# Painting wrought iron?



## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I am painting the wrought iron around my home. I had it painted 1.5 years ago but the idiots did not know what they were doing and used exterior house paint? Duh the rust spots came right through. So now I have it sanded, scraped, and wire brushed and primed with rustoleum metal primer. I am ready to paint and am using Ace brand rust stop paint because it is tintable to the dark teal I need. 

Question, Can I buy an inexpensive air sprayer, dilute the paint with thinner and spray the portions like gates and doors that have screen as well as iron?

If I cannot find a way to spray the doors and gates I will be here three years from Sunday trying to brush all this screen and make it look decent and not fill in the little holes! It has taken me two days of painting to get half the front door done and the whole little entry porch is iron and screen. The regular window iron things I can paint using a sock on my hand over a glove and that works great. But this screen is killing me. I would have to buy a sprayer because mine is an airless sprayer.:grit:


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I doubt you can get it thin enough to keep from plugging the holes in screen.
Even plain water can clog screen holes

Do you have a compressor?
You might be able to use a brush or sponge with thinned paint, and then blow the paint out of the holes before it dries


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Sorry to hear about your earlier bad experience! I know painting is less expensive, but if you could get it powder coated? It would last for many more years. My DH is a Welder/Machinist and recommends all his customers get their gates/railings powder coated. I have seen some of his railings 10 years after he built them & they were powder coated. They still look beautiful!

I wish there were a better paint product for decking. No matter what we have used to finish our decks, it lasts about half the time (we get a lot of rain).


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Go for the p owder coating or buy a few cans of rustoleum spray paint......


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

When I worked for a painting contractor we did ironwork by hand. It takes a long time, but that's just how you have to do it if you want a quality job. Also, visit your local paint store *not the big box* and see what they recommend. I'm partial to Sherwin-Williams, but that's what we used and I saw a difference. A historic home we did 20 years ago is still in great shape.

I would also assume you're going to want oil based paint. It's hellish cleanup, but you can't beat it for longevity.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

Decided that most of it could/would be done by hand with rust stop which is a good one. The parts with screen, like the gates/doors/entry porch it is not window type screen. The holes are bigger, it is steel mesh. Those parts will be sprayed with my compressor and a small container type spray thingy that DB has that I can use. It is gonna be so pretty!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> The holes are bigger, it is steel mesh. Those parts will be sprayed


If the holes are big enough, it would probably take less paint to use a heavy knap roller.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

Agree. Just be ready to hit drips and runs with small brush. Do not overload roller.

Some things to get proper you just have to bite the bullet and invest the time and fuss. The most fun I ever had was one of those spiral spindle wrought iron gates. Cool gate, but they should have spent the extra for powder coating. Ugh.

Be aware that you may have to retouch spots that didn't get full coverage with the primer. Steel wool will scuff it up.


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