Prepping iron for painting?

[MilesA]

Our house has a fancy Edwardian iron eternal staircase. It was last painted about 20 years ago and seriously needs doing again. 

Removing all the flaking paint with a blunt chisel and sandpaper will take an age. I am sure there is some suitable attachment for my drill or angle grinder that can quickly remove all this flaky stuff. Any suggestions before I start searching the internet?

We are not talking a concours finish; just the need to get the next protective layer of paint on it.

Thanks

Miles

[RogerH]

Needle gun (https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cat84-pistol-grip-needle-scaler-hammer/)

Grit blasting

Elbow grease

I also find that wood chisels scrape paint very well

Bondaprimer or one of the Metal paints from Wickes etc  https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Metal-Paint-Smooth-Finish-Satin-Black-750ml/p/214321

When you paint it,  start at the top 

Roger

Edited May 5, 2021 by RogerH

[Charlie D]

Miles,

If it is really fancy then I would guess its cast iron with lots of non-flat surfaces. The only 100% successful way would be sand/grit blasting. (Then the neighbors will never talk to you again.)

Can it be dismantled and taken away to a sand blasting yard?

Also, if it’s Edwardian it might have 101 coats of paint, which will be a sod to remove manually.

 

Possibly lead based paint, so wear a mask and keep your sandwiches wrapped up.

 

Charlie

Edited May 5, 2021 by Charlie D

[Tony_C]

Wire brush all the loose flakey stuff off and paint directly with ‘Hammerite’ and or similar Lidl etc cheaper alternative...... Then stand back and admire! - Not ‘concours’ but quick and effective 

 

Will look great (if not been done for 20 years)

 

Tony

[Hamish]

Miles

i would use a scraper  and wire brush to  get the flakiest off then rough it all with a grit paper then wipe down with a spirit / panel wipe then go straight to a one coat metal paint like hammerite or the lidl aldi type and be generous in the rough areas.. so plenty of dust / drip sheets.

 

easier if its black- what colour do you need to do?

[Misfit]

I had wrought iron railings which had serious rust under paint. I used. 
 

BLACK+DECKER 350 W Electric Powerfile Sander , KA900E-GB and bought

Aluminum Oxide Sanding Belts, 13x457MM Sanding Belt. for polishing Metal, Wood. 6 Grains Each 6x40 80/120 grade sanding belt Set, for Belt Sander (30 Pieces).

It worked a treat smooth finish . Painted with red oxide paint then black Hammerite, other colours available still good.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Misfit

[MilesA]

Thanks Chaps

Always up for a new tool Roger but no airline alas. Sandblasting in situ or offsite not an option. I really just want to tidy it up and get another protective coat of black paint on it.

Miles

[DavidBee]

On 5/5/2021 at 1:14 PM, Tony_C said:

Wire brush all the loose flakey stuff off and paint directly with ‘Hammerite’ and or similar Lidl etc cheaper alternative...... Then stand back and admire! - Not ‘concours’ but quick and effective 

 

Will look great (if not been done for 20 years)

 

Tony

+1 I have used a B&D old drill on low setting speed with wire brush drill bits. You can get ones in small or larger wheel shapes, as well as thin or fat wire brushes. For the flaking layers a scraper or chisel

[Peter Cobbold]

On 5/5/2021 at 9:40 AM, MilesA said:

Our house has a fancy Edwardian iron eternal staircase. It was last painted about 20 years ago and seriously needs doing again. 

Removing all the flaking paint with a blunt chisel and sandpaper will take an age. I am sure there is some suitable attachment for my drill or angle grinder that can quickly remove all this flaky stuff. Any suggestions before I start searching the internet?

We are not talking a concours finish; just the need to get the next protective layer of paint on it.

Thanks

Miles

Miles, It's eternal, a little rust wont shorten its life   Peter