Letter 26857

Finishing wrought iron furniture  

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I am currently producing some interior wrought iron pieces (hutches, chandeliers, candelabras, bed frames, etc) using solid bar with a `hammered' finish, along with some finials, stampings, etc. I would like to seal the product while leaving a natural finish. In some cases I may choose a slight tint (antiqued or bronzed look). Is there another option besides powder coats?

David Zaharie
wrought iron furniture designer/fabricator - Calgary, Alberta, Canada

A suggestion: Check out the US National Park Service website. They have a series of numbered "briefs" with hints about cleaning and preserving all types of metallic relics. Cast iron/Wrought iron is found in Brief #27.

W. Carl Erickson
- Vernon, New York

Hello, I would like to refinish some antique wrought iron (outdoor/coastal) furniture. It has a THICK coat of paint on it (top coat is white) that looks as though it was painted on (there is dripping on the undersides of the pieces) as well as some rust and bubbling. Should I remove all the layers of paint to get rid of the drips (with what?) then sand and repaint (with what?). Thank you!

Stephanie mazerolle
landscaper - Pemaquid Hbr, Maine

We appended your inquiry to this letter, rather than spawning a new thread, Stephanie, so your question may already be answered by the previous response.

The short answer is that, if you want to get rid of the "drippy" look, you'll have to either gritblast or chemically strip the old and too heavy paint. Professional stripping services can make short work of those layers of paint.

Then you'll want to prime with alkyd (oil-based) paint rather than latex.

But if the furniture has genuine antique value you will want to study the National Park Service brief in detail first.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

+++++ I bought a chandelier metal light fixture. The fixture already is painting a brown with black specks on it. I want to paint it black. Do I have to prime this or can I just use a metal spray paint and paint the fixture. I have the same question for a wrought iron table. It was painted white and I want it black. Laurie Conway home owner - Grayslake, Illinois +++++ I am refinishing an antique cast iron bed, and I want to keep it in it's natural iron state (without color). can anyone suggest a good sealant or urethane that would protect it from rust, but be translucent and subtle? thanks Tanya Sierra hobbyist - Barcelona, Spain ---- Ed. note: Please see letters 7543, 32772, and 33964 for additional discussions on this topic.