All outside metal work, including railings, is susceptible to weather. The greatest defense against rust and degradation for railings is routine maintenance and painting. The metal railings will last longer if you paint them once every few years to save expensive replacements. So, willing to know the Easiest Way to Paint Railings?
Although railing painting seems like a challenging task, it is not as challenging as we figure out. This task is associated with some simple steps like cleaning, sanding, priming, and painting. All you have to do is get the best tools and supplies and follow those processes and get the job done.
While knowing the proper process to paint railings is the best practice, I’m here to help you. Now I’ll go through all the easy steps to paint railings. I’ll also suggest you perfect tools and supplies that will help you to get the best tools and supplies. So, continue browsing and get this task done easily.
Why should you paint railings?
Is it necessary to paint my railing? YES! You should paint your railing with the best paint supplies. So, why is it essential to paint railings? We all know that railings are mainly made of metal, and metal has more prone to rust. Rust can damage overall longevity of your metal railings over time.
Not only this but metal railings can also get damaged in adverse weather conditions. Painting railings is one and only way to protect railings from these kinds of damage. Paint provides a durable, long-lasting, and protective coating over the railing’s surface and protects them from rust, and ensures more longevity. So, you should paint your railings immediately.
What type of paint is best for Railings?
Are you seeking the best paint for metal railing but don’t sure which type of paint you should go for? There are mainly two types of paint available; Regular paint and Spray paint. Both these two paints are perfect for painting railings. However, Regular brush paint is a bit more challenging than Spray paint in terms of useability.
Regular paint and Spray paint are also available in different types, including water-based, oil-based, acrylic, enamel, and much more. So, which type of paint you should go for mainly depend on where you are going to paint. If you are going to paint exterior railings, you have to choose the best exterior paint for metal railings. Oil-based acrylic paint is best for outdoor use.
On the other hand, if you are going to paint indoor railings, indoor paints are the ways to go through. Water-based paint is the best option in terms of indoor paints because these paints come with less odor, super-fast drying time, and are more flexible.
Recommended Tools and Supplies
Steel Brush: Warner Stainless Steel Stripper Brush
Sandpaper: Dura-Gold Premium Longboard Sandpaper
Primer: Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Plus Primer Spray
Spray Paint: Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Metallic Spray Paint
Regular paint: Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Brush on Paint [Alternatives]
Easiest way to paint Railings
Let’s take a look at the step-by-step procedures on the easiest way to paint railings. These step-by-step processes can help you to paint your railings easily as well as quickly.
Step-01: Eliminate old flaking paint using brushes
If you are going to repaint your railings, then this step is much essential. The old paint coating may peel or even loosen over time. So, you need to eliminate this old loosened or flaking paint layers before repainting your railings.
This is significant since if the railings are not cleansed of loose rust and shoddy paint, the paintwork won’t adhere to the old paint and preserve the metal. You can clean this loose paint using a steel brush. Scrub the railing by applying high pressure to the brush and then wipe with a cloth.
Step-02: Railing Sanding
Scrapping your railings with a steel brush is a great decision to remove old loose paint parts; however, it is not a good deal to remove rust. So, you should use sandpaper to remove rust from the railing surfaces. Sanding your railing will also help you to eliminate all the old paint.
Use medium-grade sandpaper to smooth off the residual metal surface and remove any residual old paint. You can use 150 or 180-grade sandpaper to get this job done. You should scrub the mostly rusty area of your railings with this sandpaper applying more pressure.
Step-03: Wipe down properly
After scrubbing the railings with sandpaper, you now have to wipe down all the dirt and particles from the surface. You can use a clean cloth to wipe the railing. However, oily or greasy particles can gather over a railing’s surface. So, you should also take steps to remove grease as well as grime.
Hot soapy water is a perfect solution to eliminate grease particles from any surfaces. So, take hot water to a pot, mix soap or detergent with hot water, and then mix them well to make a solution. Take a brush or a cloth, dampen it with this solution and scrub the railings with this cloth. The greasy particles should be removed now. Wipe down railings with clean water and a cloth and let them dry.
Step-04: Prep for Painting
Before painting railings, you should do some preparation to apply paint. If you find any damage to your railings, you should repair it before painting. You should also cover those parts where you would not like to apply paint. So, get masking tape and cover those areas using this tape.
You should also cover some areas around your railings. This is because paint can stick to objects in those areas when painting, which can be frustrating. To safeguard the plants, put up some huge cardboard sheets behind the railings. After ensuring these protections, now follow the further steps to paint railings.
Step-05: Prime the Railings
Now that the metal railing has been prepped, you should now apply primer to your railings. The best kind of primer to use is one that inhibits corrosion. Use a spray primer to cover the area quickly and even more efficiently because it leaves no brush strokes.
Keep the spray tip six inches away from the surface and spray the primer parallel to the railing’s line. Apply in a continuous motion as well until the entire surface is coated. To prime difficult-to-reach regions or tricky edges, you can use an angled paintbrush to reach those areas. Now leave the railings for at least 30 minutes to completely dry.
Step-06: Apply Paint
After the prime drying completely, now your railing is ready to paint. No matter what type of paint you are going to use, spray paint or brush paint, you should apply a thin coat of paint. If you are going to use regular brush paint, then you should get an angled paintbrush. This type of brush will help you to reach difficult-to-reach areas. Apply a thin coat of paint over the railing’s surfaces.
Wait at least 1 hour or until this first layer of paint dry completely. When the first coat of paint is completely dry, you can proceed to apply the second layer. Apply a thick layer of paint over the first layer and let it dry. Oh Yeah! You have done the job successfully.
