Wrought iron can last a lifetime but it does need maintenance on a regular basis. It is susceptible to rusting that over time can destroy the material, rendering it weak and unusable. The following steps will help you to restore anything you have made from wrought iron.
Wrought Iron Restoration Process
- Firstly take a dry wire brush and scrub the wrought iron to remove any flaking or rust that is loose.
- Take a dry paintbrush and do over the wrought iron so tiny flakes of rust or dirt are removed.
- Use sandpaper to remove rust further as well as any loose paint or flaking. Start with coarse grit sandpaper and then move to medium grit.
- Grab a bucket and mix commercial rust remover and water. Follow the instructions on the bottle of remover to obtain the right mix.
- Take a wire brush and dip it into the solution. Then scrub the remaining sports with the solution using a circular motion. Make sure you remove the entire rust. Even a small spot left will spread and grow in the future.
- Use a paintbrush to remove the remaining rust residue. Take a fine steelwool pad and once again clean in circular motions restoring the appearance of the iron.
- Get a sponge and wet it with plain water. Then use the sponge to wipe the wrought iron removing further residue.
- Let the surface dry.
- Apply a coating of rust primer to the wrought iron and allow it to completely dry.
- Apply two coats of rust resistant paint. Use small and medium strokes with a medium-sized paintbrush.
- Let the paint dry fully between coats.
- If you do not want to repaint the entire wrought iron structure, just touch it up with paint that matches.
