This is a large part of what we do, and a lot of it is second-time work: metalwork that was painted over without the rust being dealt with, looked fine for a summer, and then bled through.
Why coastal metalwork fails
Salt in the air is the whole problem. It settles on the surface, holds moisture against the metal, and corrosion starts at the welds, the joints and any chip in the coating. Once it's started it works outwards under the paint film — which is why a gate can look sound and then lift off in flakes the moment you put a scraper to it.
Painting straight over it never works. The rust keeps going underneath, and within a season you've got brown staining running down your freshly painted wall.
What's included
- Assessment. Which sections are sound, which need cutting back, and whether anything is beyond paint and needs a welder.
- Rust removal. Wire brushing, scraping and mechanical abrasion back to sound metal — not a quick sand of the visible patches.
- Rust treatment on any pitting that can't be fully removed.
- Zinc-rich or rust-inhibiting primer on all bare metal. This is the coat that actually does the work.
- Two finish coats in a direct-to-metal exterior coating chosen for coastal exposure.
- Full masking of surrounding render, glass, tiling and planting — overspray and splash on a freshly painted wall is a nightmare to put right.
- Hinges, latches and runners cleaned and lubricated while access is easy.
Suits
Entrance and driveway gates · window grilles and rejas · terrace and balcony balustrades · staircase handrails · garage doors · pergola and porch frames · boundary railings · pool fencing · air-conditioning cages
“We can highly recommend Playa Flamenca Painting Services having recently used them to paint our ornate metal window grills.”
“Phill did a fantastic job of painting the outside of our house. Carries out his work with proper care and attention.”
FAQs
Our gates were painted two years ago and are already rusty. Why?
Almost always because the rust wasn't taken back to sound metal, or no proper metal primer was used. A finish coat straight onto rust seals the moisture in rather than keeping it out.
Can you do the metalwork on its own, without the walls?
Yes. Plenty of jobs are gates and balustrades only.
What colour do most people go for?
Dark greens, near-blacks, anthracite greys and the traditional dark brown are the most common on this coast, and they hide the inevitable marks best. Whites and pale colours look sharp but show every scuff on a gate that gets used daily.
Will it match the last colour?
It can be matched closely. Bear in mind the existing paint has usually faded, so an exact match to the original will look slightly different against anything left unpainted.
How long does it take?
A set of gates and a run of balustrades is usually a day or two, mostly spent on preparation. If there's serious corrosion it takes longer, and you'll be told that at the quote rather than discovering it halfway through.