Q: I am the recent (lucky) receiver of these two old metal lockers. They were given to me by a friend of my sister's. She guesses that they are from the 1940s/50s and even though they don't match perfectly, somehow found each other as a pair over the years. As far as I can tell the buttery yellow and moss green paint is original. As you can see from the photos, the metal is rusty in certain locations. I am the first to admit to my love of old rusty objects, but I also want them to be a clean surface for storage and to prevent further erosion:
I would love advice from the Apartment Therapy readers as to the best way to restore these relics. I have already cleaned the surface rust off with vinegar and aluminum foil. Should I just leave them in their rusted glory with a clear coat of lacquer? Attempt a new paint job on my own? Or splurge on getting them powder coated? My fear is that powder coating will be too expensive and make them look too new. What do you think?
Sent by Hannah
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I bought a metal windsor chair from CL and it was rusted in spots and the paint uneven. I cleaned it and then polished it using Briwax and fine steel wool. A few light layers of wax has made a smooth finish and kept it looking rustic.
Wish I knew anything at all about cleaning rusty metal, but as far as storage goes - after you have cleaned the lockers as best as is possible, a few sheets of shelf paper per surface which will hold things should protect your stored items.
After cleaning, you can seal the surface with a water base matte clear finish. It will take a couple of coats and you will want to use it a little thinned down with water. I've sealed several different rusted metal and flaking paint things this way. You will not see the sealer but the rust won't get on your things.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/quick-tip-wax-your-metal-outdoor-furniture-martha-stewart-170410
There is a terrific rust converter called OSPHO you can get at your local paint store which will stop the rust in it's tracks. It's a watery liquid you just wipe it on and let it do it's thing. It will turn the rust black and that's when you know it is inert. Your next step is to sand the rust down to smooth with some 150 grit sandpaper. Prime with a metal appropriate primer (I use Ben Moore's acrylic Fresh Start-it's great), and paint with the color of your choosing. Your paint should be in a gloss of some sort (satin, semi, or high) for ultimate durability. Ben Moore has a low VOC product called Advance that has worked miracles on a HUGE, rusty metal cabinet for me. I rolled it on and it looks like I sprayed it! Super happy! Hope this helps.
Things you need:
Newspaper
A sponge
Baking Soda
Two or Three Raw Potatoes
Lay down the newspaper.
cut the potatoes in half. Dip in baking soda. Rub in a circular motion to get rust out. No need to sand. Wipe with a sponge. Repeat until all rust spots are gone. Prime with a paint for metal. Paint.
Done. Cheap. and it doesn't put off any nasty fumes.
After cleaning, you can apply a coat of HinderRUST, which will help prevent rust from spreading and turning into corrosion.