Wrought and cast iron railings are highly durable and require minimal maintenance, but it’s important to occasionally care for them, to keep them looking good. If they are not maintained, they can corrode and even fall apart, leading to costly repair bills.
Keep rust at bay
The biggest risk to iron railings is rust and despite them being robust and fairly weather-resistant, you need to ensure the paintwork is in a good state. A hotel in Southport was fined more than £80,000 after one of its guests fell through badly corroded railings, which really shows just how much damage rust can do.
Even good paintwork can hide corrosion, so it’s a good idea to have a closer look a couple of times a year, ideally every spring and autumn, after extreme cold and warm temperatures have passed.
Wrought iron railings come in various styles and forms and you don’t want to ruin the beauty they add to your property by not looking after them properly. Suppliers of wrought iron railings, such as donkeywellforge.co.uk/what-we-make/wrought-iron-railings/, can give you advice on how to care for them.
Removing rust
If you do get any rust, you can treat it by cleaning the railings to remove any dirt, before removing the paintwork to gently remove the rust. Take care to only remove the paintwork on the affected area before priming it and repainting. You can usually get the railings looking as good as new after just a couple of thin coats. If the damage is severe, you may need to replace some railings.