This is what I started with. I estimated $350 to “paint” this glider bench. After the first full day of working on it and just barely putting a dent in the rust, I realized I was going to lose money on this one. At that point, it became an educational lesson.
All of the supporting rods were bent to varying degrees of “bad.” Rust was everywhere. The dogs had used it as a place to sleep, so the oil residue from their fur was literally everywhere. Regardless, the bones were good and the rust hadn’t eaten all the way through at any point.
In order to prep the surface, the first step was to pressure wash everything. You need to get a really good look at what you’re actually dealing with.
The second step is to sand and grind off the rust. If you have a portable media blaster, that would likely be more efficient. I don’t, so 3M sold a 10-pack of sandpaper that day and Harbor Freight sold a grinding wheel or two, as well.
After the grinding and sanding is done, the piece needs to be dusted and wiped down with a microfiber towel with mineral spirits or denatured alcohol.
Next, I treat everything with a phosphoric acid treatment. There are two products I’ve used in the past, Ospho and Naval Jelly. My wife thought Naval Jelly was the stuff I pulled out of belly button after taking a shower… But I digress. The chemical reaction between the phosphoric acid and the rust turns the rust into a paintable surface.
It’s time to turn the pressure washer back on and hit everything hard.
Yes, it’s now time to pull out the sandpaper again and get familiar with 3M. I would not recommend the media blaster for this phase. You’re really looking to use a 120 grit or other fine grit sandpaper. All you’re trying to do is pull down some of the areas that popped up with the phosphoric acid treatment.
Another dusting followed by a sponge-bath in mineral spirits or denatured alcohol finally readies the piece for priming. To be honest, Rustoleum’s Rust Reformer in an aerosol can is a great product. I know there are other alternatives out there (like Pro-Cryl), but it lays down really well and does the job its supposed to. Why pay more for something else? Plan on two thin coats of the primer.
Once again, it’s time to give 3M some more of your money. Be sure to give the piece a good day to dry. If you try to sand too soon, you’ll just end up with a bunch of gummed up sandpaper and a trip back to the store to give 3M even more money.
The time to paint has finally come!! Sherwin Williams has a ton of great products for this. The best ones will require you to find their nearest industrial store, but you can find their DTM product at most locations. They also have a product called Metalatex for those of you who have aversions to oil-based paints.
Here are a few progress pics and the final result. This job was completed nearly 5 years ago and the bench still looks just as good as it did the day I finished it. I’m about to start another project for that family, so I’ll be sure to take another picture of it and post it here.
