# Rusty Steel Stairs



## SPI Guy

Hey guys,
I'm bidding an apartment complex that has steel stairs and concrete steps. The steel is rusting, badly on some sides. I want to give them a good better best price structure so they can decide how much money to spend. I was thinking of
good enough: light prep on rust, power wash, DTM 5yr
better: good prep with rust, power wash, WB Epoxy 10yr
best: chor-rid, power wash, total rust encapsulation and 2 part aliphatic 
urethane 15yr

There are 18 3 story buildings plus club house with pretty fence around the pool. Any thoughts, suggestions?


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## mustangmike3789

Are you serious? What do you consider "good"? None of the painting systems and prep work that you speak of will last anywhere near those times that you have given. Why are you using Chlo-rid?


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## MrPaint

I agree with mustangmike, you are really going out on a limb here by taking on a liability that is not yours to bear. Bring in a coatings manufacturer, you didn't engineer, test or make the paint so don't assume you can make a judgement on it's longevity. Have the paint manufacturer write you three work scopes/specifications (good/better/best) based on their coatings performance and have them attach their warranty with it. I will almost guarantee the longest warranty you'll get is 3 years and that's with their best system. Even if you get a 3 year warranty, expect it to be tiered, 1st year 10% failure is acceptable, 2nd year 15% failure is acceptable, 3rd year 25% failure is acceptable. It's not because the coating won't last 3 years but because the environment you described is a surface prep nightmare and they'll be on the hook if your guys miss anything! I generalized "failure" in my description above, when in reality it will most likely be rust weep, crevice corrosion etc.


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## ewingpainting.net

I have yet to see a paint manufacture guarantee industrial costings


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## RH

You're looking at this the wrong way. I've never seen an apartment complex value longevity over the bottom line. I can pretty much promise they'll laugh at your "15 year" price. Besides their entire staff will be different in a couple of years.

Scrape the failure, tack with spirits, spot prime rust and toss your favorite exterior enamel on it, no warranty.

The best part is you'll get to do it again in two or three years


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## MrPaint

"I have yet to see a paint manufacture guarantee industrial coatings"

Warranties are not uncommon in an industrial setting, I would say maybe 5% of projects are warranted by coatings manufacturers. I can only remember doing one in a commercial environment and it was a nightmare for the manufacturer I worked for.


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## sendit6

Property mgmt. is usually after the lowest priced band-aid. 

Give everything a good once-over via hand scraping.

Prime everything twice with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer. The bad spots get a third.

Finish with an alkyd.

Fin.


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## hired gun

I wouldnt gaurantee ANY coating by any manufacturer on rusted metal! The rust once started will spread underneath pretty much any coating your gonna find. True best practice would be media blast and prime but as previous posters have stated they wont pay for it. So spot fix prime and paint "as is " 
no warranty. Easy and every one happy.


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## caulktheline

I like knocking the scale off and spraying ospho on it. Turns the iron oxide into iron phosphate. Wait 24 hours, and put some rus-kil or rustoleum on it.


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