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Restoring The Look Of Your Cast Iron Gutters - A Three Step Guide

Cast iron has been a staple material for producing hard wearing and attractive rain water systems for hundreds of years. Known for its strong and handsome characteristics, cast iron gutters, if looked after correctly can continue to function perfectly for many years. As with many products rainwater systems are constantly at the mercy of the elements and the changing bombardment of weather conditions. While the structural integrity of cast iron gutters usually remains unchanged the weather can have an adverse effect on the aesthetics and overtime the paint work may need some attention. Here are three steps to help you bring the look of your cast iron gutters back up to new.

Step 1: Cleaning Out Cast Iron Gutters

The first item on the to-do list is thoroughly cleaning the gutters, both inside and out. Left unattended guttering is prone to silt and leaves building up and over time this can cause blockages, leading to standing water. This standing water can freeze during the winter and crack and break up the protective paint layer.  Taking the time to remove and clean all the dirt away from the guttering is important and will greatly enhance your cast iron gutters effectiveness. The down pipes should also be checked for any blockages and looking over the top of one and using a powerful torch can let you look down the pipe. If you find blockages you can use rods to push any build ups though to the bottom, or you could try pouring warm soapy water through the pipe to flush though the build ups of grime.

Step 2: Preparing the Cast Iron Gutters

Once your cast iron gutters are clean and free from any build-ups, you can begin to prepare them for painting. It’s important to remove and loosen flaky paint and to do this you can use a metal scrapper or stiff wire brush. Using the wire brush, firmly work around the guttering and downpipes, removing all the loose material. Once finished your cast iron gutters may look patchy, but they should also look smooth and ready for a fresh coat of rust inhibiting paint.

Step 3: Painting Cast Iron gutters

There are many different types of rust inhibiting paint in the marketplace that vary in cost, each making a slightly different claim as to their cast iron enhancing properties. Many DIY stores offer their own branded paints and in most cases these are sufficient to complete the job at hand. Firstly ensure that the cast iron gutters are completely dry and that any dust left over from removing the old paint has been wiped away. Then take a good sized brush and start to apply the paint in layers. It’s better to add the paint in stages, building up the coats. If you apply the paint too thickly you may find that you get drips and that it’ll take a long time to dry.

Once completed your cast iron gutters will look almost as good as new, bringing a fresh look to your property and more efficiency to your rainwater system.

For more information regarding Cast Iron Gutters please call Yeoman Rainguard on 0113 279 5854 or alternatively email us at sallyann@rainguard.co.uk

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