Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Prepping metal cabinets that have rusted

I'm about to repaint two metal cabinets one of which has a very obvious rusted corner and I'm wondering what I have to do to prep that corner prior to painting the cabinet. I want to repaint the cabinet white, which is the color it is now. Any recommendations as to what type of paint to use, how to paint (it's been suggested to me to do several layers of very thin coats), etc. are welcome too, needless to say.

Thank you.

Kevin M [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Personal paint job - Chicago, Illinois
2000

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You can remove the rust with either C-L-R [on eBay or Amazon] or muriatic acid [affil links]. Be careful when working with chemicals. After cleaning off the rust, you will want to wash the area to make sure all of them solvent is gone. Then, you can paint it as you would raw, bare metal.

Tim Neveau
Rochester Hills, Michigan
2000

WE HAVE A COMPOSITE CHEMICAL, BRAND NAME: FERROGUARD. THIS PRODUCTS REMOVES LIGHT WET FILMS OF OIL, LIGHT TO MEDIUM RUST, AND FORMS A COMPLEX PHOSPHATE COATING ON MILD STEEL, AND HOT-DIPPED/ ELECTRO-GALVANIZED SURFACES. MAY BE APPLIED BY BRUSH, OR COTTON WASTE, AND THE SURFACE IS FINALLY WIPED DRY WITH CLEAN WHITE CLOTH. NO NEED TO RINSE THE SURFACE. THE PRODUCT IS VERY EFFECTIVE AND WILL MEET MR.K.E. MORRISON'S NEEDS. I WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE MORE INFORMATION IF MR. MORRISON WOULD WISH TO HAVE THE SAME. REGARDS.

S. M. SUBSRAMANIAM
- CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
2000

Does anyone have a good suggestion for restoring painted steel cabinets? I wish to strip the paint to repaint or paint over this.

John Phipps
- Ft. Collins, Colorado
2005