How to treat wrought iron?

Question

I have some very nice antique pots in wrought iron stands and some ornamental screens in my garden. They are not painted and I like the slightly rusty effect,but I dont want them to rust away. What can I treat them with? Or maybe I should put them in the shed over Winter?

Answer 1

Jenolite. You get it from a car accessory shop. It combines with the rust and forms a skin that protects the metal. However does give a smoothish finish so it is best to try it one one piece first and see if you like the effect.

Answer 2

you can spray them with an acrylic clear paint .if there is actually rust on them, well thats another story. i do not believe rust can be stopped. it is a corrosive process. i know they sell stuff to stop the process. i have used it but it turns the rust black so you will no longer have your rusty effect. however, i do not know if rustoleum makes a clear paint or not but if you spray paint clear on the entire pieces it will extend the life of the items you described. keep in mind too that rust eventually turns to rot. so you may want to treat it with rust retardant spray and then clear coat a few coats and you will have both for a very long time. if you are really fond of the rust, you can but rust colored craft paint. take some on the brush and basically blot all of it off the brush with a towel and then drag the brush across the wrought iron where you want the rust effect. then spray paint over it with clear spray paint.this technique is called dry brushing, which is just what it says. you start with a dry brush, tap it in a little paint and then blot the paint all off on a towel. there is just enough to give the tiniest effect that you want so that the peice looks weathered.good luck.

Answer 3

Untreated wrought iron will rust away eventually if left to the air.
Putting them in the shed will not help as this is still a damp environment.
If you like the rusted rustic effect then I think that you will have to expect them to erode, unless you paint them with a matt varnish that will keep them in the current condition but will help protect them long term.

Answer 4

I'd put em in the shed overwinter. However, unless you clean them off and paint them, they will eventually rust away. Air itself can cause iron to rust due to the moisture it can contain. If you're not too attached to them, store them for the winter and bring 'em back out next year and let nature take its course with them. You'll have them for a few years. Then when they rust out, get rid of them. But if you want to keep them a long time, you'll need to use some steel wool or a steel scrubber, get the rust off, then prime and paint them.

Answer 5

Put them in the shed, and clean the rust off every spring.

Answer 6

Paint them in matt varnish when they have the desired amount of rust on them

Answer 7

Linseed oil may help.

Answer 8

Linseed oil is good indeed.