Wrought Iron Rust Removal

Wrought Iron Rust Removal

Wrought iron is typically defined as iron that has a very low carbon content, and it is extremely common in outdoor furniture, landscaping elements and fencing. Wrought iron is prone to rust. If you wish to restore older wrought iron furnishings or simply make a wrought iron item look like new, rust removal is a very high priority. Does this Spark an idea?

Inspection

Wrought iron is usually fairly tough, but if it is an older piece, you may consider having a professional take care of it. If the piece is extremely delicate or if you think that it might have value as an antique, handle it very carefully. When you inspect the piece of wrought iron that you want to treat, look for all the rust spots that are on it. Remember that rust will get under areas that have been painted over if there is a crack in the paint.

Tools

Though removing rust from wrought iron can be tiring, the tools for the process are fairly straightforward. You will need sandpaper, a wire brush, steel wool, some water and rust inhibitor to start with. If you are dealing with a painted piece of wrought iron, you will also need a paint brush and matching paint if you want to preserve the paint rather than simply stripping it away.

Removing Rust

Use your sandpaper to rub away the rust. In most cases, 80- or 60-grit sandpaper will do to begin with. This coarse-grained sandpaper will allow you to get the worst of the rust off. For spots where the rust is particularly bad, use the wire brush. Remember that the wire brush can scratch off paint, though, so be careful if you are using it near paint that you want to preserve. After you have gotten the worst of the rust off, finish off the surface with some medium-grit sandpaper such as 120-grit or 160-grit.

Finishing

When you have removed all the rust, use the steel wool to buff the iron back to the shape that it was in previously. Steel wool can smooth out any scratches that were made by the sandpaper and the wire brush. Rinse the area with water and allow it to dry. Apply the rust inhibitor. Rust inhibitor will also act as a primer for enamel paint, so after the rust inhibitor dries, you can proceed to paint the area as well, if you wish to do so.

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