Your home can make a great first impression! Freshen it up by repainting your gates and fences. Repainting them won’t just make your home look more inviting, it will also protect them from rusting. Since they are exposed to extreme weather, you’ll need to check up on them on a regular basis. After all, gates and fences deserve all the love and attention as they give our homes security and enclosure. They help define the boundaries between the public and our private space.
Nobody wants a dilapidated gate or a rusty fence. That’s why our team and the Boysen paint experts are here to give you some repainting tips and tricks for your gate and fence renovation.
Repair and Prepare
Before you roll up your sleeves and grab your paintbrush, check the condition of the gate and the fence to see if there are other issues you have to address before you repaint them. Are they rusty? Is the metal deformed or damaged? Reach out to a construction professional for the repairs. All of these should be done before repainting.
You’re in luck because we’ve published multiple articles that cover metal painting. Get inspired and informed. Click on the image below to get you started on your renovation.
Treat Existing Surface Problems First
Since gates and fences are exposed to rainwater, they are more prone to rusting and chalking. You can’t just paint over them right away. You have to treat them first. Start by scraping off all loose and peeling paint.
If the metal is rusty, use a wire brush and a sanding paper to remove loose rust. If there are still stubborn rust, apply Boysen Metal Etching Solution #71 to the surface. Let it stay for 10-15 minutes before washing it off with water to get rid of the acid residue. Wipe it dry using a clean rag, and apply a metal primer right away.
If the surface is chalking, wipe off the powdery residue. Make sure you have a clean and dry surface before priming it with Boysen Rust-Off B-330 or Boysen Red Oxide Metal Primer B-310.
If the paint on your gates and fences is still in good condition, skip all the steps previously mentioned. You can just lightly sand the surface. Then, wipe the surface with a clean rag to eliminate sanding dust or dirt particles and make sure you have a clean surface. Finally, apply a compatible topcoat.
Read our comprehensive surface prep guide for repainting metal surfaces here.
Choose the Right Paint for Gates and Fences
After prepping the surface, finish your repainting job with a fresh coat of Boysen paint. Here, we listed the primer and topcoat you’ll need when repainting gates and fences. Remember that you have to know what kind of paint was applied on the surface so that the new paint is compatible with the old.
Did you know that you could use Boysen Roofgard for metal gates or fences? Don’t get confused by the name, it says “roof” but you could use Boysen Roofgard on most exterior metal surfaces. If you’re looking for a water-based paint for your gates and fences, Boysen Roofgard or Boysen Acqua Epoxy could be your option.
You don’t have to use thinners and solvent reducers if you choose a water-based paint. It also quickly dries compared to an eight-hour drying time for solvent-based paints. This is suitable for DIYers who are looking for a metal paint that is easy on the nose. However, you can’t use a water-based paint if it’s not compatible with the old paint that you used before. People usually paint their gates and fences with a solvent-based paint. If that’s the case, then you can use Boysen Quick Drying Enamel .
Watch this how-to video of repainting a rusty metal gate. You can also follow this guide for metal fences.
Hit the subscribe button for more Boysen renovation tips. If you need help with your repainting project, talk to our friendly Technical team, call us at (02) 8363-9738 local 417 to 418 during office hours. You can also write us an email at ask@myboysen.com or drop a question on the comment section below.