How to Refinish a Rusty Fire Pit
Posted on April 29, 2020
With the upcoming summer, there are sure to be outdoor evenings around the firepit. Whether your family gathers for roasting marshmallows or deep conversation, you’ll need your fire pit to be in tip-top shape. After the winter, your fire pit could be in rough shape. Don’t worry, with a bit of elbow grease, you can have it ready to go long before the first warm night. Here’s how to refinish a rusty fire pit.
Sand
The first step to refinishing your fire pit is to sand down its past use and current residue. Make sure to use a wire brush and protective gear for your lungs. Address the inside, outside, base, and frame.
Clean
To start the cleaning, use a blower or dry brush and remove as much dust as possible. Next, mix warm soapy water. Use a 3M pad to remove dirt and grime from the entirety of the fire pit. Get every surface.
Now, using some gloves, get a clean cloth and some denatured alcohol. Use this to wipe off all the surfaces. The alcohol is really abrasive, so do not let it touch your skin. Allow the pit to dry in a sunny area for at least 30 minutes.
Paint
The best options for this project are provided by Rust-Oleum’s Ultra High Heat line of paints. The paint has natural rust preventing chemicals included. It’s also made to withstand temperatures of up to 1200 degrees making it an ideal choice for radiators, grills, automotive parts, and fire pits. There are several colors to choose from to give your fire pit the look you want.
Spread out a drop cloth in an open, well-ventilated area. You may want to stake down corners to avoid wind gusts catching you by surprise. Make sure you shake the paint can for at least 60 seconds before you start to spray. Hold the can upright about 8 inches above the fire pit and work in sweeping motions. Work over the entire fire pit and additional accessories.
After allowing the pieces to dry fully, usually about 10 minutes, add another coat. Typically a project like this will take several coats, depending on how degraded it was before you started.
Once the fire pit is fully dried, reassemble it. Give it an additional 6 hours to dry before lighting your first fire.
If you are planning to get your entire outdoor living area ready for some heavy usage why not consider having your outdoor decks and wood prepped and stained to look as good as your rejuvenated fire pit? Give CertaPro of Reno a call for all your exterior wood painting and staining need and get a free estimate today!
