Advice on painting exterior steel

[crooozer]

Hi!

We've got a greenhouse thats attached to our carport full of unfinished 20 year old steel and reo bar (concrete reo forms the shadehouse shell where green material is tacked on-to)

I like the newer more modern look of that glossy sorta black paint you see now days, do I use spray cans to do all this? Any particular paint? Any prep involved apart from a bit of cleaning and remove the hard rust? I think the whole thing would look so much better painted.

And while we're at it, what do you all think about concrete paint? You reckon it'd look good combined with the painted carport? Does it last? Or don't worry about it?

Thanks

 

[cruiserjunkie]

I would wire wheel it first than use a metal primer like rustolum than top coat with a quality paint you can do it once and have it last a long time if you prep it good and use good primer

 

[lovesteel10]

Tricky business!

This all depends on the condition the steel is in-- and I would advise you to read the following literature before you do anything.

I have attached what the United States Steel Corporation recommends when cleaning steel and the different coatings steel can have.

http://www.uss.com/corp/construction/bulletins/Job Site Imperfection Manual.pdf

U. S. Steel - Construction

I hope this is helpful!

 

[crooozer]

All done. And looking good!

Now the actual shed looks old.. Think I'll spray that too. Might even just use spraycans, they go on just as good as a spray gun to my eye. Will see how we go. I reckon it'll take about 20 cans to do the job, as long as it looks pro I'll be happy

 

[FJsnoozer]

Buy tractor implement paint from lowes or tractor supply an some hardener and reducer. Then spray it. Should be faster and cost you less.

 

[crooozer]

I went to the paint shop and they sold me some low sheen Solaguard paint in a nice green sheddie colour, and a sponge roller for corrugated.

Hopefully it goes on real smooth, thats my main concern, and that it's a good sheen. I think it will be, it's just a tadd down from 'satin' sheen