Painting Rusted Storage Shed (I Know, Been Discussed!)

12 years ago

I realize many people recommend Ospho followed by a primer/topcoat, but Ospho is expensive and isn't easy to find locally. I was going to default to "Rusty Metal Rustoleum" plus a topcoat, but I can only find the spray cans. This will not do as I cannot paint the roof with a spray can... I need a roller to reach across it. (And that is even problematic b/c of the 7" metal panels divided by rails, so I will have to use a trim roller I guess?)

Anyway, I went into Sherwin Williams looking for the rustoleum and the guy there swore that all I needed was two coats of "All Surface Enamel" by Sherwin Williams, applied right over the rust, and although not neutralized, it would never show through again. I asked him repeatedly if that was true, b/c I told him I did not want to have to paint the shed again in two years. He swore to me it would do the job. Anyone familiar with this paint, and do you think it will really keep the rust from showing through?

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Comments (3)

Michael
12 years ago
According to the directions, you must remove rust prior to painting.

Aluminum and Galvanized Steel
Wash to remove any oil, grease, or other
surface contamination using a waterbased
cleaner-degreaser. Remove all
corrosion with sandpaper, steel wool, or
other abrading method.

Steel
Rust and mill scale must be removed
using sandpaper, steel wool, or other
abrading method. Bare steel must be
primed the same day as cleaned.
ionized_gw
12 years ago
Read up on rust reformers on the web. I don't know much about them, but I believe that even Rustoleum makes some that brushes on.
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Susan_TC
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for the feedback. I am thinking now I might find a way to use spray cans on the roof, but I am certainly not going to sand the rust off it first. The shed is 15 yrs old and the roof -- while not rusted through or rotted -- is solid rust and not worth the effort. I might just buy the Rusty Metal Rustoleum cans then finish with an enamel. The RMR is made to spray on rusty metal.

How do people get access to spray the roof when you can't put any weight on it?? I was thinking of putting a long board on the fence behind it, with the other end through the rung of a ladder so that it traverses over the roof, a foot or so above.... then scoot down the board...

...or running two long ramp type boards along the roof with a piece of plywood thrown on to to distribute the weight so I can get up there to paint the peak, especially. How do others do it?? What I really need is a mini cherry picker and a Wagner airless sprayer, but that ain't happenin'! :)