[Paul B]

AKA the Screwfix appreciation thread...

Usually I just hassle Jim for his expertise but he came up blank with this one.

I have to* re-paint my flaking, galvanised railings. My original intention was to wire brush them and re-paint with Hammerite 'straight to rust', or 'straight to galvanised' but I'm worried the brushing will ruin the galvanisation? Does anybody on here have the knowledge?

Apologies for the boring nature of the thread.

*I've committed to the railings, some exterior paintwork and re-roofing a shed. Perhaps the solution is to pay someone else

[webbo]

If it's flaking off then the galvanising is already knackered.

[Paul B]

If it's flaking off then the galvanising is already knackered.

The paint is flaking on the gate, wear points etc.

Do you still feel it's the galvanising? Generally the rest is in fairly good condition.

[a dense loner]

Just brush them, or sandpaper, and use the hammerite. It's a fence or gate not a critical component for the space shuttle. You've mentioned the galvanisation is flaking I'm taking it you mean the zinc top coat and not the steel underneath is riddled with rust. Either way just paint it get rid of your dog and have a baby.

[Paul B]

Just brush them, or sandpaper, and use the hammerite. It's a fence or gate not a critical component for the space shuttle. You've mentioned the galvanisation is flaking I'm taking it you mean the zinc top coat and not the steel underneath is riddled with rust. Either way just paint it get rid of your dog and have a baby.

It's important I do it right as it's not getting done again; the paint is flaking not the zinc (that I can tell).

[a dense loner]

Ffs man I'm committed to another thread! No just brush/sand it then paint it. All you need to do is think how long it will take you to do a good job painting it then multiply it by roughly 3. Wet your brush first then 'flick' off the excess water then apply paint fuck me it takes ages to do!

[nik at work]

Dense is right, just paint it.

(My phone auto corrected dense to sense, is there a higher meaning in this...)

[psychomansam]

I feel like you asked for advice in the wrong place.

I could tell you about decking-gate over here but, frankly, it's just too boring.

[tomtom]

Take it off. Get it shot blasted then powder coated in Fuck me red, to match the VRs

[SamT]

I've just had some cast iron park bench ends sand blasted and powder coated at not inconsiderable cost.  Gert big orange rust areas showing up already. Well disappointing.  Wish I'd just used hammerite. Its always been pretty mega on the stuff I've used it on in the past and would have cost me 20 quid, not 300. 

Avoid powder coating if I were you.

[tomtom]

(I was taking the piss by the way )

[SamT]

(I was taking the piss by the way )

I suspected so 

[Will Hunt]

Just brush them, or sandpaper, and use the hammerite. It's a fence or gate not a critical component for the space shuttle. You've mentioned the galvanisation is flaking I'm taking it you mean the zinc top coat and not the steel underneath is riddled with rust. Either way just paint it get rid of your dog and have a baby.

+1 to this entire post. Particularly this:

It's a fence or gate not a critical component for the space shuttle.

Dense doesn't know jack shit about politics but he knows his gates.

[moose]

[DAVETHOMAS90]

I managed to cover myself in white primer earlier.
Dropped the can while painting my bay window, which, incidentally, also presented a "strip-it-or-sand-it" conundrum.

Now all my washing stinks of white spirit 
Managed to remove most of the paint though.

This thread has legs.

By the way, I often try to stick to a routine of time spent on house = time spent climbing/training

[slackline]

Now all my washing stinks of white spirit 

I'll be wary of smoking near you later on then.

[galpinos]

Paul,

I'd use a stiff nylon brush, not wire, to protect the galv (I feel like I'm writing advice on brushing a hold....) and then use the Hammerite straight to galv.

[cjsheps]

You COULD just leave it and go climbing...

[a dense loner]

A sense loner, you lot are all just behind the times anyway. Give it 10 years and you'll all be worshipping me like a false idol, or I'll be known as the Oracle at Derbyshire. It's a simple choice you've got, oracle or god?

[webbo]

I didn't know you were Jonny Vegas in real life.

[a dense loner]

I feel about the same weight at the moment!

[Dexter]

Paul,

I'd use a stiff nylon brush, not wire, to protect the galv (I feel like I'm writing advice on brushing a hold....) and then use the Hammerite straight to galv.

Second this, the purpose of the zinc is not just a protecting layer but it will oxidise instead of the iron, thereby preventing the rust even if the zinc layer is compromised (if you happen to be interested see here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathodic_protection ) So keeping the layer of zinc is pretty key.

[Fultonius]

Hammerite has changed, it's not what it used to be!

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/topic/287610-hammerite-new-formula/

I've had really good results on doing the underside of my van using POR 15, which can then be over-painted. http://www.por15.com/POR-15_Rust_Preventive_Coating.

I don't know about galvinised - but I'm sure you can do some research.

[tommytwotone]

Good thread - speaking as someone with a) a house with loads needing doing and b) a two-year-old being significant barrier to getting it done.


Question for anyone out there who might know about this - has anyone got experience of installing or having a French Drain as a way of controlling damp / moisture?


Short story, despite my (Victorian terraced) house having a barrier damp course installed, the path / yard is concreted right up to the wall, thus breaching the damp course and rendering it useless. In addition, the entire front of the house has no damp course at all and as a result (I assume) there's significant damp / moisture in that area, coupled with the fact we've got a cellar.


Looking on a few period home forums, I gather a French Drain is one potential weapon in the arsenal, but mindful of kicking off a big bit of work for no benefit.

[Paul B]

Is a french drain really that much work? Is there a large amount of concrete to be broken out beforehand? Out of interest what's the wall construction?