Painting Metal Railings
Understanding how to paint metal railings and fences can be a daunting task, especially if they're rusted and covered in flaking paint, which is often the case and the reason a spruce-up is required. We worked with Ben from @thesandstonemanse to makeover his rusty metal railings and gate outside his home, bringing them back to life and improving the curb appeal of his property. Read on to find out how he did this and what our tips and recommendations are to make painting your metal railings as easy as possible.
Step 1: Preparation
Preparation is the most important part when painting metal railings. To ensure a professional finish and a long-lasting result, we recommend removing old flaking paint and rust by sanding or cleaning with a wire brush and sandpaper. Ben explained how he did this and his before and after pictures of the prep sum it up perfectly. What a difference!
"The preparation was the most challenging aspect. With over 40 years worth of paint, and large amounts of rusty and flakey sections, it required a lot of elbow grease and TLC. Using the wire brushes I was able to remove the most damaged areas, even in the intricate curves of the railings."
As the railings at Ben's property were over 40 years old, there was a little extra prep required although this isn't always the case and a good clean with a wire brush and some sandpaper will do the trick in most cases.
"To fully remove the remaining paint, I sought the help of an angle grinder, using a flap disc. This created the perfect platform to fully restore the railings."
Before Prep
After Prep
Preparing Metal Railings for Painting
- Lay dust sheets around all surrounding areas to avoid splashes, splatters and spills
- Use sandpaper and/or a wire brush to remove old flaking paint and rust
- Dust the railings down with a dry dust brush removing any dirt and remaining flakes of old paint and rust
Step 2: Painting
Painting metal railings isn't a job you want to complete every summer so we recommend choosing a trade paint suitable for exterior metal to complete the project to ensure a long-lasting, durable finish that will withstand the elements and save you the dread of repeating the process every summer season!
Always start by laying dust sheets around the area you are painting to avoid any drips, splatters or spills on walls, chips, patios or surrounding areas.
Ben from @thesandstonemanse used Zinsser Allcoat, our top pick for exterior metal. Available in matt, satin or gloss finishes and a wide range of colours from classic black and white to colour-matched shades and RAL colours, it's a dependable choice.
Zinsser Allcoat is self-priming on metal surfaces and only requires two coats to achieve a rich depth of colour and long-lasting protection from the elements.
Ben chose Zinsser Allcoat Water-Based Matt Black for his railings which he rated highly-
"Once the preparation was complete, it was over to Zinsser AllCoat. So easy to apply, it took just two coats to get the perfect finish. As I chose matt black, the finish helped to hide any sins."
During
During
Tips and Tricks
- Don't skip over the preparation, take your time to remove old flaking paint and rust
- You don't have to sand back to bare metal, just remove the flakes, cracks and heavily rusted sections
- Always dust the railings down afterwards to avoid painting over dust
- Use a sash brush for detailed metal railings to get in any nooks and crannies
- Always allow the first coat of paint to dry fully before applying the second coat - full drying times will always be on the tin
- Use a trade quality paint designed for use on exterior metal to ensure a long-lasting finish
After
After