Category: Paint Shop Essential
7 Easy steps to paint metal surfaces
Applying a coat of paint is a quick and easy method to extend the life of metal surfaces. However, painting metal surfaces require a specific technique and most importantly the correct choice of paint, Doing so will help to extend the life of the metal surface and ensure that it is protected and looks at its best for many years.
Follow this guide to painting metal surfaces the right way.
Preparation for painting metal surfaces
Refurbishing your home’s metal surfaces is much cheaper than replacing them, The cost of new Metal gates and fences, steel windows, etc might make you want to dip your paintbrush in, but you must be prepared to do a good job. Here are some tips for preparing the metal surface.
Choose the suitable primer.
Choosing a primer can be challenging. You have to consider the surface condition of your metal as well as the type of metal you intend to paint. Some surfaces are in good condition and only require one primer coat, while others require two coats. Some can be painted using direct-to-metal paints that offer a primer and top coat combined within the same product. Always choose a corrosion-resistant base to protect the metal from rusting. Metal Primers are normally available in either a spray application or can be applied using a brush or roller.
Choosing the right tools
Knowing which tool to use will make the painting successful. Brushes and rollers differ in application compared to spray paint.
Paint Spray: Avoid brushstrokes with lots of nooks and crannies on irregularly shaped objects. This method is the quickest and fastest drying option. Spray paint creates a thinner layer so two or three coats may be required.
Brush or Roller: Although this method takes longer to apply, the brush or roller technique applies a thicker layer to outdoor items that need more protection from wind, sun, and rain. Painting with a brush and roller provides a more controlled application indoors or outdoors.
Safety precautions
Safety is at the forefront of any project you work on, and metal painting is no exception. Working with corroded metal poses potential health risks. When removing rust from old metal, working in a ventilated environment is essential. You must wear gloves, eye protection, and a face mask to prevent injury or illness.
1. Removing rust and old paint
Rust and old paint can prevent new paint from adhering correctly to the metal surface, causing the paint to peel off prematurely. To prevent this, you need to remove it before painting. Depending on the amount of rust, you may need one or more rust removal tools.
- Wire brush for daily surface rust
- Wire brush drill attachment for large areas with lump rust
- Soak in liquid rust remover to remove even the toughest rust stains
2. Clean the metal
After removing rust and peeling paint, clean the surface with mineral spirits, a petroleum distillate commonly utilized as a paint thinner. Brushing the metal with mineral spirits instead of water will prepare the new paint to adhere to the metal surface. Avoid using water to clean metal as it will cause more corrosion over time.
3. Sanding metal
Like a blank canvas, painting metal projects works great with small etchings on the surface to hold the paint and primer in place. To do this, you must sand the entire metal surface with a scuffing pad or fine-grit sandpaper.
4. Apply primer
With your surface ready to paint, it’s time to apply a primer to the metal. For Steel, Galvanised steel, and even aluminium you may need to apply a layer of zinc chromate primer or Red Oxide primer first to prevent further deterioration. Use a sprayer for metal surfaces with multiple cracks, and use a brush or roller if you apply a traditional primer. Apply two coats and permit the primer to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Metal coating
After the primer is completely dry, apply a quality topcoat of your chosen colour to the newly primed metal using a brush, roller, or paint sprayer. Allow the coat to dry completely and apply another coat if you are using a brush or roller. Repeat the process and complete three thin coats if you are using a paint sprayer.
6. Paint treatment
Although paints like acrylic dry relatively quickly, you may want to wait a day or two for the surface to fully cure.
7. Complete with TopCoat
To avoid chipping, rusting, or fading make sure that the topcoat application is thick enough. Be sure to choose a topcoat that is formulated for metal and that is also designed to withstand the elements. You can apply topcoats with a sprayer, roller, or paintbrush.
Who provides the best paints for metal surfaces?
We, Creative Resins, provide high-quality paints for metal surfaces at the most competitive prices. Give us a call today to learn more about our products and services.
Best Paint Shop Essential Items from Creative Resins Online Store Today
A successful paint job isn’t the result of a good quality spray coat alone. Many other things come together to become a fundamental part of a well-painted surface. From powerful degreasers that possess the ability to remove stubborn oil and grease stains to measuring cups that ensure you have mixed our paints perfectly to execute your tasks competently, a good paint job needs paint shop essential items.
A client or customer expects suppliers to stock up on these essential goods. It also makes perfect business sense for these manufacturers and suppliers to keep these items in handy to provide their prospects with the respite they need when undertaking a challenging paint job. Suffice to say, Creative Resins is home to products that are ideal for suppliers, paint dealers, and glass, windows, and door manufacturers among other parties.
In this article, we will be looking at some of the best paint shop essential items that can make even the toughest paint projects simpler. All of the below-listed products can be easily purchased from Creative Resins’ online store at reasonable rates.
1 – Spray Booth Filters
Filters are perhaps the most important part of spray painting equipment. Spray booth filters will easily trap paint overspray and as a result, save the environment from air pollution. If you are looking for a spray booth filter that prevents the mess caused by overspray, then you are in luck!
Creative Resins’ offers one of the best spray booth filter rolls to help you efficiently capture excess particles released by spray paint. Our spray booth paint filters exhibit formidable fiber strength, robust elasticity, competent spray absorbing ability, and high resistance.
2 – Plastic Beaker
When undertaking a paint job, it is important to use the correct ratios of each component to avoid issues later. One of the items that helps accomplish this goal is the plastic beaker.
Creative Resins provides its customers with plastic beackers that are capable of holding at least 600ml of volume. They have a very smooth texture on the inside, which makes them especially ideal for mixing.
Furthermore, they are also immaculately transparent, with numerical indicators that assist in measuring the precise amount of paint or any other material.
3 – Pipettes
If you want to be more accurate with the volumes of your paint liquid, then there is no better alternative to pipettes. Pipettes allow extremely precise measurement and application of paint solutions on a surface.
Creative Resins offers a box of 500 small plastic Pipettes that can be used to hold accurate measures of your solution and dispense small amounts on the subjected surface with utmost efficiency.
4 – Surface Preparation Pad
The pads provide fast and consistent prep, which is essential for our surface coatings to adhere to the best of there ability. The surface pads are ideal for keying surface areas before they are painted or primed. The pads can be used on both sides to avoid wastage. These pads are also made of top-quality source material which allows them to exhibit high resistance to tearing. You get 20 pads in one box for a reasonable price at the Creative Resins store.
5 – Nitrile Gloves
Heavy-duty Nitrile Gloves are commonly used in labs when handling chemicals. As skin contact with paint can also potentially cause skin damage, it is advisable to wear gloves that provide robust protection. Fortunately, Creative Resins provides its customers with just the perfect pair of Nitrile Gloves that provide working hands with much-needed protection.
Creative Resin’ nitrile gloves are resistant to most solvents and come absolutely free from silicone and powder.
6 –Degreaser
Cleaning is a very fundamental first step when undertaking a paint job. Painting on a surface plagued by dirt, or stains is a recipe for disaster. However, some surface pollutants can be extremely stubborn and very difficult to remove. Elements like grease, usually found on doors and windows can become hard over time and become considerably more difficult to clean
This is where powerful degreasers come into play. An industrial-grade degreaser has the power needed to quickly break down grease and eliminate it completely from the surface. Creative Resins offers a robust degreaser, which acts as a powerful solvent cleaner ideal for cleaning your composite doors and PVCu ready for painting.
7 – Trigger Spray Bottles
No other device provides the level of convenience that trigger spray bottles can. If you want a manual device that allows you to trigger paint or other solutions / cleaners on your surface in a convenient, clean manner, then Trigger Spray Bottles must always be by your side.
Creative Resins Offers robust Trigger Spray Bottles made from high-quality source material. They are ideal for the application of both paint and cleaners. Each Trigger Spray bottle is capable of holding at least 475 ml of water or solvent-based solution.
8 – Acetone
All painting equipment and machinery like spray guns and pumps are vital to be thoroughly clean of all paint post use. If a spray gun is populated with dry paint or dirt, it will inadvertently mix with new paint and ultimately damage the surface you intended to coat, or worse still completely block the spray gun deeming it unusable.
Acetone is an extremely powerful cleaning solvent that takes care of this problem. Creative Resins’ Solvent Cleaner – Acetone, is a heavy-duty cleaning solvent that is ideal for cleaning machinery pumps / parts and spray guns. The cleaner can be used to keep all spray equipment and substrates clean and ready to be used for our surface coatings.
The Bottom Line
Creative Resins is home to a diverse range of paint shop essential items. From cleaners to containers, we have everything a manufacturer needs to complete their paint projects with our surface coatings. You can purchase the above items and much more by heading on to Creative Resins’ online store today. All of our products are available to you at some of the best prices in the industry.