Hammerite metal paint colours

lostinrates

Two fellow Mse users have just warned me the copper colour hammerite is a very disappointing colour.

I wanted to use the hammered finish

http://www.hammerite.co.uk/products/direct_to_rust_metal_paint_hammered_finish.jsp

Does any one else have any experience of colours in this range being particularly adrift of what was expected? I don't want to spend money on it and then find I hate it, especially as I then will have to match all our metal doors to it (we have four large metal doors so its a fair amount of money to spend on paint you don't like because its not what was on the colour card)

cyclonebri1

Copper is great, used it to refurb my gun cabinet.

Gold is good for brake components on show cars etc, probably my favourite colour.

I don't exactly understand your question, you say you have been advised off copper, but you are trying to match an existing paint job?? which you think is copper???
From memory there are 2 similar copper like colours. I have no experience of hammerite changing colour with age, so if it doesn't match, take it back un-used.

lostinrates

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Copper is great, used it to refurb my gun cabinet.

Gold is good for brake components on show cars etc, probably my favourite colour.

I don't exactly understand your question, you say you have been advised off copper, but you are trying to match an existing paint job?? which you think is copper???
From memory there are 2 similar copper like colours. I have no experience of hammerite changing colour with age, so if it doesn't match, take it back un-used.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. :)

No metal has been painted yet, but I have four large metal doors to paint, so a lot of paint to buy, and a pain if I decide I hate the colour once its up (having liked the colour on the front of the tin):D

If I buy copper I want it to BE copper, whereas a couple of MSEers have warned me its actually a little beige.

I'd love gold but I think even for me that might be pushing my neighbours' patience too far. Copper I might be able to describe as 'barn russet' coloured. ;). The local department of taste and decency are already keeping a close eye on me as I skirt close to the edge .....copper will be dangerous but a risk I might just be willing to take.

If it comes out beige I will have felt all this living on a knife edge of modish boundary pushing will have been a little bit self defeating for a beige paint job.;)

paddyrg

Do they not have testers available? I really think it'll be the fairest and fastest way to see what the paint looks like *on your site* with your own base metal, lighting, etc!

Bennifred

We've used the silver hammered finish on garden furniture - I'd say that's true to the picture.

lostinrates

paddyrg wrote: »

Do they not have testers available? I really think it'll be the fairest and fastest way to see what the paint looks like *on your site* with your own base metal, lighting, etc!

I've never seen testers, just the pots. (Or spray). I think its the sort of thing people are pretty much over a barrel buying?

The smooth range has quite a large pastel sort of colour range and I might be able to get a near enough colour (or mix a near enough colour) to the masonary paint we're using but I'd really rather keep things simple. (Its not often I say that, I must be growing up:eek:)

cyclonebri1

lostinrates wrote: »

Sorry, I wasn't clear. :)

No metal has been painted yet, but I have four large metal doors to paint, so a lot of paint to buy, and a pain if I decide I hate the colour once its up (having liked the colour on the front of the tin):D

If I buy copper I want it to BE copper, whereas a couple of MSEers have warned me its actually a little beige.

I'd love gold but I think even for me that might be pushing my neighbours' patience too far. Copper I might be able to describe as 'barn russet' coloured. ;). The local department of taste and decency are already keeping a close eye on me as I skirt close to the edge .....copper will be dangerous but a risk I might just be willing to take.

If it comes out beige I will have felt all this living on a knife edge of modish boundary pushing will have been a little bit self defeating for a beige paint job.;)

Can I ask if you have used it before?
Hammerite is very difficult (I find), to apply over a large area.
You have to "spread" it on quite quickly and then go back over the painted area.

Given all you have said, buy the smallest can of copper paint and paint an oil can or biscuit tin for example to see if the finish is acceptable.

I have to say if it's a fairly large area, spraying will give a much better finish than brushing ever will, but I'm sure you knew that.

lostinrates

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Can I ask if you have used it before?
Hammerite is very difficult (I find), to apply over a large area.
You have to "spread" it on quite quickly and then go back over the painted area.

Given all you have said, buy the smallest can of copper paint and paint an oil can or biscuit tin for example to see if the finish is acceptable.

I have to say if it's a fairly large area, spraying will give a much better finish than brushing ever will, but I'm sure you knew that.

Nope, never used it before!

And not quite sure how best to prep flaking paint layers below. Its obviously been coated thickly with metal suitable paint before. I have some less obvious areas to practise with first, some steel frames in barns that are desperate for a coat of paint and the finish is less...obvious.

Thing is, its barn doors, tbh, they'd be better with a galvanised plate at the bottom of the doors, and the paint job is simply putting off replacement by some years, not preventing it forever.

I'd like to say I cannot make them look worse, but of course, that's not quite true, of course I can. I guess I justly do the best I can...:)

Nilrem

Before you start it's probably worth spending the time to remove flaking paint, otherwise you'll find the new paint doesn't last.
Nitromors is probably the easiest way to remove old paint from the door, but it's nasty stuff (it'll eat through some plastics from memory, and is a fairly nasty skin/eye irritant), and reasonably expensive, other methods include wire brushes and possibly heat guns if it's not near any plastics etc.

Also check to see if you need a primer before applying the new paint if it's going on to any bare metal.
I was mildly annoyed when I went to do our garage door (galvanized steel) and found out the "garage door paint" required a primer, a primer that I could only find in one of the larger B&Q stores as everywhere else* either didn't have it in stock, or didn't sell it.

edit
If you're not sure of the Hammerite paint, there is another well known brand of metal paints (gah can't remember the name, possibly international?), who do a slightly different range of colours - things like a "berry red" rather than the bright red of Hammerite, and I think some less garish paints - I ended up using them for our garage door as none of the hammerite colours struck my fancy (the berry red complimented the woodwork and roof of the garage).


*I think I tried homebase (where from memory I was offered a generic metal primer (not suitable for galanized metals), Halfords, and Wickes.

cyclonebri1

lostinrates wrote: »

Nope, never used it before!


Thing is, its barn doors,

Ok, thing is as said it is difficult to apply to good effect.
It has to be applied in 1 thick coat and if you go back over areas you did as little as a minute ago, the paint drags and changes colour.

So, also bearing in mind it goes on thick, ie coverage is not great, and you are covering a large area so it is difficult to keep a wet edge, I would say the colour is the least of your worries.

What I said is even more important now. From what you have said the cost of a small can for about a fiver is inconsequential and will give you an idea of both the colour, and the way the paint feels. It really will be different to anything else you have applied with a brush, with the possible exception of bitumen.

Enjoy:D:D

lostinrates

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Ok, thing is as said it is difficult to apply to good effect.
It has to be applied in 1 thick coat and if you go back over areas you did as little as a minute ago, the paint drags and changes colour.

So, also bearing in mind it goes on thick, ie coverage is not great, and you are covering a large area so it is difficult to keep a wet edge, I would say the colour is the least of your worries.

What I said is even more important now. From what you have said the cost of a small can for about a fiver is inconsequential and will give you an idea of both the colour, and the way the paint feels. It really will be different to anything else you have applied with a brush, with the possible exception of bitumen.

Enjoy:D:D

Wonder if that's what happened to other users? Hmm.

It might be a job I smile at someone else or from the sound of it. I have painted bitumen, as a teen!, and I don't think I'm strong enough now to cope with that kind of drag over a large area . I do think it needs the thickness of liquid not spray for the protection job it does at the base of the doors.