# Rusty nails exterior claps



## seanpatrick (Jan 17, 2014)

Hey everyone, I have a question.

We painted a house a few years ago that had a lot of rusty nails on the exterior. The trim was fine, but pretty much every nail head on/in the claps was rusting. After sanding, we did a full coat of oil based primer, and then two coats of latex finish. 

By the next summer the rust was showing again. 

My question is basically this; What is the best way to stop the rust from showing? We gathered that the initial problem was the nails used to build the house, because it's the only house in the neighborhood with the issue (each house built by the same builder, around the same time). What methods have you guys used to solve a problem like this? And does it work?

Thanks guys, I plan on posting on here a lot from here on out. I've been working with my Uncle's company for about 10 years now and I'm in the process of maximizing his business. I've found a lot of the discussions on here to be very useful, and I plan on using this as a tool to perfect my approach in the future. 

-Sean


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I spot them with Rusty Metal primer then prime over that with Coverstain. Both products come in spray cans. 

I was looking at a building the other day where I did that on rusty nails in the trim. Going into its 4th year some of the rust is starting to come through a little. Other buildings in the compound done around the same time by another contractor have shown rust bleed almost from the beginning, so I assume the spot priming has helped. 

I have thought a great deal about this problem too, perhaps a rust converter would hold longer. Interested to hear other methods of dealing with this and how they work.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

The use of a rust-inhibitive primer is the common solution, but is basically a bandaid. This is another case where it takes a lot longer to fix than it would to do right the first time. The builders cut corners by either not using galvanized nails or using the cheapest electro-plated nails they could. The overall best solution is to swap out the nails for either hot-dipped galvanized siding nails (typically a 7d box, but bumping up to 8d is probably a good idea) or stainless steel. In coastal areas, where exposure to salt air is an issue. stainless would be the way to go.


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

Finished an old clapboard siding house last fall which had rusted nail heads and I sanded the rust off and spotted with two coats of bin shellac followed by a primer overall and two topcoats of Duration.SW claims that Duration applied over them will stop bleeding of the rust just in itself but believe me by my own personal experience it doesn't.


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## JasonF (May 26, 2010)

Not sure how many or the kind nails we are talking about but if it's realistic, I would tap them in with a nail punch and caulk or fill the holes with wood putty/spackle, then re-paint.

We did an exterior were the screen was stapled to the railing on the front porch (big porch). There were thousands of staples so instead of pulling them out and risking them breaking off into the wood, we installed a decorative piece of molding over the top of them. After caulking the molding at the seams, we painted the railing. Looked great and the customer was happy. :thumbsup:


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## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

Sometimes the nails used were galvanized and from painting prep and sanding the heads get sanded removing the galvanized coating and thus the rusting. Other times obviously, they are not galvanized nails.

As Jason mentioned, I believe the best solution is to countersink and fill, especially if the siding is to be painted a light color


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## squid (Dec 25, 2012)

Countersinking nails on an exterior can really raise hell with the walls on the inside. Don't ask me how I know that. If you do set them, I've found old school oil putty like dap 33 or bondo works best.


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## Steve Richards (Dec 31, 2010)

squid said:


> Countersinking nails on an exterior can really raise hell with the walls on the inside.


I got this thought of all the nails punching through the drywall on the inside.

Of course that wouldn't happen, but I still enjoyed it.


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## painterman (Jun 2, 2007)

as Neil says "Rust Never Sleeps"


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

squid said:


> Countersinking nails on an exterior can really raise hell with the walls on the inside. Don't ask me how I know that. If you do set them, I've found old school oil putty like dap 33 or bondo works best.


Or the crystal in the wall cabinet:whistling2:

Last summer, one house we worked on had such flimsy walls that we would hear the pictures on the other side of the wall swing back against the wall after each hammer strike.


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## squid (Dec 25, 2012)

Steve Richards said:


> I got this thought of all the nails punching through the drywall on the inside.
> 
> Of course that wouldn't happen, but I still enjoyed it.


 I got this thought of an urn on a mantle falling off and smashing on the floor and then the cat uses the ashes for it's litter box. Of course that only happens in the movies, but it would make for a good story.


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## Steve Richards (Dec 31, 2010)

I think I saw mine on a cartoon once.


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## JayLouis (Nov 16, 2016)

The worst thing you can do with a rusting nail head is counter sink the nail. It will still rust and the next time you will have to dig it out. Great quote "rust never sleeps". Remove the nail head! You can use the drill bit from Nail Head Gone, it is fast and you will never have to deal with it again. Install a stainless nail or screw if needed after head is removed.


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

JayLouis said:


> The worst thing you can do with a rusting nail head is counter sink the nail. It will still rust and the next time you will have to dig it out. Great quote "rust never sleeps". Remove the nail head! You can use the drill bit from Nail Head Gone, it is fast and you will never have to deal with it again. Install a stainless nail or screw if needed after head is removed.


So are you a professional painter or an entrepreneur trying to sell a bit?


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