How to fix rusted poles?

Samnet

Hi All,

There are 2 steel posts of an elevated deck in the ground which are rusted. These postes are buried into the ground and I tried to dig down as much as possible (about 60cm)but still couldn't reach the bottom. Not sure if it's ok to be like this or I need to make sure it's not buried in the ground and remove all rust

Thanks

Saman 

JacobZ

Hi @Samnet,

This is certainly not ideal for a weight-bearing post.

As these posts support an elevated deck, as a matter of safety, I would strongly suggest having this assessed by a suitably qualified professional such as a builder or structural engineer.

If it is surface rust and the post itself is not in too bad a condition, it may be ok to just remove the rust, treat it and recoat with galvanising paint, but this would need to be deemed suitable by a builder or engineer.

If it is deemed suitable, use a wire wheel brush to remove as much of the rust as possible. Once it has been tidied up, apply Rust Guard Rust Converter to treat the rust and prepare it for priming. 

Once the rust converter has been given time for the chemical reaction to take place, apply a coat of White Knight Rust Guard Cold Gal Spray Paint as a primer, followed by a coat of White Knight Cold Gal Silver Rust Guard Spray Paint as a final protective coat.

It is important that the posts are assessed before any steps are taken to treat the rust. If the rust has set in too deep and removed too much strength from the posts, then it may need to be replaced.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob