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Finishing iron custom staircase

2006

I made a steel framed "inlaid" ornate cast iron interior partial spiral staircase. The staircase is new in an old Victorian house with old fireplaces, etc. I'm not sure how to finish it-- to get the mill scale off I could possibly surround it with heavy tarp and sandblast it. Yes, indoors! Or perhaps use acid, but I obviously couldn't provide a bath, so I'm not sure how this would work. Mechanical prepping would be very laborious, because of the ornate cast parts, but I suppose could be done.

The next issue is the actual finish. I'd be interested in hearing more about oiling with boiled linseed oil ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or similar and clearcoating. I hate paint, and powder coating more! I have no experience with oiling, waxing, or these other methods though, so appreciate the advice!

Michael Saunders
Hobbyist - Washington, D.C. USA

Try to clean it with 5% citric acid ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , after that paint it with 20 gm tannic acid ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil links] ,15 gm phosphoric acid,1 lit water(do it yourself rust converter ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , black finish, only for grease and oxide free surfaces). Then you can clearcoat or wax it. Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2006

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