"john" wrote in message
...
Hello.. Could someone recommend the best way for me to paint this
metal railing by my front door ? I have a picture of it here -

http://www.newjerseyweather.com/metal-railing.jpg

As you can see the paint is already crumbling off from last year's
coating... Yes, I actually had it looking good last year.

I asked my dad and other friends...and most people seem to have the
same problem... Its so hard to keep a good coating of paint on these
types of railing.. Its such a pain in the butt to paint too. I used
a brush last year.

Any recommendations on types of paint and methods to use would be much
appreciated.

That looks like better quality, heavier gauge than what you can get now
without being custom made. A lot of the big box stores have gone to
aluminum and there's always iron pipe which so many around here use.
I've been paying attention because I need new ones. Menard's uses
Gilpin Iron Works I was told, looked them up on the web.

I think the other posters gave you good advice. Rather than multiple
coats of paint, they are still likely to chip, so my approach would be
to get as much of the old off as you can, go over the rusty areas with
steel wool, rinse well with hose and let dry, prime with Rustoleum, and
one, possibly two finish coats. You can always touch them up as they
are likely to chip, prime the chipped area and paint before it rusts, no
matter what you do. Maybe six coats of paint would inhibit that, but
who wants to mess with six coats? Spray gives a neater finish, but I'd
use a brush because it wastes less paint and you don't have to set up a
"spray booth" in front. That info was good in case you do want to spray
something outside though.

My inclination would not be to remove the rails or you might have
trouble bolting them back in.


thanks much,

John