Spiral staircase restoration - rust!

Helvetica · 15 Oct 2013

Hi folks, first post in the metal section I hope you have some advise for me!

My dad had ad this spiral staircase in his back yard for a couple of years. The rust seems to be surface only, I can't see any holes in the structure. What would be the best method to remove rust? I was thinking of a steel brush head on a cord drill to remove flaking paint first, then painting 'kurust'all over, followed by a hammerite coat or two. Obviously I need to remove the wood steps and their nuts & bolts first. Cheers, Paul

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Jamesc · 15 Oct 2013

I appreciate its probably not quite the answer you are looking for but were it me I woul be leafing through the yellow pages for a local shot blasting firm. I have found them very reasonable and the job they do is superb. If you can get them to put a coat of primer on as things tend to flas rust after blasting.

Failing that it is old clothes (think throw away when fitted, Heavy gloves and a decent wire brush in a drill or better still an angle grinder. Do it somewhere well away from the house that is easy to clear up/you don't care about as there will be a lot of mess.

Sorry if I sound negative, I've followed both routes in the past and whilst the DIY route is very satisfying and aguably cheaper (you will get through a few wire brushes though). IMHO the shot blasting does a better job and somone else gets the clean up.

Regards

James

Andrewf · 15 Oct 2013

I personally would go the blasting route. Using a wire brush will clean the rust and paint. But the surface profile is not so good and the paint doesn't stick as well. Also wire brushing can leave rust and paint in any pits or dents. Which can lead to the rust coming back.

Spindle · 15 Oct 2013

Hi

A steel wire cup brush on an angle grinder will make reasonably easy work of that - do it in sections and apply primer / red lead to all exposed metal at the end of each session.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=wire+c ... fp&iscqry=

Regards Mick

t8hants · 15 Oct 2013

two ways of doing the job.
The first wire. cup brush on an angle grinder as suggested work small areas and put on a good quality red-oxide primer immediately you have worked over an area to seal out damp. Red oxide is porus so it will only buy you a short time before you must apply a gloss coat.

Second long term cure is to get it shot blasted, zinc sprayed, and primed. You may consider hot dip galvanizing, but it may be too far gone for the acid dip to fully kill the rust, and you MUST know how to vent all sealed sections and gas traps. Galvanizing was at was £1.40 per kilo of the finished item last time I looked.

G