Painting steel post....

[jltrent]

Most of my steel post have a lot of rust on them. I have used a brush to paint but that is very slow. What is a faster way to get a good coating of paint. Do they make a reliable handheld battery powered painter that works well? Not against using a gas-powered generator to run a spray. Also what is good paint to use. Would an oil base or latex work best?

 

[Mrcopier]

Following

 

[JW IN VA]

Oil base is probably what they were painted with.At least that's my guess.
Some type of farm machinery paint should last the longest.
Sampson used to make a rust resisting paint. I've used it on pipe gates.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I've never had much like the electric handheld Wagner style painters but maybe they have improved in the 10 years since I bought mine.

As with any painting prep work is key. Removing the loose rust, wiping it down, primer before paint is better. An enamel paint with hardener added is typically best for withstanding the elements.

 

[Warren Allison]

You can paint over latex with oil, but you can't paint over oil with latex

 

[Ebenezer]

Might want to do a spray of rust converter first.

 

[Twisted]

Best thing to use on fence post and pipe is a painters mit. Get you some long platex gloves or palpation sleeves for under the mit, and get after it. Much faster than a brush or spray rig and you'll wind up with a better paint job. I've painted a pipe gate in a few minutes.

 

[Travlr]

Most of my steel post have a lot of rust on them. I have used a brush to paint but that is very slow. What is a faster way to get a good coating of paint. Do they make a reliable handheld battery powered painter that works well? Not against using a gas-powered generator to run a spray. Also what is good paint to use. Would an oil base or latex work best?

Use galvanized paint. Just be sure to prep well...

 

[jltrent]

Use galvanized paint. Just be sure to prep well...

Thanks, I used galvanized paint on 3-4 hundred a few years ago brushed on. I think my problem was I got the paint at Walmart inexpensive and it even at first never really did dry and lasted 3-4 years. My son use to manage a Sherwin Williams paint store (teacher now) and he told me the paint to get, but dang 50-60 dollars a gallon adds up. If I do it again with a brush I will make sure I get good paint.

I have a Graco 390 spray he got the company man to rebuild to new specks I may try with a generator. They make a handheld battery powered spray but they are proud of it. It will spray all paints and has 2000 psi. Thanks everybody for the suggestions.

https://www.zoro.com/graco-handheld-paint-sprayer-32-oz-capacity-17m363/i/G8042119/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=shopping feed&utm_content=free google shopping clicks&campaignid=23203248179&productid=G8042119&v=&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23203248179&gbraid=0AAAAADw3hZcnxntEKWwRVKucbU-NmIeGR&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9OnJBhD-ARIsAPV51xM__WBKOAPbSMH_p8h22h6j7UiV3qR8AHw01l06uOMY9oHy9Vy7vU8aAi1iEALw_wcB

 

[mwj]

If you can not prep properly ''painting'' will be a hit or miss thing.

 

[jltrent]

If you can not prep properly ''painting'' will be a hit or miss thing.

Rust-Oleum aluminum paints are designed to cover and stop rust. It want be cheap but I think I will try some of their oil base with a spray this summer and see how it does. A neighbor has a setup he paints chain link fences for hire that looks to work well as I may try the setup he has. He painted a cemetery fence close me that has been up years, rust an all and it looked good when he finished. Even 3 years latter looks good.

 

[mwj]

If the metal is exposed the paint can work. I find the big problem is already there under the remaining paint. When it lets go your new paint goes with it.

 

[bird dog]

Temperature and humidity matter a lot when painting steel. Rusty is okay if its not flaking but if you use a wire brush wheel on a grinder it will work much better. Some of the jobs when I managed a steel fab shop had a inspector on site to monitor temp and humidity conditions and would let us know when we could paint. Most of the time it would take a few hours in the morning before we could start and the steel always had to be in the shade to allow even drying.

Sherwin Williams makes a water based low VOCpaint that is similar to rust-o-leum that was our go to paint for most jobs that were not to high spec.

 

[jltrent]

If the metal is exposed the paint can work. I find the big problem is already there under the remaining paint. When it lets go your new paint goes with it.

One might could use a sand blaster to knock the loose rust off. I have a cheapo small handheld one that on little jobs works decently.

 

[Ouachita]

I've never tried this on T post, but I used it on a rusty metal roof and it worked good. Expensive, but saves time by not having to scuff the rust away.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X3V34GK

 

[Texas Ranch Hand]

Most of my steel post have a lot of rust on them. I have used a brush to paint but that is very slow. What is a faster way to get a good coating of paint. Do they make a reliable handheld battery powered painter that works well? Not against using a gas-powered generator to run a spray. Also what is good paint to use. Would an oil base or latex work best?

Go to a paint store (not Home Depot or Lowe’s) and get them to order you, if they don’t have it, some industrial tank (oilfield) primer and paint. Expensive but you won’t be doing this again for a long time. FWIW