You can remove paint from iron railings.
Painted porch railings, subjected to all kinds of weather conditions, begin to show signs of age, wear, rust, peeling and flaking and require and need to have their paint removed. There are several methods used to remove paint, but chemical paint strippers are the most effective. The solvent-based chemical break the paint bond at the surface level making removal much less tedious.
Instructions
1. Fill a bucket with hot, soapy water and scrub the railings with a scrub brush to remove any chemical cleaners, pesticides or herbicides.
2. Allow the iron railings to dry completely.
3. Place a large tarp or several layers of newspaper under the iron porch railings to catch any drips of paint stripper. If you are using newspaper, tape it place with masking tape to keep it from moving.
4. Don gloves, respirator approved for solvent-based chemicals and safety goggles.
5. Apply the chemical paint stripper to the railings with a disposable paintbrush, sprayer or paint roller. Begin at the top of the railing and work your way down.
6. Allow the paint stripper to remain on the iron-railing surface as directed on the stripper can. Each brand requires a different amount of time to lift paint.
7. Scrape away paint with a paint scraper, wire brush or steel wool. Paint scrapers are more effective on flat, even surfaces; wire brushes are more effective on detailed or intricate railings; steel wool works well on very small patterns, cutouts and curvy railings. If paint layers remain, repeat the process for the prescribed amount of time and scrape or wire brush again.
8. Remove the tarp or newspapers.
9. Wash the railings with hot, soapy water and a scrub brush.
10. Rinse the railings several times to remove all traces of chemical paint stripper residue prior to painting.
Tags: paint stripper, chemical paint, railings with, amount time, chemical paint stripper
