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Replace wrought iron railings or restore

April 5, 2009

Hello,
My husband and I own a Victorian funeral home in Parkersburg, Iowa. We were badly damaged from the F5 tornado last May. We need to rebuild a section of the roof that covered our ramp up to our porch. It has a fancy style, large wrap around wrought iron railings with columns that is white. It has been rusting badly each year. Eight years ago we had it taken completely down, sandblasted and professionally powder coated. After the first winter it started to rust again. We are considering replacing everything with vinyl railings and columns. Is there anyone who would desire buying this from us? If so do you have any knowledge of the value? Lastly....or...Do you have a cost effective way to preserve the railings without having to hand paint them every other year. Please help if you can. The funeral home was just replaced with yellow hardy board siding, with white trim and brownish shingles. We are going with black accent exterior lights and posts. If we would paint them black? Would the rust show as quick? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks so much,

Rachael Redman
just needing your help - Parkersburg, Iowa, USA

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April 14, 2009

Most "wrought iron" isn't actually that, but fabricated steel.
Steel will rust, and there are very few paints that will effectively prevent that, nor will powdercoating. All these rely on the paint/powder being a barrier, and as soon as the barrier is perforated, scratched whatever, then rust starts.
Galvanizing is an effective rust prevention, but it only comes in one colour - silvery grey.
But it can be painted or powdercoated.

You'd need to remove the paint, (shotblasting), get it galvanized, then powdercoated (perhaps painted).

Even here there are pitfalls for unwary players. Ensure that an adequate pretreatment is done to the galvanized surface before any paint or powder is applied. This is likely to be chromate, phosphate (most likely) or perhaps silane. Without this the paint/powder will not adhere well.

Refurbishment is (in the UK) a very cost effective alternative to replacement, and more environmentally friendly too.

Geoff Crowley
Crithwood Ltd.
Westfield, Scotland, UK