Ornately designed and restored old wrought iron gate.
Old wrought iron furniture is beautiful and elegant. It was cast from hand-carved molds, and bent into graceful curves with ornate designs and patterns. Many different types of furniture items are made from wrought iron. The workmanship of old wrought iron is far superior to today’s mass marketed wrought iron furniture. Over time, the paint will chip, peel or fade. It is easy to care for wrought iron furniture by restoring the pieces back to their original glory, then maintaining the furniture once restored. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove finish on rusted old wrought iron. Put on safety goggles, a dust mask and disposable gloves. Sandblast wrought iron with an electric sander for large pieces of furniture, or sand by hand with 320-grit sandpaper on smaller pieces. Sand down to the metal, removing all old layers or rust, grime or old paint. Remove dust with a tack cloth or clean paintbrush.
2. Remove old layers of surface paint with a chemical paint stripper. Apply the chemical stripping agent over the paint with a paint brush, in even strokes. Wait for the chemical stripping agent to oxidize. Look for surface bubbling. Take a putty knife or scraping tool, and scrape the old paint off. Sand lightly with 320-grit sandpaper to remove leftover stripping agent, and to ready the surface for further care. Remove metal dust with a clean paint brush.
3. Apply primer to the furniture to prepare it for painting. Choose primer that is waterproof and rust resistant.
4. Paint furniture with paint made for wrought iron furniture. Do not use paint made for wood furniture, as it won’t last as long as metal paint, and may not set or dry well on the surface of the metal. Apply paint with a clean paintbrush. Let the first coat dry and apply a second coat. Use an eco-friendly metal spray paint for faster paint jobs. Spray paint made for metal goes on quickly, with a more even finish. Spray with spray paint outside, or if inside, make sure to properly ventilate by opening all windows.
5. Apply two coats of clear polyurethane finish over paint or spray paint after it is completely dry. Polyurethane will coat the wrought iron, and prevent paint from peeling. Use a brand made for metal furniture, and one that is also waterproof.
6. Clean wrought iron furniture every few months with a rust-resistant metal polish and a soft cloth to maintain the furniture and prevent future damage. Keep outdoor wrought iron furniture under cover, so that rain does not directly come into contact with the furniture.
Tags: wrought iron, iron furniture, wrought iron furniture, paint made, paint with
