Painting Metal

These are the steps for painting metal, such as a wrought iron railing and metal hardware on outdoor doors. Do not use Rust-Oleum on grates used in outdoor grills where food is prepared. See How to Clean Rust from Grates instead.

1. Use a wire brush (they have small ones that are good for cleaning fine areas) to clean the rust off. If need be, use a tool to scrape the metal and sandpaper to smooth the surface.

2. Wipe down with mineral spirits to remove any of the rust dust. Let dry.

Repair small holes and dents. To repair holes and dents, sand the area until you reach bare metal and wipe with a degreaser mixed with mineral spirits. For small holes and dents, inject an appropriate epoxy-based composite (such as J-B Weld) directly into the hole and/or dent. For larger holes, apply epoxy filler to the edge of the hole, cut a piece of fiberglass mesh approximately one inch larger than the hole, and press it into the filler. Then, cover the mesh with epoxy, working your way from the edge toward the center of the hole.

3. Paint with a metal primer. Rust-Oleum is good. If surface is rusty, use Stops Rust Rusty Metal Primer. If surface is clean or lightly rusted, use Stops Rust Clean Metal Primer. Let dry. Dry and recoat times are based on 70°F (21°C) and 50% relative humidity. Allow more time at cooler temperatures. Dries to the touch in 15-30 minutes and dries to handle in 1-2 hours and is fully dry in 48 hours. Apply a second coat or top coat within 1 hour or after 48 hours.

Priming is a very important step in preparing metal for paint, especially if the surface will be exposed to moisture. To select the right primer, the type of metal to be coated along with the desired appearance, performance requirements, and environmental conditions should be considered. To begin with, water-based (latex) primers shouldn’t be used on metal surfaces, as moisture can seep through and cause paint to fail within weeks or months.

4. Paint with Rust-Oleum using the final color you desire. Let dry