How to touch up your Wrought Iron Railing
Posted by Priscila Medina on Feb 12th 2020
How to touch up your Wrought Iron Railing (stop rust before it takes over!)
The elements such as rain, wind, and snow can be rough to wrought iron railings products. Even if we powder coat the items, they are not 100% safe, specifically near a coast where salt water is the biggest killer. If you are like most, Galvanizing sounds nice but way too expensive! Below is the process that we use when we punch out units, turn them over, or go back to retouch when it's in warranty.
Small/Medium Rusts Spots
When this happens, we have to attach the problem ASAP. Rust spreads and doesn't stop.
First: Clean the railing thoroughly.
Dust buildups in the crevices of the balcony practically invite rust, as water settles in the crevices as well, they both act as a rust heaven. I would use soap and water, if you feel the need you can put a de-greaser as well.
Second: sand the rust lightly. This step depends on the gravity of the rust. If there is significant damage, this step should not be left out. If the spots are really deep and hard to get, you might want to invest in a wire brush such as this:
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| available at www.homedepot.com |
Third: Prime the spots with a Rustoleum primer. Try to get a prime that resembles the balconies color, it just makes it easier when actually painting.
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| Found at www.homedepot.com |
Fourth: Wait until the primer dries and apply the final paint.
Hopefully you are able to find a matching spray can to paint over. We love Rustoleum products, they are specifically for rust and touch ups. If the color just doesn't work, the next step is to get it matched at your local paint shop.
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| found at www.homedepot.com |
Side Note: Ordering the paint can be daunting. Bring a little sample of the paint, maybe scrape off a bit of paint from the rail. Make sure you explain that it is for metal, and if you know that the railing was powder coated, make sure to include that.
Painting a rail with paint that is close but not 100% there is a bit difficult. I've learned to thin the paint with a little bit of water and use a paint brush. Apply to the area, make sure its covered. After diffuse the paint with the brush so it slowly blends in.
You should have now a new and improved iron product. Please don't hesitate to call us if you have any questions about the processes and if you need some product info.
Lastly, if the railing has significant rust all over, that's another process, we recommend sand blasting and completely re-powder coating. That info will be in another post.
Good Luck!
Decorative Iron