How to Repaint a Rusty, Metal Hand Rail | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House painter Mauro Henrique helps a homeowner clean up and repaint a rusty, metal railing
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Time: 2-3 hours

Cost: $100

Skill Level: Beginner

Tools List for Painting a Rusty Metal Hand Rail:
Metal scraper
Wire brush
Paint brush
Paint roller

Shopping List:
Lead test kit
Masks
Safety glasses
Drop cloths
Scrubbing pad
150 grit sandpaper
Mineral spirits
Rags
Oil based metal primer
DTM paint
Paint tray
Duct tape

Steps:
1. If the railings were installed in 1978 or earlier, start by testing the railings for lead paint. Follow the instructions on the lead test.
a. If the railing tests positive for lead paint, start by protecting the work area with tough, plastic drop clothes.
b. Wear a mask that is rated lead paint, gloves, and a protective coverall suit. Then, follow the additional steps below.
2 If the railings don’t test positive for lead, begin prepping the work area by placing drop cloths underneath the railings. This is a very messy job.
3. Using the metal scraper, scrape as much of the metal railings as possible to remove the rust and any peeling paint.
4. For non-flat surfaces that the metal scraper can’t reach, switch to a wire brush to remove the rest of the rust.
5. Once the bulk of the rust and peeling paint have been removed, clean up the surfaces with a dry scrubbing pad.
6. Lightly sand the metal railings with 150 grit sandpaper.
7. Wipe down the railings with a rag dampened with mineral spirits.
a. If the railings tested positive for lead paint, dispose of the drop cloths and the protective suits in a heavy duty trash bag.
b. Seal up the trash bag with duct tape. This can then be safely disposed of.
8. Pour the primer into the paint tray and then apply the primer to the railings using the paint roller. For hard-to-reach areas, switch to a paintbrush.
9. Allow the primer to dry.
10. Apply the DTM paint as a top coat using the same technique as before. Apply two coats.

Resources:
Mauro suggests that when disturbing any surface in a house, it’s important to test for lead. For this project, Mauro used Lead Check Instant Lead Test, which is manufactured by 3M (https://www.3m.com/).

The other materials Mauro used to prep the railing, including the scraper, wire brush, and sandpaper, can all be found at home centers.

To prime the railing, Mauro used Rusty Metal Primer, which is manufactured by Rust-oleum (https://www.rustoleum.com/). The final two coats of paint were Corotech High Performance acrylic gloss DTM paint in Black V330-80, which is manufactured by Benjamin Moore (https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us).

Expert assistance with this segment was provided by Mauro’s Painting (http://www.maurospainting.com/).

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How to Repaint a Rusty, Metal Hand Rail | Ask This Old House
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