You can achieve a range of looks with commercial metal paints. Apply one to three coats of the appropriate primer to the metal surface, letting each coat dry to the touch before applying the next, then drying the final coat fully for the recommended amount of time.Ĥ. You want to apply the primer as soon as possible after wire brushing and cleaning it since the metal will otherwise continue to rust with exposure to oxygen. The primer will penetrate the rust and bond with the underlying metal. no rust remained after wire brushing it), then paint it with a water- or oil-based interior-exterior rust-preventative metal primer (available for $4 to $8 per 12 to 15 ounces in spray or standard cans from brands like Rust-Oleum via The Home Depot). If painting over lightly rusted or bare metal (i.e.This coating will chemically convert the rust into a flat, usually black, non-rustable surface that’s ready to receive paint. If painting over extensive rust, prime it with a water- or oil-based interior-exterior rust conversion metal primer (available for around $4 to $17 per 10 to 13 ounces in spray or standard cans from brands like Rust-Oleum and Gempler’s via The Home Depot and Amazon, respectively).A primer specific to your amount of rust will help aid adhesion. Good news: You can cover up either! But paint alone doesn’t adhere as well to rust-even light rust-and when it does stick, rust stains can bleed through the paint coat and discolor it. With the loose rust gone, your metal may either show extensive surface rust or little to no rust. You’ll need to apply a primer to boost paint adhesion and prevent discoloration.

Let the metal air-dry completely before breaking out the primer. All it takes is a pass with a soft cloth dampened with a homemade degreasing solution-four teaspoons liquid dish soap mixed in one gallon of warm water-followed by a “rinse” using a water-dampened rag. Then, when no more rust flakes off, remove grit, grime, and grease. To avoid this, detach any hardware (screws, nails, etc.) from the metal surface, then run over it with a wire brush or sandpaper to scrape off as much rust as possible. Otherwise, the metal will continue to shed the loose rust, pushing the dried paint coat upward until it blisters or peels off. You’ll face blistering and peeling paint if you don’t remove loose rust first.Ī primer can help paint adhere to a rusted metal piece, but you still must first remove as much loose rust as possible from the surface first. Filling the pits with an auto body filler product (like Bondo, available from Amazon) would be your best option for restoring it, or else you’ll need to replace the metal piece altogether. pits or holes are visible in the piece) or the piece has structurally weakened to the point that you can bend it by hand, then paint won’t halt the corrosion and inevitable crumbling of the metal. If rust has partially or fully eaten through the metal (i.e. Painting rusted metal is not only possible but can produce beautiful results-as long as the rust doesn’t extend beyond the surface of the metal piece.

Stick to painting metals with strictly surface rust. When it comes to painting rusted metal, proper preparation is key.

Does black steel rust