Preparing Bare Sheet Metal For Paint

With the rust removed sand the entire surface to smooth out uneven areas and dull the surface so the primer and paint can adhere.

Preparing bare sheet metal for paint.

You don t need to get down to bare shiny metal just clean off the flakes and powdery surface rust that prevent paint from adhering. If you re dealing with a lightly rusted surface you may just need to give it a quick scrub with a brush. The first step is to clean off loose rust and flaking paint and then apply a rust inhibitive primer. If the old paint is in poor condition you can remove it by hand wire brushing sanding.

Start with 120 grit sandpaper and work to finer grade sandpapers ending with 320 grit. To properly prepare new metal surfaces use mineral spirits to remove grease and apply a. Scrape off light loose rust with a wire brush. Remove loose and peeling paint.

For large flat surfaces use a sanding block to get even pressure. Sanding and applying primer. Scrape off peeling paint and powdery flaking rust until the surface is mostly smooth. However badly rusted metal areas need more prep work and possibly a special primer.