Iron beds work well in country-style homes.
An iron bed lends a nostalgic charm to a bedroom. Many people choose to paint iron beds to change the color or as part of a restoration process. If you have a vintage or antique bed, you may wish to cover lead paint. Before its use was banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1977, paint routinely contained lead. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove the iron headboard and footboard from the bed frame.
2. Bring the headboard and footboard, and the bed frame if you wish to paint that as well, outdoors. Or set up the pieces in a well-ventilated garage with the doors and windows open. Spread a drop cloth to protect the garage floor or other work surface. Set up a stack of cardboard boxes filled with heavy items in the center of the drop cloth. The boxes should be at least the width and height of the headboard or larger.
3. Wipe the iron pieces with a dry cleaning cloth. If they are heavily soiled, mix some dish-washing liquid and warm water in a bucket. Dip a scrub brush into the soapy solution and clean all the surfaces. Rinse them with clean water and allow to dry.
4. Rub fine-grit sandpaper over the surfaces if you are simply repainting. Use a medium-grit sandpaper if there are paint chips or rust spots. For heavy rust, apply a naval jelly according to manufacturer's directions and wipe it off after the prescribed time.
5. Prop the metal frame against the wall of the garage or set it aside if working outdoors. Set the headboard against one side of the boxes and the footboard against the opposite side. Use a spray primer formulated for metals. Spray the iron headboard. Start at the top and work your way to the bottom. Spray the footboard in the same fashion. Allow time for the primer to dry thoroughly according to the directions on the can.
6. Turn the headboard and footboard over to the other side and spray them with the primer. Let the primer dry.
7. Apply a light coat of spray paint formulated for metals to one side of the headboard. Repeat with the footboard. Allow to dry thoroughly.
8. Turn the headboard and footboard to the other side and spray-paint them. Let the paint dry. Add more light coats of paint, allowing to dry between each coat, until you achieve the coverage you desire.
9. Remove the headboard and footboard from the area. If you wish to paint the metal bed frame, prop it against the boxes. Follow the procedures for applying primer and spray paint, turning the frame to finish the other side.
Tags: headboard footboard, other side, drop cloth, footboard from, formulated metals, headboard footboard from, iron headboard