Wrought iron railings are beautiful and last for decades, but they do need to be maintained.
Spot Rust Early
Every couple of years give your wrought iron railings a good once over. It’s usually easy to identify any early signs of rust around the base of any uprights, and at the joints where water may have accumulated.
Clean Before You Do Anything Else
Clean the area with a stiff wire brush to remove any loose rust and flaking paint. Next, use a degreaser or white spirit to clean the area to remove any dirt and grease. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the safe use of wire brushes and rust removers.
Prepare the Surface Properly
As well as removing any rust, you need to prepare the surface of any bare metal. Apply a rust converter, and once it has dried, use a wire brush to smooth out the surface. The next stage is to apply a metal primer for ferrous surfaces outdoors. Normal exterior masonry paint does not bond well with topcoat paint and would flake off within a season. A useful reference for Wrought Iron Railings is https://donkeywellforge.co.uk/what-we-make/wrought-iron-railings.
Choose the Right Topcoat
Wrought iron railings can be repainted with a direct-to-metal gloss or satin paint designed for outdoor ironwork. Oil-based or alkyd paint, in particular, will offer the best long-term corrosion resistance for wrought iron railings and is usually supplied as exterior masonry paint.
Check the Fixings
Pull each upright firmly and check the fixing to the wall and the base plates. Re-tighten any loose fixing bolts and re-point crumbling mortar with an exterior mortar mix before the water gets in and starts to weaken the fixing.
An annual check up and touch up of work is required to maintain the wrought iron railings.
