Replacing or repairing cast iron decoration is a task confronting many buyers of old homes. Typical problems include rust, a thick coating of old paint and the loss of some of the iron work. There are solutions to all these issues.Thick paint and rust can be removed by sandblasting.Care needs to be taken not to damage or break any of the ironwork.The completed product can then be primed with a zinc based primer as soon as possible after sandblasting, to prevent further corrosion. Additional coats of paint are required. An oil based paint is often preferred to assist with the rust issues. It has often been said that rust is a visual problem and will not cause the ironwork to crumble. However the rust penetrating through a light coloured lace does not have the appeal most renovaters are looking for. Maybe this may be the reason a large number of dark colours including Brunswick Green and Manor Red are prevalent on old iron work. Many of these old designs are now available in non rust aluminium. The replicas are in some cases extremely difficult to identify as being cast iron or the aluminium replica. Old designs can be reproduced in aluminium or cast iron, however the aluminium reproduction is becoming more popular today considering the castings are so good and the weight is much less than the original cast iron.
