Painted Railings
As most do-it-yourself homeowners know, iron porch railings are extremely difficult to remove paint from. There are many small areas that are hard to reach, and if you can reach them, there are so many of them that it would be impossible to complete the job. Luckily, there are a few quick methods of paint removal that will make the job a little easier.
Heat
Use a heat gun or small propane torch to heat the paint. Applying heat to metal will cause the paint to flake. You can easily remove the paint with a wire brush or scraper thereafter. Don't heat one area too long, and keep the heat moving over the surface. Always check the paint on the old railings for lead. You can purchase a lead detection kit at your local hardware store. Never heat up paint that has lead; the fumes are dangerous.
Pressure Washing
Remove old paint from an iron porch railing using a pressure washer. The pressure washer should be at least a 2000-psi pressure washer. the pressure washer will come with various colored tips that insert into the end of the pressure washing wand. Use the green, yellow, or white tips, and never use the red tip--the red tip could damage surrounding areas.
Abrasive Blasting
One of the most effective ways to remove paint from iron porch railing involves abrasive blasting. You can purchase or rent a small hand-held abrasive blaster from your local tool rental store or hardware store. The abrasive blaster will remove the smallest areas of paint and leave a shiny finish. It will also roughen the surface, which will provide for good adhesion of the new paint. You can use a number of different abrasive materials, such as glass beads, walnut shells, and sand. Always wear eye goggles and a dust mask.
Tags: pressure washer, iron porch, remove paint, abrasive blaster, from iron porch, hardware store, heat paint