There’s a common misconception that all stair railings need to be black. Our gallery mostly agrees with this, but the whole “fully customizable” thing comes into play. There’s a massive variety of potential designs you can pick from out there. Choosing iron railings allows you to combine that unique design with long-lastingness.
With that in mind, what are some good colors for stair railings?
Classic colors include white, black, and grey that will make your stairs easy on the eyes. Railings can also stand out with vibrant colors that include reds, blues, and yellows. Ask yourself what your room is lacking to determine your best color.
Our article will go through a few examples of colors you should consider with stair railings. We will also inform you of the type of paint you should consider for these high-traffic areas.
Can You Paint Iron Railings?
The short answer: yes. The long answer requires a multiple-step process for painting the iron railing. However, it’s not too different from painting anything else.
We will detail those steps below:
Step One: Pick the Best Time
The best time to paint railing depends on whether they are inside or outside. If outside, pick a warm, dry day to paint. Ensure that there is no moisture coming in the weather forecast. If indoors, you don’t have to worry about the weather. The walls are good like that.
Step Two: Clean your Surface
Cleaning involves the removal of the old finish and any rust. This process assumes you want to paint over an old railing. If you are looking for a complete change in design, you want a new barrier.
Otherwise, you can easily remove rust with sanding pads, especially if you have those pads connected to drills. For little bits of rust, you can limit this effort to wire brushes.
Step Three: Prime and Paint
You’ll want to go to your local hardware store to find primers specifically. These primers should mention something about rust resistance; otherwise, you might want to return them. Primers typically take 24 hours to dry before you move onto the paint.
Much like primers, you’ll want to look for paint that works well with metal. Enamel paint is usually the best option due to its hard shell-like surface. The durability makes it naturally resistant to outdoor elements.
Otherwise, stick with oil-based paints whenever possible for indoor applications. They are durable, meaning that constantly gripping the railing to go up will be naturally resistant to rubbing off from human hands.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of what paint you choose, all of the standard rules still apply when it comes to design:
- Pick something that blends with your current style
- Make sure it doesn’t hurt your eyes to look at
- Choose paints that are good for the job
Provided you keep in mind that metal is very different from wood, you are already one step ahead.
For new railings, Master Iron offers completely customizable designs to meet your needs. Whether you want something that stands out or blends in, we can take care of your needs.
