To paint a rusty railing, stoop rail or fire escape: knock off the loose rust, treat what's left with a rust converter, prime with an anticorrosive primer, then put on a topcoat made for metal. The converter step is what keeps you from sanding every inch down to bright steel.
Step by step
- Scrape and wire-brush off flaking rust and peeling paint. Tight rust stays.
- Wash off dirt and grease and let the metal dry.
- Brush Kompozit Rust Converter on the rusted areas. At 59 to 68°F it turns dark blue-black in up to 2 hours.
- Once the converter is dry, apply an anticorrosive primer, then a topcoat for metal, both within 1 to 2 days. Keep rain off it until the topcoat is on.
- Topcoat: Kompozit PRO Semi-Gloss lists properly prepared metal among its surfaces. Put two coats on a railing people grab every day.
Work between 41 and 95°F for the converter. Rails in full sun can run hotter than the air, so paint them early in the day.
What not to use it on
Rust Converter is for iron and steel only. Galvanized, zinc and aluminum railings need a different prep.
How much to buy
A quart of Rust Converter covers roughly 85 to 125 square feet of rusted steel. That's $19. A gallon is $69.
Full converter guide
The step by step for Rust Converter itself, with coverage and drying, is in our guide on how to use a rust converter.
Delivery
We deliver across New York and New Jersey for $15 an order, free over $150. Quarts and gallons ship anywhere in the continental US.
Order Rust Converter: quart $19, gallon $69
Questions we get
Do I have to remove all the rust?
No. Remove the loose rust. The converter treats the tight rust that's left.
Can I paint the same day?
Prime once the converter is dry and within 1 to 2 days.
Does it work on an aluminum railing?
No. Iron and steel only.