KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Treat rust as soon as you see it.
- Loose rust has to come off before primer goes on.
- If metal has lost strength or a fastening is loose, have it repaired first.
Rust is one of the easiest things to spot and one of the easiest to put off. Left alone, it creeps under sound paint and turns a small job into replacement.
The right sequence
- Remove loose rust and flaking paint.
- Clean the metal.
- Apply a primer made for metal to bare spots.
- Finish with a suitable topcoat, usually two.
- Keep fasteners and joints in the plan, as that is where rust starts.
Safety first
Painting does not make a railing safe. If a post is loose or the metal has lost thickness, report it to the council and have it repaired before anybody paints it.
What to budget
Railings take time, especially spindles, and doing them well means working around residents’ balconies. Doing one building at a time, with notice, is usually the simplest way.
This guide is general information for strata councils and property managers in British Columbia, not legal advice. Check your registered bylaws and the current Strata Property Act, or ask your property manager or a lawyer, before relying on it for a decision.
