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Removing And Preventing RustBy Jim Sulski Summary: Rust can ruin a variety of metal components in and around your home. Jime gives you step-by-step instructions on removing and preventing rust. In addition to mosquitoes, about the only other thing that enjoys hot and
humid weather is rust. Technically, rust is a type of corrosion that attacks ferrous metals such as steel and iron when they are exposed to a mix of water, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Often times, rusts strikes an item where the top coat of paint or sealer has been damaged - a small scratch or a dent - and then spreads to the rest of the surface. Left unchecked, rust will eventually weaken the structural integrity of a metal item to the point where it crumbles apart. Aesthetically, rust meanwhile mars the surface with a scaly or powdery reddish-brown tinge. At the typical home, prime targets for rust include railings, pipes, tools, metal windows and doors, sheds, and lawn furniture. Once rust strikes in the smallest spot, it can grow quickly, especially with items made of iron. The key to rust removal and prevention is to alleviate the existing rust as much as possible. Otherwise, the rust will make a comeback. And, as a result, much of your hard work will be for naught. Because metal surface are rarely flat, you'll probably need a range of tools for the rust-busting. For example, a belt sander will work well for straight, flat surface, such as fence pickets. An orbital sander will work better for larger semi-flat or curving surfaces, such as the back of a lawn chair or a table top. A wire brush attachment for a drill will be a handy device for decorative, winding pieces such as a chair leg or handrail. A bench grinder with a wire wheel will quickly remove rust from small metal objects such as tools or chair legs. Also helpful will be some loose sandpaper and a sanding block, a wire brush, steel wool, metal files and sanding cord. To thoroughly remove rust, you may want to disassemble an item such as a lawn chair, allowing you access to the rust spots. Again, try to remove as much as the rust as possible. Even a speckling of rust left behind will be a catalyst for a new outbreak of the corrosion. Another method to remove rust, especially in difficult-to-reach areas, is by using naval jelly, a gel like substance that eats away rust. Using rubber gloves and goggles, liberally apply the jelly over a rusted area and then let it penetrate for a half hour or so. Then flush the surface with water. You'll still probably need to do a quick sanding of the surface to remove any leftover rust or to flatten the surface. Finally, wash down the surface with mineral spirits and steel wool to remove any dirt or grease, which will obstruct the bond of the paint. RESURFACING AFTER RUST REMOVAL Once all the rust is eradicated, you'll need to resurface the item to seal it from water, oxygen and carbon dioxide to prevent it from rusting again. Basically, this means apply a primer and one or two coats of paint to the object. And you must do this fairly quickly - within a day - or the rust will begin to quickly rebuild on the exposed surface. Then, you'll have to resand the surface all over again. The painting process will require some preplanning. For example, you'll need to determine if you can just spot paint the repaired area of the surface. This, of course, will require matching up the existing paint with new paint, which can be a tough task. For example, you could remove a section of the metal item - say the arm of a lawn chair - and take it to a paint store to find or mix a paint that comes as close as possible to the original color. Once dry, however, the paint may not match up. Often time, it's best to repaint the entire item so there's uniformity to the top coat. Before you apply the top coat, however, you'll need to coat the exposed metal surface with a anti-rusting primer developed especially for ferrous metals. These specially-formulated paints help prevent any new rust from developing and give the top coat of paint a good surface to adhere to. Next, treat any remaining original paint on the surface by washing it down
with a mixture of water and trisodium phosphate. Then, lightly sand down any
glossy area of the paint, again ensuring a better bond of the new topcoat. © by Jim Sulski. All rights reserved. February 23, 2005. NOTE: This column is distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate, PO Box 366, Glencoe, Illinois, 60022. This column may not be resold, reprinted, resyndicated or redistributed without written permission from the publisher. © 2005 by Ilyce R. Glink. Distributed by Real Estate Matters Syndicate. |
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