Galvanised door hinges

[bsr]

Hi

I'm tidying up the doors upstairs. The usual layers upon layers of oil paint including on the strike, hinges etc. Doors were fitted by bodgers, the rebates are a proper mess. They even fitted the carcass with clout nails and didn't knock them under.

Having cleaned up the hinges they appear to be galvanised - see the picture.

Have you seen these before? Would you gloss back over them, or something else? I always think that painted over hinges are a sign of crap DIY but am not sure what to do.

Thanks

 

[RandomGrinch]

Sorry, probably not the most helpful reply!
I would buy some new hinges!

 

[sparkwright]

I have no problem with painted hinges in older houses, if they are all painted.

If you do decide to paint them, a special metal primer should be applied first - though I doubt you will feel like buying some just for that.

 

[bsr]

I appreciate the thoughts everyone.

I would buy some new hinges!

There are already multiple hinge holes in the door and modern hinges are smaller so I'd end up having to plug holes, cut Dutchmen etc. Would probably end up being quicker to replace the door. I'm trying to avoid that if possible.

I have no problem with painted hinges in older houses, if they are all painted.

Ok great. So it's generally considered ok and not bad practice? Would you also paint over the screws, the latch, the strike to match? Especially with the strike you end up with a strip taken off where the latch scrapes against it.

A special metal primer should be applied first

I was going to try test patches with my favourite primer (Leyland trade acrylic) and also with some stainblock. It's internal so I'm hoping one of them will stick well enough.[/QUOTE]

 

[sparkwright]

I would say it was very common to paint hinges until some point in the 80s when everyone was having brass (later chrome-looking) hinges in their new houses and renovations.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Ok great. So it's generally considered ok and not bad practice? Would you also paint over the screws, the latch, the strike to match? Especially with the strike you end up with a strip taken off where the latch scrapes against it.

If they are good quality, nice looking polished hinges, then leave them on show, but if they are plain steel or galv, paint them to match the door colour.

 

[bsr]

Ah, I didn't realise that painting hinges was actually normal practice. Thanks.

 

[opps]

Painting hinges is a bodge. In time, after numerous coats of paint, the paint fouls the hinge and you can see where the paint is being scraped back as the door opens and closes.

If you can clean them, my advice would be to leave them as they are.

If you want to sand the knuckles only, you won't need to worry about using proper primers such as zinc plumbate. The hinges are unlikely to get bashed in normal usage. Waterbased primers may cause the metal to rust (slightly) if the galvanised finish is damaged.