There is always equipment that needs to be upgraded. Whether through painting, refinishing, or another process, keeping your equipment well maintained will add years to its operation. Proper preparation is a must to preserve the quality and longevity of any metal surface. Without following specific steps before painting metal, even the most advanced metal coating technologies will fail. Here are the steps to remove rust for painting metal:

Clean the surface: This is crucial to getting the entire project right. 

Remove loose paint and rust: When preparing metal for paint, checking for rust is vital to ensure that the paint will adhere correctly to the surface. To restore metal surfaces that are lightly rusted, use a brush to clean off all loose rust, then sand the area. 

Always use a wire brush: There are many brushes available, but a wire brush is best to remove flakes and powdery surface rust. It is not necessary to get down to the bare, shiny metal – only to thoroughly remove all rust so that the paint will cover the surface properly. Next, apply a rust-inhibitive primer to cover rusted spots to help the paint adhere properly. Once all surfaces are cleaned in this way, you can apply paint to metal. 

Heavy rust may require additional equipment: Drills equipped with wire wheels help grind down heavily rusted metal spots much faster than using a brush. 

Deep rusted areas: Use a primer that chemically converts rust to a paintable surface. 

Once all surfaces are thoroughly clean and rust-free, painting can begin. Enviro-Tech Coatings has extensive experience in painting industrial equipment, finished parts, and other equipment, helping them to last for as long as possible. We provide painting, specialty coatings, and metal finishing services to a wide range of industries. We maintain Air Permits and are a fully approved site for blasting and painting. If you would like a bid on a project, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at 989-495-0000 or visit enviro-tech-coatings.com.