Hi folks

We need to paint the steel lintels above our windows. My go-to for painting external metal would usually be hammerite, but I have been using this stuff for decades and thinking there could be a better alternative now. 

We are looking for a good finish, but just as importantly durability so that it doesn't need repainting too often. 

Thanks 

Why do you have a steel lintel on show, shouldn’t it have a trim over it. 

... or is it just the bottom flange of a 'box and tray'-type lintel?

If it's mild steel I made some brackets recently. 

 

Gave them a run of a wire brush on the angle grinder. 

 

Then some brake cleaner as a degreaser. 

 

Then put them in the oven to get them up to skin temp and dry them out properly. 

 

Then 3 coats of zinc primer. 

 

 

Then 3 coats of an enamel oxide brushed on. 

 

 

They're in a fairly corrosive environment so I hope they'll last ok. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Redbeard said:

... or is it just the bottom flange of a 'box and tray'-type lintel?

This sort of lintel.

With hindsight we should have raised the lintel course enough to make room for render boards - we didn't, so we want to make the best possible job of painting the lintel. 

4 hours ago, Lincolnshire Ian said:

Hi folks

We need to paint the steel lintels above our windows. My go-to for painting external metal would usually be hammerite, but I have been using this stuff for decades and thinking there could be a better alternative now. 

We are looking for a good finish, but just as importantly durability so that it doesn't need repainting too often. 

Thanks 

Hot dip galvanised? If installed maybe not. Best coating by far is Epoxy, not cheap, but great.

What width is exposed?

9 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

What width is exposed?

Around 65mm. Picture for context. 

49 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Hot dip galvanised? If installed maybe not. Best coating by far is Epoxy, not cheap, but great.

Price isn't necessarily (within reason) a major consideration. Could you point me towards a brand please? 

Jotun

https://www.rawlinspaints.com/products/994-jotun-penguard-express-zp.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23257329793&gbraid=0AAAAADwqu94V43vCFb8yzShst-tZZva6u&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1JLLBhCDARIsAAVfy7h-TKMmfT5USzPcfuXTp4QE_N1p81iHyvb7ZFyBlLtiTim2umqRhRIaAsTlEALw_wcB

 

The linked is a high since phosphate epoxy primer, can be applied with paint brush or roller, even though the instructions say to spray paint.

 

Epoxy isn't that UV stable, so would need a top coat. Prep to give it nice rough surface to put on to, then it's there for life and stops rust well.

 

I used on a 50+ year old Beetle floor pan, 12 years ago, still looks like the day it was painted (not been on salty roads though)

Plastic lintel soffit cladding might be another option, it'll cost more but need less maintenance (probably easier to install before the windows though, sorry)

If it's galvanized you may need to etch prime it to get a key for the paint. 

 

It'll peal off otherwise.

 

2 hours ago, Iceverge said:

If it's mild steel I made some brackets recently. 

 

Gave them a run of a wire brush on the angle grinder. 

 

Then some brake cleaner as a degreaser. 

 

Then put them in the oven to get them up to skin temp and dry them out properly. 

 

Then 3 coats of zinc primer. 

 

 

Then 3 coats of an enamel oxide brushed on. 

 

 

They're in a fairly corrosive environment so I hope they'll last ok. 

 

 

 

Let's hope OP has a commercial bread oven to hand 🤣

Can you not cover it in pvc trim the same as the windows, it will take up about 8mm. 

2 hours ago, Oz07 said:

Let's hope OP has a commercial bread oven to hand 🤣

 

Lol. 

 

I did actually stick them in the kitchen oven pre zinc coat .

 

Cautious of off gassing pre top coat and fearing the wrath of my family I just stuck them into a cardboard box with a small fan heater (closely supervised!!!!) for 15mins. 

 

Seemed to do the trick, they only need to be warm and dry.