I have an existing exterior iron railing which is rusting, what is the best way to maintain it?
We recommend that if the railing is badly deteriorated or loose in any way to find a qualified local ornamental iron or welding service shop to make necessary structural repairs. If the railing is in sound shape then remove the rust and failing paint with a wire brush or sand papaer, naval jelly and or a chemical paint remover,then use a rust inhibitive primer or a zinc rich primer and a good quality rust inhibitive top coat, all should be available at your local hardware store. Be sure to follow the paint manufacturer’s recommendation for coating thickness and dry timess, a thin coat of paint will not weather as well as a heavier coating and a coating which is too heavy will not cure properly Exercise care when removing old paint as it may contain lead. By sandblasting or abrading the paint by mechanical means, you will create a dust plume which contains lead which can be tracked into adjacent buildings or inhaled. For this reason, when working with lead based paints use paint strippe
If the railing is badly deteriorated or loose in any way it is best to find a qualified ornamental metal fabricator to make necessary repairs. If the railing is in sound shape then remove the rust with a wire brush, use a rust inhibitive primer or a zinc rich primer and a good quality rust inhibitive top coat, all should be available at your local hardware store. Be sure to use a good amount of paint as well as following the manufacturer’s recommendations. A thin coat of paint will not weather as well as a heavier coating. Proper and regular maintenance is the only way to ensure that rust will not form on your iron/steel products.
