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Refinishing wrought iron patio furniture
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I have a wrought iron table and 6 chairs that we just purchased. The set is from the 1920's. There are some small rust spots and chipped paint. I would like to refinish the set and need to know what is the best procedure to do so. Should we have it sandblasted? Do I prime it with an oil based primer? What kind of paint should I use?
Meta E. M. [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Appleton, Wisconsin
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Hi,
I have the same problem. Did you ever get an answer on how to refinish your wrought iron patio set? I know they sand blast first. But I've been told you can either powder coat it or zinc plate it and then paint it. I'm trying to find out which is the best method.
Thanks,
Marsha B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- San Pedro, California
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The rust existing has to be treated with a green rust remover - the treated rust turns black - brush this powder away. Follow the directions on the bottle from the paint store. Then you need to undercoat with a primer for wrought iron. Then comes the final exterior coat of paint. If you have your item powder coated without removing the rust - the rust will return. This is tricky with powder coaters because you have no real clue how long they will wait until your item is really coated and their tiny pellets will not remove the rust in the cracks. So to send item to powder coaters, just treat for the rust only and send item. Once you have a powder coated item, you can no longer paint it! Some research is needed for you to determine which process is best for your needs. Sandra B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Houston, Texas ---- +++++ -- this entry appended to this thread by editor in lieu of spawning a duplicative thread I have inherited a beautiful set of vintage wrought iron patio furniture that was kept inside but the only space I have to keep it is outside on my porch/patio which will have some exposure to weather. I am wondering what the options are for refinishing these pieces so that they will be safe outdoors. Is powder coating the only outdoor option? Which options can I do myself and which require a professional to do? hobbyist - Scarborough, Maine Hi, Amey. Sending them out for sandblasting is the easy way, but you can hand sand instead, then treat rusty areas with rust converter, then prime. Powder coating tends to be thicker than most other paint, but the prep for the coating is much more important than whether the final coat is paint or powder. Regards,
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My wrought iron fence was under water 08/29/2005 (KATRINA) I would like to know how to get the paint and rust off of my fence. Calvin M [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- New Orleans, Louisiana +++++++ I would ship it to an expert in iron, metals, galvanizing, powder coating, and restoring antique iron furnisher. Good luck with your restoration. Peter Plascencia- San Pedro, California |
July 4, 2008
I would like to refinish a 16 piece set of 40 year old Sanford wrought iron patio furniture. It is currently rusty in large areas. I plan on putting it on my patio that is currently somewhat exposed to moisture. Will sand-blasting damage it? Is sandblasting a costly process? What are the steps if I choose to refinish it myself?
Andrea S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Miami, Florida
July 7, 2008
Hi, Andrea. Sandblasting will not damage the metal. If there are fancy glass inserts or something, those could certainly be badly scored if they weren't masked. It is not an expensive proposition if you can locate someone who does it regularly.
To refinish it yourself without sandblasting you would sand away any rust spots, then treat them with Rust Converter [linked by editor to product info at Amazon], then prime and then paint. Good luck.
Regards,
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 Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
December 12, 2008
what kind of paint is best for refinishing wrought iron patio furniture?
Dino Kalfuntzos- Fort Worth, Texas
December 16, 2008
Hi, Dino. Once the furniture has been prepared as described, any paint made for the purpose will do fine. For example, you'll see both spray paints and brush-on paints by Rustoleum for use on metal outdoors. You'll usually see snapshots of outdoor metal items on the label. Good luck.
Regards,
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Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
May 14, 2009
I have just been given an old set of outdoor wrought iron furniture.
It has not been well maintained and is a bit rusty and paint chipped.
What is the best way to remove the old paint and rust? and the best way
to paint for long-term maintenance?
hobbyist - Massapequa, New York
June 10, 2010
What kind of paint should I use to refinish outdoor wrought iron furniture that will not come off when someone sits on the chairs with mosquito repellent or suntan lotion on their arms and legs? This has been a pesky problem in the past. When a person stands up they have paint residue on their arms or legs where they rested them on the chairs.
Should the final coat be a cost of polyurethane or something, or will that come off on my guests also?
hobbyist - Austin, Texas
September 6, 2010
I have wrought iron patio furniture that I had professionally sand blasted and powder coated about 5 years ago. There are now a few chips on some of the furniture and I would like to treat it myself. Can I paint over powder coating or do I need to sand the furniture all the way down to metal and start all over?
Elizabeth Bongiovi- Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
June 21, 2011
Friend had a so-called painter paint her wrought iron patio set. He used oil base paint. When completed he left it outside uncovered or protected. It rained before the paint dried and, of course, destroyed the paint finish. How do you correct this? Re-sand, prime and put another coat of paint on?
Thanks.
friend - Baltimore, Maryland USA
October 19, 2011
I have wrought iron tables in off white/beige color and there is no rust and they are in good condition. I like to paint them in brownish/bronze color. What is best procedures and paint to a natural wrought iron look.
Madhu RanganHobbyist - Yorba Linda, California, USA
November 12, 2011
You definitely have to remove rust from anything you paint. Rust has a tendency to continue growing even under paint. If your furniture has a lot of rust, you may want to have it sandblasted. Otherwise, you can hand sand or use a drill and attach a rust removal wheel, You can find the wheels in the paint section of hardware stores. Use the wheels that are 1 whole piece and do not need to be screwed into a drill bit. Afterwards, when you are done sanding, wipe down the item with paint thinner or mineral spirits, to remove any small debris. Let dry. Now prime the piece of furniture. I would prime the whole thing not just the cleaned rust spots. This insures that your final coat of paint will look evenly distributed. If you are not taking your item somewhere to be powder coated, I highly recommend Rust-Oleum outdoor spray paint products. They make a primer that is actually copper colored that inhibits continued rust growth. I used it recently on rot iron furniture. Let the furniture dry (48 Hours), then paint with your favorite Rust-Oleum paint color. I used the hammered black. The furniture looks great. Time will tell how it holds up in the 4 seasons of Ohio weather. I have had good experiences with Rust-Oleum paint. I painted a chair for my parents and it was left outside for at least 10 years and, even though the paint has faded a little, it still looks pretty good and not very rusted. Also, if you can, replace old rusted nuts and bolts with stainless steel ones. You should get many years out of your furniture. Also, wear a paint face mask when spray painting - just because you don't want to breathe in the overspray.
Mary Beth P- Youngstown, Ohio, USA