Hello,
We have a nice fence (circa 1960s) consisting of a concrete wall in the ground, brick posts that we had plastered a year ago, and iron sections that we repainted with Hammerite last fall as they were very rusty. We also painted all the plaster and concrete white last fall.
Due to time constraints, we painted the iron with only one coat. However, it didn't take long before rust spots appeared on the white ground wall. Even worse, the white paint on the top of the wall is flaking significantly, despite us cleaning thoroughly and painting twice.
We are now wondering whether to muster the energy to scrape, sand, and paint the wall again, or if we should come up with another solution. We have seen a similar wall with white metal on it, which we are therefore considering custom ordering and gluing in place.
Now the questions are...
1) It seems unfeasible for us to repaint all the iron, so we will probably have to live with some rust drops. But it seems instinctively that a factory-painted metal sheet wouldn't be subject to the same persistent discoloration as a painted concrete wall, or am I wrong? Surely such a metal sheet is easier to maintain and clean compared to painted concrete that risks losing its color?
2) The idea is for the metal sheet to fold down a few cm over the edges of the wall. However, the wall varies a few mm in width, so there should be a gap between the metal’s vertical edge and the wall to ensure it fits upon installation. This raises two concerns for me: (A) risk of moisture seeping under the metal sheet? Could this pose problems if it freezes during winter, or other potential issues? (B) Due to the gap that is likely necessary for a smooth installation, is there a risk that the metal sheet will dent or bend if my small children and their friends climb and stand on the edge of the metal sheet?
See the pictures, so I hope that all the thoughts above are well illustrated
There are a total of 7 sections like the one you see in the image.
Grateful for advice on whether the metal sheet could work or if we should consider something else. I have seen solutions with stone slabs on top but do not want to mix too many materials and colors. We will probably also set black metal caps on the posts in the long run.
Regards,
We have a nice fence (circa 1960s) consisting of a concrete wall in the ground, brick posts that we had plastered a year ago, and iron sections that we repainted with Hammerite last fall as they were very rusty. We also painted all the plaster and concrete white last fall.
Due to time constraints, we painted the iron with only one coat. However, it didn't take long before rust spots appeared on the white ground wall. Even worse, the white paint on the top of the wall is flaking significantly, despite us cleaning thoroughly and painting twice.
We are now wondering whether to muster the energy to scrape, sand, and paint the wall again, or if we should come up with another solution. We have seen a similar wall with white metal on it, which we are therefore considering custom ordering and gluing in place.
Now the questions are...
1) It seems unfeasible for us to repaint all the iron, so we will probably have to live with some rust drops. But it seems instinctively that a factory-painted metal sheet wouldn't be subject to the same persistent discoloration as a painted concrete wall, or am I wrong? Surely such a metal sheet is easier to maintain and clean compared to painted concrete that risks losing its color?
2) The idea is for the metal sheet to fold down a few cm over the edges of the wall. However, the wall varies a few mm in width, so there should be a gap between the metal’s vertical edge and the wall to ensure it fits upon installation. This raises two concerns for me: (A) risk of moisture seeping under the metal sheet? Could this pose problems if it freezes during winter, or other potential issues? (B) Due to the gap that is likely necessary for a smooth installation, is there a risk that the metal sheet will dent or bend if my small children and their friends climb and stand on the edge of the metal sheet?
See the pictures, so I hope that all the thoughts above are well illustrated
There are a total of 7 sections like the one you see in the image.Grateful for advice on whether the metal sheet could work or if we should consider something else. I have seen solutions with stone slabs on top but do not want to mix too many materials and colors. We will probably also set black metal caps on the posts in the long run.
Regards,
After three years of rust spots and flaking concrete paint that didn't adhere to the old blue plastic paint of the wall, we took a significant step this summer with this fence - a lot of our own hours and help from craftsmen.
- Dug and laid gravel and steel edging along the inside
- Sanded the entire wall (not the plastered posts, they didn't have the troublesome plastic paint) with an angle grinder/diamond disc
- Painted everything with primer and new concrete paint
- Had all the iron including gates sandblasted and painted in the workshop
- Installed caps and ridge plates
- Transformed a dull post into an artificial pine
- Lighting on the gate posts
Hopefully, it will take 5 years instead of 1 year before we have to repaint this…
- Dug and laid gravel and steel edging along the inside
- Sanded the entire wall (not the plastered posts, they didn't have the troublesome plastic paint) with an angle grinder/diamond disc
- Painted everything with primer and new concrete paint
- Had all the iron including gates sandblasted and painted in the workshop
- Installed caps and ridge plates
- Transformed a dull post into an artificial pine
- Lighting on the gate posts
Hopefully, it will take 5 years instead of 1 year before we have to repaint this…
