Recently I was at a friend’s house attending a birthday party for my daughter’s friend that was turning four. After eating some lunch, the kids filtered outside to play on the swing set, and burn off some energy.

I was standing outside keeping an eye on my children, as they climbed the rock wall, and played chase. A few minutes later, I was drawn to the wrought iron fence they have separating their yard from the golf course behind them. Guess after eight years of fence sales, I’ve fallen into the habit of examining fences for issues.

The four foot high iron fence was showing rust from the bottom to the top, and on all of the weld points. Not only is rust unattractive, but it also weakens the fence, and ultimately leads to deterioration. When I mentioned the rust to the homeowners, and the long term impact it would have on their fence, they were caught off guard.

No one had ever mentioned the need to maintain their fence, and they hadn’t noticed the appearance of rust. In general, wrought iron fences and gates are both beautiful and durable, but they are not immune to the effects of harsh weather. The best way to take care of, and extend the life of your iron fence is by checking for rust, and re-applying paint every 2-3 years.

In this case, I gave our friend’s an estimate for having their entire fence re-painted. Fortunately, none of their posts were damaged by the oxidization, and did not need to be replaced. During the estimate, I explained that Fencemaster would come out and fill any holes of pitting in the metal, brush any flaking paint and rust off, and sand the surface down to bare metal. Afterwards, our crews will wipe down the surface with a rag, then prime and paint your iron fence. By painting their fence now, they would be extending the longevity of the fence, and postponing a replacement.

Plan to re-paint your wrought iron fence or gate yourself? Here are a few tips to help ensure it’s done properly:

• Use a wire brush or wire wheel on your cordless drill to remove all rust from the surface of the fence and/or gate
• Use medium grit sandpaper to sand the surface down, and remove any peeling paint
• Use a clean, dry rag to wipe down the surface
• Use a rust-inhibitive primer, made for metal, and apply thoroughly to the entire wrought iron surface. Aerosol cans make it easy to apply even coverage.
• Wait the recommended time for the primer to dry completely, time will depend on the primer used
• Apply exterior rust-inhibitive enamel paint on the wrought iron fence and/or gate (make sure and check with your hardware store to ensure the primer and paint are compatible before application)

Wondering whether your wrought iron fence and gate needs to be re-painted or replaced? Give Fencemaster a call for a free estimate!