Painting wrought iron gate

[bikeit]

My sister repainted her wrought iron gate black gloss two days ago, but the paint is starting to crack and and it also looks like an orange skin in places what has she done wrong and how long should i leave it before i try and fix it for her? also what is the best method to put it right?

 

[TheDec]

Sounds like the paint has crazed, a little more info with regard to prep etc would be helpful.

Dec

 

[bikeit]

TheDec i done all the prep for her sanded down the old paint with 120 paper undercoated with crown trade, but she could not wait for me to gloss it as she has no patience
looking at the paint i feel it was applied too thick

 

[TheDec]

Was there any chance that your Sister applied the gloss before the undercoat was fully dry?

Dec

 

[misterhelpful]

Ant chance the gloss has gone on top of something like Hammerite? A lot of paints won't take over it.

 

[bikeit]

There was never hammerite on the gate

 

[bikeit]

The undercoat was applied about two weeks before she glossed it

 

[dcdec]

Two weeks is plenty of time. The gloss was probably applied to thick and possibly applied in too higher temperature. Either one of these reasons would do it and a combination of both its pretty much guaranteed.

You/she will have to wet abrade it and re-paint

 

[bikeit]

How long will i need to leave it before i wet abrade it, and what grade paper? The day she painted the gate was very warm, and as i said before i think she applied it thickly.

 

[dcdec]

Its hard to say. Try digging your thumbnail into a point at which the paint is thick. If its soft it would be best to leave it. However the reason i suggested wet abrasion is because you can get away with sanding if the paint is still a little on the sticky side (and i mean a little), it will stop the gloss 'balling' up on you. You may find you can rub down and paint some areas while others need to be left for a while.

There's no definitive answer i'm afraid (unless you decide to burn off, which would be a ball ache).

 

[bikeit]

Done the thumbnail test and the paint is not soft or sticky, so its okay to start abrading with some wet and dry paper, what grade paper should i use?

 

[dcdec]

Wet n dry you can use quite a low grade because its doesn't scratch like aluminium oxide does, i'd go for 180.

 

[bikeit]

What paint should i use to repaint the gate? looked at the one below or is there a better paint, will i need to undercoat again?
http://www.dulux.co.uk/products/info/weathershield_quick_dry_exterior_gloss.jsp

 

[TheDec]

I would say no to that one better to go with solvent as opposed to waterbased, if you want to go with Dulux their Trade high gloss would be a better option. As for undercoat I would tend to think that a good sand back and another coat of gloss would suffice.

Dec

 

[bikeit]

As dcdec suggested sand with wet & dry