Best paint for mild steel railings?
Discussion
I’m building some estate fencing in my back garden - only about 30 feet, so hardly an ‘estate’….
It’s mild steel, which I will be welding up myself. Thickness is as low as 5mm, but most of it is 8mm, so even if I left it untreated, it will outlast me.
However, I don’t like the rusty look, so I’m going to paint it - I’d like satin black. It will probably be brush-applied as spraying will be really wasteful on railings.
I’m aware that Hammerite isn’t what it used to be, so I was intending to use POR15, which I used previously on a kit car chassis. However, I’ve read that POR15 is very inflexible, expands at different rates to steel and isn’t very UV tolerant, so it’s probably not a good idea for railings / fencing.
Any suggestions? I’d prefer a ‘one-coat’ solution if possible, as multi-component epoxy seems like a bit of a faff
It’s mild steel, which I will be welding up myself. Thickness is as low as 5mm, but most of it is 8mm, so even if I left it untreated, it will outlast me.
However, I don’t like the rusty look, so I’m going to paint it - I’d like satin black. It will probably be brush-applied as spraying will be really wasteful on railings.
I’m aware that Hammerite isn’t what it used to be, so I was intending to use POR15, which I used previously on a kit car chassis. However, I’ve read that POR15 is very inflexible, expands at different rates to steel and isn’t very UV tolerant, so it’s probably not a good idea for railings / fencing.
Any suggestions? I’d prefer a ‘one-coat’ solution if possible, as multi-component epoxy seems like a bit of a faff
I fixed some ungalvanised steel angles to reinforce the corners of an old shed and painted them with a coat of blackjack bituminous paint. That was 16 years ago and despite numerous bashes with the wheelybin arent showing any signs of rust.
I was originally worried about it not drying properly and always being tacky but after a couple of days it was fine.
I was originally worried about it not drying properly and always being tacky but after a couple of days it was fine.
Jotamastic 90 if you can make use of a whole gallon if it. Brilliant stuff, available in aluminium, or a wide range of colours and blacks and can be overcoated with most paints too.
Or if you want less, look at Rustbuster EM121 which I understand is just repackaged Jotamastic smartpack.
I agree, POR15 is basically pants.
Or if you want less, look at Rustbuster EM121 which I understand is just repackaged Jotamastic smartpack.
I agree, POR15 is basically pants.
wolfracesonic said:
Zinsser Allcoat. I’m not sure if Wera make paint brushes but if they do use them
That's what we've just used on a new steel frame. The solvent based version has a maintenance life of 15 years.OutInTheShed said:
Getting it galvanised may not be expensive?
Lots of zinc rich primer, then some proper yacht enamel like International or Hempel?
Some body will tell you the PH approved Zinser product in a minute.
You can get sections of galvanised estate fencing; after welding them together protect the welds with zinc rich primer and a matt grey top coat. Or bolt them together if that appeals.Lots of zinc rich primer, then some proper yacht enamel like International or Hempel?
Some body will tell you the PH approved Zinser product in a minute.
Galvanising isn’t an option - the fence comes in kit form, so I’m welding the uprights to the baseplates, then fitting the uprights at 1.2m intervals, then feeding the rails through the uprights and welding them in place. There’s also a gate to build.
I seem to recall that welding through the galvanised layer produces some very noxious fumes, so there’s no way I can get the individual components pre-galvanised, and clearly galvanising the whole assembly isn’t practical.
Also, even if I did have it galvanised, I’d still have to paint it all anyway….
I seem to recall that welding through the galvanised layer produces some very noxious fumes, so there’s no way I can get the individual components pre-galvanised, and clearly galvanising the whole assembly isn’t practical.
Also, even if I did have it galvanised, I’d still have to paint it all anyway….
The fumes are there but welding outdoors the risk is trivial for 30' of fence. The panels can be obtained already galvanised, it requires painting for the colour choice but it will be the difference between needing to repaint every 5 years and still getting rust or being able to ignore it for 15-20 years.
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