My curiosity was piqued when I heard about Ronseal’s Direct to Metal paint. I knew my exterior metal gate was in desperate need of a fresh coat or two of paint.
It was one of those niggling tasks at the back of my mind, that had been waiting for me to tackle. It has taken me 10 years, but it’s never too late right?
The image above is the magical “After” look.
I say magical, because you should see the state of my metal gate before.
Oh well, here you go. The “Before”.
There’s no denying that it’s in a rough shape.
Definitely not a pretty sight with that peeling paint and rust showing through.
I would always keep the gate opened, so it was out of sight and out of mind.
My excuse for not tackling the paint job was that I was too busy. 
However, when I discovered that you could apply Ronseal’s Direct to Metal paint, straight on to metal with minimal prep, no need for a primer, can be applied direct to rust, has low odour, a quick re-coat time and is showerproof in 30 minutes, I was eager to try it out.
In addition to the above, the tin states that the paint will give a 15 year protection, which is great, seeing as how time poor I am. 
So these were the steps I followed to restore my metal gate:
1.Remove loose rust or paint with a 120 grit sandpaper.
2.Wear a safety mask whilst sanding in case of lead paint.
3.Wipe down with a damp cloth and remove all dirt.
4. Give the paint a good stir for 2 to 3 minutes and apply with a paintbrush or roller.
I used Ronseal’s Direct to Metal paint in gloss black.
5. Leave for 2 to 4 hours between each coat.
6. 2 coats were enough for a good coverage, but 3 for rusty metal and ultimate durability. The last coat will be touch dry in only 30 minutes.
The steps were easy to follow and performed well.
So now I can proudly keep the gate closed and in view. 
What do you think?
Do you have a rusty exterior metal gate or surface to paint? If so, Ronseal’s Direct to Metal paint is a good option to try.
( All photography are by Little Big Bell. this is a paid partnership post with Ronseal).