Silo to store gypsum - another byproduct of the new vein of ore coming from their mine. Another byproduct they had was rare earth's. Just this tiny pile they produced everyday was worth more than everything else but the zinc itself.

Also the coverage is oftentimes better and more even than what you get with a spray can. A guy that's knows how to use a sprayer can get better coverage though. The problems are the outside corners - the mil thickness can get rather thin there.

 

[Wildthings]

Wire wheel on a drill or angle grinder. Rustoleum oil based.

If you want a longer lasting job keep away from rattle cans and brush your paint on after scale removal and rust stabilization. 1 or two coats of rust oleum primer and two coats of finish color.

What these good folks recommend. Use Rustoleum oil base paint and roll it on

 

[DLJeffs]

Did a smallish project at a zinc refining plant that also made hydraulic acid as a byproduct. Very corrosive atmosphere. Was amazed at how long using a good exterior paint lasted over a normal exterior painr! The project I did was a 150' tall square Silo to store gypsum - another byproduct of the new vein of ore coming from their mine. Another byproduct they had was rare earth's. Just this tiny pile they produced everyday was worth more than everything else but the zinc itself.

Also the coverage is oftentimes better and more even than what you get with a spray can. A guy that's knows how to use a sprayer can get better coverage though. The problems are the outside corners - the mil thickness can get rather thin there.

what's hydraulic acid?