Fence & Gate Painting - How to paint powder coated or wrought iron gates and fences
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A detailed guide on how to paint metal gates. In particular how to paint wrought iron gates and powder coated gates.It was written by a gate painting specialist with years of experience in the industry.
You take pride in keeping your home looking well maintained and painted on the inside and out but quite often we overlook the items that form the first impression of your home – your fences and gates.
Types of fences and gates
Fences and gates come in all sizes and varieties but we are specifically focusing on those metal gates and fence panels which front onto your street.
Wrought iron or steel gates and fences are generally solid metal and can be very ornate or very plain in design and varying in age from the mid 1900’s up to current date.
Modern tubular steel gates and fences are generally hollow in the centre and come in round, square or rectangular steel lengths.
Checking the coatings on our gates
Most metal gates and fences have been coated previously with a paint system of some description having been applied to protect against the onset of rust.
The older the gate/fence generally the more coats of paint have been applied with alkyd/enamel paints coated over a rust primer being the preferred choice in the past. Newer factory produced gates/fences will normally have been powdercoated in a factory and then delivered and installed at your property.
Take a look to see what condition your gates and fence panels are in !!
DIY Checklist for painting metal gates and fences
You will need to have high energy and patience to complete a painting project on metal fences and gates.
Preparation
Clean all metal surfaces – high pressure clean or scour all metal with sand paper or a scotchbrite scouring pad then clean off.
All rusted or corroded areas of metal need to be prepared with a wire brush, grinder with a wire wheel attachment or similar to remove the corrosion.
Treat any corrosion holes in the metal by filling with epoxy metal putty (2 part) which can be sanded smooth once dry.
To complete the preparation of rusted steel you should paint all affected areas with a rust converter which will assist in preventing further spread of rust to your gates or fences.
Painting Application Method
Now that your gates and fences are clean and prepared it is now time to select a paint coating system that suits you and also how you are going to apply the coatings. There are a few application methods to consider for tubular steel gates or heritage wrought iron gates/fences.
Brush and roller – The traditional way to paint ornate fences and gates for the DIY person. Make sure you purchase some mini roller frames and sleeves which will speed up the process.
Spraying – Airless or pot gun. Some DIY persons have experience spraying with an airless spray unit which can be hired or a pot gun with a compressor. Beware that you will need to do a lot of masking to surrounding areas, columns, footpath, vehicles etc from the overspray which will occur with this method. It is not a particularly environmental application method as you will lose about 50% of your paint into the atmosphere.
Electrostatic Spray Application – This is not a DIY option but there are specialist applicators who can efficiently prepare and spray your fence and gates with no overspray at all.
Paint Types
Please consult your paint supplier for specific product information. These are the recommendations from independent, experienced contractors.
Metal Fence/Gate previously painted with Enamel
Suggested painting system is Metal Frame - Full Coat Enamel - Finish Coat
or
Two Pack Erethane (Electrostatic non-DIY system)
Metal Fence/Gate previously painted in Acrylic (Rare)
Suggested system is to apply Acrylic.
Metal Fence/Gate that has been previously Powder Coated
Suggested System is a Two Pack Urethane (Electrostatic non-DIY System)
or
You could use Acrylic, however this is not recommended.
Tackling the Project
It is important with any project to get a good result and that your metal gates and fences are not a victim of poor preparation or the wrong coating system. Metal surfaces out in the weather will deteriorate much faster than other surfaces so take your time, prepare it well and complete it in sections to gain a sense of achievement.
But, if the project is too large and daunting, call in the electrostatic professionals to complete it for you The paint systems, preparation techniques and spray technology may well be worth paying the money and seeing the front of your property gleaming and new again.
Information supplied by specialist metal painter
This information has been supplied by Ransburg Electro Painters Australia.
To view their details, please head to http://www.servicecentral.com.au/business/ransburg-electro-painters-australia-knoxfield/
Service Central recommends that you hire a Professional
Painting metal fencing and gates can add tremendous value to your property. It takes an old looking fence or gate and brings it back to life. Given this, we strong recommend hiring a professional metal painter.
The easy way to find local metal painters is to head to the Get Quotes form and fill it out. That way local pre-qualified metal painters such as Ransburg will be in contact with you to compete for your work.
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