Metal railings fade and rust over time so a fresh coat of paint makes a world of difference! My sister has a 1960’s home and her metal railing needed a refresh! This wasn’t a simple or easy project and I can’t say I know the best tips. But, I do have some tips on what worked well and in other areas I am still a little puzzled. Here is a before photo.
PREP
There were four (4) different paint colors and I am not sure how many coats of paint. As much as I would have loved to sand everything to a smooth surface, I knew that would not be possible without tons of labor. So, I focused on the hand railings and the front/back, flat spindles areas. These were the easiest to sand with an orbital sander.
I tried several tools to smooth the rusted and chipping areas.. Some worked better than others. From my experience, the orbital sander, using 40 grit was the most effective in removing rust and smoothing chipped paint. I used a lot of sand paper! The railing sanded smooth with the exception of the curved areas at the beginning of the railing. The flat spindles sanded smooth with the orbital sander on the front and back. The sander did not fit between the spindles. Note: A corded sander is best for this project simply because of the length of time it takes to sand. The battery in a battery-charged sander would drain too quickly.
A corded drill (better than cordless) is the best bet for the tighter areas. Drill attachments are effective to smooth the sides of the flat spindles and the scrolls. The larger drum seems to expand with use/heat making it difficult to remove and replace the sanding sleeve. (Urgh) However, the 2″ drum was a great size and worked well until it got too hot. The higher grit works the best for these areas as well. Other big box stores and Amazon have these attachments as well.
In the end, it was very difficult to smooth the chipped scroll areas. Small drum attachments fit well in these areas and higher grit worked best, but still tough to smooth on the curves. I switched off between the sander and the drill. The vibration of the drill over extended periods was a bit rough on my hands.
It appeared the top layer of paint was holding the underneath paint layers in place. Once I sanded the top layer smooth, the layers underneath raised making it look and feel like the surface hadn’t been sanded. I noticed this when I went to prime/paint. It took about 4 hours/section to sand so, I wasn’t up for re-sanding. I am not sure what the solution for this would have been otherwise.
PAINT
Oil based paint and primer are recommended for metal. However, I planned to use a paint sprayer and water based paint is much easier to clean from the sprayer. Alternatively, I used Sherwin Williams All Surface Enamel Primer. I had it tinted gray as I was using darker paint. And, Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane is the paint I used.
It was worth the effort to get this railing looking pretty again! And, a fresh railing made my sister happy!
