# Railings throughout an apartment complex



## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

Hey all I am bidding railing on an apartment complex. The property is only a couple years old and all the enamel coating on all the railings throughout the complex has failed. It is peeling in spots and more than peeling it is rusting where the coating has failed. It is not a lot of rust, just the start so it is able to be caught and with the right prep turned into what it should have been 2 yrs ago.

My plan was to use a d/a sander and my compressor to go over all the sides (2"X2" tubular steel) to knock off old paint and give the primer/paint that stays a tooth for the new coating to bite into. I was also thinking of using a wire disc on an angle grinder to remove the spots that are rusted. Use Chem Chromic (rust inhibiting alkyd primer from SW) and top coat with an industrial enamel.

Sound good to you guys? Is there anything different you would do? Any other tips? Would the D/A not be good in this instance?


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Nope!


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

Sounds like they painted over dirty/rusty/oily metal to begin with. 

Is it failing only in the rusty areas or all over? (rust or not)

You can either use the wire wheel or Rust Arrestor from Insul-x. Rust arrestor turns the corrosion into a black paintable surface. have used it on a couple of steel building with great success.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

in spots, but there is alot. The general thought was that the original prime (red tenemec) wasn't prepped for paint and they just painted over whatever to get it done fast. So no not all spots, but where there is some rust (1/32"-1/16th" thick) < not really that "bad" yet but if not fixed this year it is toast. SO no not all spots are bad. I spoke with the SW rep and he went out and took a look at it after I explained what I wanted to do. He said that it sounded right, that I would definately have to take the rust off before I used the Chem Chromic on it. But I also wanted to feather the layers and thought fixing the flats with a D/A would be the quickest/best way to do this. I know that on 2X2 steel the center sits a little flatter in areas than the corners. Was really just trying to kick around some ideas. The maintenance guy wanted to sand blast the railings!! LOL


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

whats d/a? not familiar with the acronym. I'm a hack I guess.

good luck with the project.

btw what kind of grinding tools do you use again?


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## TooledUp (May 17, 2008)

The wire attachment to a drill sounds good. You will only be able to guarantee it if you were to strip the whole lot back though. If you guaranteed the bits that you wire down and prime then they could still fail due to the future peeling of the existing coating.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

TJ Paint said:


> whats d/a? not familiar with the acronym. I'm a hack I guess.
> 
> good luck with the project.
> 
> btw what kind of grinding tools do you use again?












D/A sander (dual action) sander 










the top two of this are angle grinders, the other one is too.. but.. I won't be using one, at least I don't think I will. These are pnuematic grinders, I will probably use a corded one. I was trying to show a wire wheel and this had a couple in them.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

not to mention that there could be rust undetected hidden that could work its way out. I don't guarantee any ext work no more. too many variables out of my control.

I looked at this HO house and he told me there was no vapor barrier under the siding, then he asked if I would guarantee the paint job.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

well I plan on doing a once over on the whole section. Not just spot hitting it, that is where the d/a comes in. Believe me it will route out the rust. I will coat the whole rail with the chem chromic primer then topcoat.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

sounds good. is your d/a air or electric?


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

air. That is why I would love to do them with air grinders, but money is an issue right now. Would probably start with the corded and then after paid get an air grinder.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

u think a portable compressor has enough capacity?


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

yep. I have been using mine for quite some time. It lags every so often, I give it a rest and let it build.. there are plenty of things to do during that time.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

hack.


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## SWGuy (Jun 26, 2009)

I would strongly recommend using a Urethane topcoat instead of an enamel. An enamel will quickly fade and lose it gloss. Kem Kromik is a great choice for a primer. I would recommend SW Acrolon 218 as a great Urethane topcoat.


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## scholarlypainting (Sep 30, 2008)

anyone use chassis saver? i know its an automotive grade but if the goal is a gloss black rust prevention.. then that stuff will work.. we use it on the DOT plow oil pans..


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

SWGuy said:


> I would strongly recommend using a Urethane topcoat instead of an enamel. An enamel will quickly fade and lose it gloss. Kem Kromik is a great choice for a primer. I would recommend SW Acrolon 218 as a great Urethane topcoat.


Yeah I didn't know how to spell it  BUT they are buying the paint, so it is what they come up with. I will be spreading what ever they want on. I can make a recommendation. I'll have to call the SW rep again tomorrow and ask. I'll let you know though.



scholarlypainting said:


> anyone use chassis saver? i know its an automotive grade but if the goal is a gloss black rust prevention.. then that stuff will work.. we use it on the DOT plow oil pans..


Sooo.. where does one purchase this?


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## scholarlypainting (Sep 30, 2008)

ebay got it..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chas...et-Paint-_W0QQitemZ270414633154QQcmdZViewItem

sherwin williams might have it, gotta call around thou

http://www.magnetpaints.com/


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

oh so an epoxy?


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

enamel won't fade bad unless its alkyd/oil. Idk what topcoat is spec


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## scholarlypainting (Sep 30, 2008)

ehhh yes and no.. there no mixing or hardners.. its a urethane


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

oh. Okay. I have seen different coatings go on underbodies and frames.. I don't think that type of product would work in this application. Not time/material smart in this instance. It will be pushing it with what I want/need to do anyway.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Hey use this on the rusted railings. Looks like its "surface tolerant" as far as tightly adhered rust goes. You might not have to prep as much.

http://corporateportal.ppg.com/NR/rdonlyres/41C02A71-EC89-4507-BAB4-4BDE94A78B67/0/dtrrapidcoat.pdf

Just a thought. Looks like I need to use this under the pitthane atm job


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

yup, DTR is good stuff. I used it on some "Rot" iron and its doing way better than anything else would have.


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

worried that if you put it over poorly adhering paint it will lift large areas though.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

tsunamicontract said:


> worried that if you put it over poorly adhering paint it will lift large areas though.


Yeah, prolly would. I think thats the "minimal surface prep requirement" they speak of in the data sheet


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## LOSTinDETAILS (Jun 17, 2009)

nEighter said:


> yep. I have been using mine for quite some time. It lags every so often, I give it a rest and let it build.. there are plenty of things to do during that time.


must be a big portable compressor because the D/A consumes the most air of any tools I have used on mine. In fact I ruined my first compressor with one...It needed new valves afterward from having to constantly run to keep up.

Good luck with your project. It looks to me you have a good plan of action. :yes:


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## summertime14 (May 4, 2009)

I use Phosporic acid to neutralize the rust. Then a coat of Devoe or ICI Mirrolac Rust Penetrating Primer. Then a topcoat of a urethane fortified enamel.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

would go that route, but the complex gets their paint from SW. + they won't return my calls... I have wrote them off.


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