What You Need To Know Before Painting Metal in Ottawa, Ontario

Refurbishing metal involves following a special procedure if obtaining a high-quality result is the goal.
To achieve a job that meets your expectations and will not require any retouching shortly, here are the steps to follow when painting a metal surface or object.

Painting metal: a step-by-step guide

Removing rust: the preliminary step to painting the metal

First and foremost, remove rust from the metal surface. To remove this, you have a choice between several techniques, which are chemical or manual.

Regardless of the technique chosen, keep in mind that rust often spreads from the edges of an object and the solder joints, so special attention should be paid to these areas.
If you are lucky and your structure is already rust-free, you can already move on to step two.
If the structure is, on the contrary, very rusty, consider separating its various components to work more at your ease.

Manual Techniques for Removing Rust

The manual technique involves scrubbing the metal surface with a manual or electric wire brush, a file (manual or electric), sandpaper, or a grinder with a saucer brush.
If the weld marks come out, insist on this section until a smooth surface is obtained.

You could also remove the rust with a brass or glass brush. Another trick would be to rub the metal with a simple aluminum foil (not using the shiny side).
However, it will take a little more patience to remove all the rust with this technique.

If the metal surface is completely rusted and you need to work quickly, it is possible to heat the surface using a blow torch or heat gun. The heat will cause the paint to blister, and it will be much easier to remove it with a wire brush.

Chemical techniques to get rid of rust

These techniques involve using a chemical liquid to destroy the rust. Several options are available regarding the type of product used, although phosphoric acid is often a priority choice.
You can apply it with a brush or by dipping the object directly into the product if it is small.
To avoid a burn, protect yourself adequately with gloves, protective glasses, and a mask.

Still among the ranks of chemical techniques, using an oven cleaner is of great help in removing rust.
Just spray the product on a cloth and apply it to the rusty surface. Wait about a minute, wipe and rinse

A Primer for Painting Metal: Yes Or No?

To properly prepare the surface for the primer’s application, always run a damp sponge over the metal and dry the surface carefully with a cloth.
Now is the time to apply an undercoat (primer) to allow the paint to properly adhere to the surface.
As a guideline, a zinc chromate based rust inhibitor is a good choice.
Note that if your surface is aluminum, no primer is required.
Also, it should be mentioned that some brands of paint do not require the application of an undercoat, so it is essential to check with the manufacturer for this purpose.
Also, certain types of primers may be incompatible with the paint chosen, so it is important to be vigilant in this regard.

Applying Paint to Metal

Now apply the paint of your choice to the metal surface. To optimize the adhesion of the paint to the metal, prioritize acrylic paint.
This will penetrate quickly, in addition to being able to effectively mask the small imperfections which would remain following the removal of the rust.

When purchasing your paint, you will have the choice between a matte, satin, or gloss finish.
To make the best choice, remember that the higher the paint’s gloss level, the longer the paint will take to dry.
Fingerprints will also be more visible on paint with a gloss finish than on paint with a matte finish.

Need Help With That?

If you need help choosing the type of paint and painting metal surface in Ottawa, Ontario, our team at Millers Painting Company can help.

We offer free paint consultancy alongside high-quality residential and commercial painting services in Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, and Westboro areas of Ottawa, Ontario.

To get started with us, book a FREE estimate or call us on 613-979-5435.