How to Strip and Repaint an Iron or Metal Bed

At our place, we really believe in getting the good out of something. Instead of buying new, we turn to our barn instead and dig old things out of storage. It was in the barn where we found a set of four vintage metal beds that needed a bit of restoration work.

Stripping, sanding, and repainting a metal or iron bed is amazing simple to do when you have the right materials and a space to work in. Here's how it's done:

Materials needed to complete this project include:
Newspaper or tarp to protect the ground
Rubber gloves
Protective goggles
Paint stripper formulated for metal
Paper towels and old rags
Mineral spirits
Disposable brushes
Old toothbrushes
Stainless steel in assorted grades
One can primer spray paint with rust inhibitor
One to two cans of spray paint for metal in the color of your choice

1. Find a well ventilated place to work. Because you'll be using chemical strippers and stirring up a lot of dust, a well ventilated work area is a must. Garages, patios, or even out in the yard on a calm day are ideal locations for this project. Be sure to lay down newspapers or a painters tarp to protect the surface below.

2. Removing the old paint. Apply the chemical paint stripper to the metal following the instructions on the container. Once the paint has been softened, it can be removed with paper towels. Use the toothbrush to remove paint trapped in the crevices and joints. If you can't get rid of all the old paint, that's fine too. What patches of paint remain on the metal can be sanded smooth.

3. Neutralize the stripper by wiping down all the metal with mineral spirits. Let dry.

4. Lightly sand the metal and smooth out the edges of any remaining flecks of residual paint. If the ridges of the paint flecks feel smooth to the touch, then they'll won't show up when the bed is repainted. Wipe off the metal bed frame again to remove traces of dust.

5. Spray the stripped frame with primer following the instructions as noted on the can.

6. Apply the top coats of paint in multiple layers as directed. Instead of trying to cover all the metal bed frame at one time, apply the paint in thin coats using a back and forth motion. It may take four or more passes for compete coverage of the bed. Let the paint dry between applications to prevent running.

7. Allow for time to harden the paint. Because kids' beds do see a lot of abuse, it's recommended to let the bed thoroughly dry before putting it into use. With our newly found and restored metal beds, one week of drying time was all it took until the beds could be put back into use for the next generation of kids.