Repairing Metal Structures? Do it Yourself with Sherwin Williams

By Julio Fernández Agüero Centro de Pinturas Costa Ballena

The metal structures of our homes or buildings on the Pacific coast are threatened by corrosion. The sea breeze, high humidity, and a large amount of vegetation in the area are some of the factors that we must consider to know what type of anti-corrosive we should apply to protect our metal structures.

Now, mostly in Costa Rica, two types of iron are worked: Galvanized Iron (it has a zinc coating that provides extra and more durable protection in the open) and Black Iron, as we commonly say.

Knowing the type of iron is the first step to determine what kind of Sherwin Williams product we are going to use. In the case of galvanized metal, we must carry out a deep cleaning with an Opex Thinner 128 Cleaning Thinner. It is crucial to repeat the process as many times as necessary until the surface is spotless. The products to finish are generally made of 100% water-based acrylic resin, such as the “Direct to metal Water-based” product from the Sherwin Williams brand.

On the other hand, with black iron or bare iron, we must carry out the same cleaning process mentioned above. After the metal is clean, we apply an anti-corrosive primer to protect the metal and provide an optimal anchoring profile to the finish. This anti-corrosive primer would be Sherwin Williams Rustop 6000 Anticorrosive.

After applying the primer, we proceed with the finish application that could be an industrial type enamel such as the Kem System 4000 by Sherwin Williams that gives it an industrial-grade finish and protection. It is essential to carry out the work in a workshop or a safe area where we can keep the metal parts free of dust, rain, or any contaminant that may alter any of the processes mentioned above.

In the case of roofs that show corrosion, they must be cleaned with a cleaning tool such as the hydro-washing machine to remove all contamination, peeling paint, and corrosion scale. Once clean and dry, we proceed to apply an anti-corrosive primer as a patch in the areas where the foci of corrosion are found. We let them dry for three hours, and then we proceed to paint the entire ceiling with two coats of anti-corrosive finish paint.